Regulatory Compliance and Operations Specialist

Financial Services | Compliance Operations | Financial Crime Prevention

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

About the Opportunity

We are recruiting an experienced Regulatory Compliance and Operations Specialist to join a fast paced financial services business.

This fully remote opportunity is open to candidates based in South Africa who are available to work United Kingdom business hours.

The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting regulatory compliance activities while contributing to the effective operation of the business's financial crime prevention framework.

Working within the 1st Line of Defence, you will form part of the Compliance Department and work closely with the wider Operations Team.

You will support the Money Laundering Reporting Officer in ensuring the organisation meets its regulatory and legal obligations.

Your responsibilities will cover client onboarding, Customer Due Diligence, Know Your Customer checks, Enhanced Due Diligence, Source of Funds and Source of Wealth verification, sanctions screening, Politically Exposed Person screening, adverse media investigations and transaction monitoring.

The position also involves working with internal stakeholders, clients, prospects, affiliates, referring partners and banking partners.

This opportunity is suited to someone who combines strong compliance knowledge with excellent organisational skills and a practical approach to operational challenges.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Controls

• Assist the Money Laundering Reporting Officer in maintaining the organisation's compliance framework.

• Support adherence to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

• Contribute to the daily operation and ongoing development of financial crime prevention procedures.

• Conduct Customer Due Diligence and Enhanced Due Diligence reviews.

• Verify Source of Funds and Source of Wealth documentation to ensure compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.

• Perform live and retrospective transaction monitoring.

• Identify unusual or potentially suspicious transactions and escalate concerns in accordance with established procedures.

• Conduct sanctions, Politically Exposed Person and adverse media screening.

• Investigate potential screening matches and apply appropriate escalation processes.

• Exercise sound risk based judgement when assessing compliance issues.

Client Onboarding and Compliance Monitoring

• Manage compliance requirements associated with new client onboarding.

• Communicate with prospective and existing clients to obtain necessary Know Your Customer documentation.

• Verify client information and ensure all required checks are completed accurately.

• Conduct periodic reviews to maintain complete and current client records.

• Support compliance checks for affiliates and referring partners during onboarding.

• Process changes to existing client information and update internal systems accordingly.

• Provide guidance to internal teams regarding onboarding, client verification and ongoing monitoring requirements.

Operations and Stakeholder Coordination

• Work collaboratively with the Operations Team to maintain efficient processes and strong customer service standards.

• Liaise with banking partners and external counterparties regarding compliance matters.

• Coordinate and respond to Requests for Information received from banking partners.

• Provide clear and practical compliance guidance to internal stakeholders.

• Manage competing priorities while ensuring regulatory standards are maintained.

• Ensure operational procedures are consistently followed.

• Maintain accurate compliance documentation and records across internal systems.

Reporting and Operational Improvements

• Identify opportunities to improve compliance procedures and operational workflows.

• Contribute to strengthening internal controls and improving process efficiency.

• Prepare compliance activity reports and management information for senior leadership when required.

• Support and lead compliance related projects and business initiatives.

• Provide additional compliance and operational support during periods of team leave.

• Undertake related responsibilities as the organisation continues to expand.

Essential Requirements

• Previous experience in a financial services compliance, operations, financial crime or client onboarding position.

• Practical experience conducting Customer Due Diligence, Know Your Customer and Enhanced Due Diligence checks.

• Experience assessing Source of Funds and Source of Wealth documentation.

• Strong understanding of sanctions screening, Politically Exposed Person screening and adverse media checks.

• Experience conducting transaction monitoring and escalating potentially suspicious activity.

• Knowledge of anti money laundering obligations and financial services compliance processes.

• Excellent attention to detail and strong documentation management skills.

• Ability to organise work effectively and manage multiple deadlines.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Confidence engaging with clients, internal teams and external banking partners.

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to make sound risk based decisions.

• Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment while maintaining effective team collaboration.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within a United Kingdom regulated financial services organisation.

• Familiarity with United Kingdom financial crime and anti money laundering regulatory requirements.

• Previous experience within financial institutions, payment service providers, foreign exchange businesses or similar regulated organisations.

• Experience responding to banking partner Requests for Information.

• Previous involvement in improving compliance processes, operational procedures or internal controls.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is an organised, adaptable and proactive compliance professional who understands the importance of maintaining regulatory standards in a busy financial services environment.

You will be comfortable reviewing detailed documentation, managing client onboarding requirements and investigating compliance concerns.

Strong analytical thinking, effective communication and the ability to make informed decisions will be important.

We are looking for someone who takes ownership of their responsibilities, works collaboratively across departments and approaches challenges with a practical and solutions focused mindset.

If you have experience balancing regulatory compliance responsibilities with operational requirements and customer service, we encourage you to apply.