Operations and Compliance Analyst - EMPBLCX03

Operations and Compliance Analyst

Location: South Africa (Fully Remote)
Working Hours: United Kingdom Business Hours
Department: Compliance and Operations
Salary: R28 000 per month

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced and detail focused Operations and Compliance Analyst to join a dynamic and fast paced financial services environment.

This is a fully remote opportunity for someone based in South Africa, working United Kingdom business hours.

The primary purpose of this role is to support the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) in ensuring the business meets its regulatory and legal obligations.

Operating within the 1st Line of Defence, you will form part of the Compliance Department and work closely with the wider Operations Team to support and continuously improve the firm's compliance and anti financial crime framework.

Your key areas of focus will include Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Know Your Customer (KYC), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Source of Funds (SoF), Source of Wealth (SoW), Politically Exposed Person (PEP) screening, sanctions screening, adverse media screening and transaction monitoring.

This is a hands on role requiring strong attention to detail, sound risk based decision making and the ability to manage competing priorities in a regulated environment.

You will collaborate with internal teams, clients, prospects, affiliates, referring partners and banking partners to ensure a consistently high standard of customer service while maintaining full compliance with internal procedures and external regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance and Regulatory Support

• Support the Money Laundering Reporting Officer in maintaining the firm's compliance framework and ensuring adherence to regulatory and legal obligations.
• Assist with the day to day operation and continuous improvement of the firm's compliance and anti financial crime controls.
• Conduct Customer Due Diligence and Enhanced Due Diligence checks as part of client onboarding and ongoing monitoring.
• Verify Source of Funds and Source of Wealth documentation to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Conduct live and retrospective transaction monitoring, identifying unusual or suspicious activity and escalating concerns in accordance with internal procedures.
• Manage internal screening processes, investigating potential matches against Politically Exposed Person, sanctions and adverse media lists.
• Apply sound risk based judgement when reviewing compliance concerns and determining appropriate escalation procedures.

Client Onboarding and Ongoing Monitoring

• Manage client onboarding processes, ensuring all required compliance checks and documentation are completed accurately and efficiently.
• Liaise directly with prospects and existing clients to obtain and verify the necessary Know Your Customer documentation.
• Conduct periodic reviews of existing clients to ensure customer information remains complete, accurate and up to date.
• Support the onboarding of affiliates and referring partners, conducting all relevant compliance checks.
• Manage updates to existing client information, ensuring changes are accurately recorded across internal systems in accordance with operational procedures and compliance requirements.
• Act as a key point of contact for internal teams regarding compliance, client onboarding and ongoing monitoring requirements.

Operations and Stakeholder Management

• Work collaboratively with the wider Operations Team to maintain high standards of customer service while meeting regulatory obligations.
• Liaise with counterparties and partner banks, coordinating and responding to Requests for Information as part of their ongoing monitoring processes.
• Provide timely and practical compliance guidance to internal stakeholders.
• Manage competing priorities effectively within a fast moving environment without compromising regulatory standards.
• Maintain accurate compliance records and ensure operational processes are consistently followed.

Compliance Reporting and Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to streamline compliance processes, improve operational efficiency and strengthen existing controls.
• Prepare compliance activity reports and management information for senior leadership when requested.
• Support and lead compliance related projects across the business.
• Provide operational and compliance support during periods of team leave when required.
• Undertake additional responsibilities of a similar nature as the business continues to grow and develop.

Skills and Experience

We are looking for someone who can confidently manage compliance responsibilities within a regulated financial services environment.

Key Requirements

• Previous experience in an operations, compliance, financial crime or client onboarding role within financial services.
• Practical experience conducting Customer Due Diligence, Know Your Customer and Enhanced Due Diligence checks.
• Experience reviewing Source of Funds and Source of Wealth documentation.
• Strong understanding of Politically Exposed Person, sanctions and adverse media screening.
• Experience conducting transaction monitoring and escalating potentially suspicious activity.
• Understanding of anti money laundering requirements and regulatory compliance processes.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills when engaging with clients, internal stakeholders and banking partners.
• Confidence in making sound risk based decisions and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment while collaborating effectively with a wider team.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working within a United Kingdom regulated financial services environment.
• Familiarity with United Kingdom anti money laundering and financial crime regulatory requirements.
• Experience working with financial institutions, payment providers, foreign exchange businesses or other regulated financial services organisations.
• Experience responding to banking partner compliance requests and Requests for Information.
• Experience identifying opportunities to improve compliance processes and internal controls.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will be organised, adaptable and proactive with a strong understanding of the importance of maintaining regulatory standards while delivering excellent customer service.

You will be comfortable working in a hands on compliance environment where priorities can change quickly and where accuracy, sound judgement and effective communication are essential.

We are looking for someone who takes ownership of their responsibilities, works collaboratively across teams and brings a practical, solutions focused approach to compliance.

Originally posted on Himalayas