Job Description

LHV Bank Limited is a UK-licensed bank operating across three core business segments: Retail Banking, SME Lending, and Banking Services (BaaS). The bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of LHV Group, a listed financial services provider headquartered in Estonia. LHV Bank operates under a full UK banking licence granted in May 2023.

The Bank supports over 200 fintech clients with embedded financial infrastructure, provides retail savings products via digital channels, and offers SME credit solutions across the UK. In line with its regulatory responsibilities and growth ambitions, LHV Bank is committed to maintaining a robust and proportionate financial crime control environment.

Expanding our services, LHV Bank now provides personal banking solutions. Our offerings include current accounts with competitive interest rates, fixed-rate bonds for long-term savings, and debit cards. Customers can conveniently access these services through the LHV App, enabling secure account opening and management.

Reporting to the Director of Financial Crime Risk, the successful candidate will be part of the Banking Services AML Business Risk Management function. You will be responsible for undertaking all aspects of new client onboarding and the ongoing periodic review process as well as handling ad-hoc escalations, undertaking on-site visits to clients and handling transaction monitoring alerts to proactively manage the financial crime risks posed by the firm’s clients.

Duties and Responsibilities:

This role exists to manage the financial crime risks associated with LHV UK’s customer base, comprising predominantly UK and EEA regulated non-bank financial institutions. This includes:

• Liaising with relevant Relationship Managers, prospects and clients when onboarding new entities, undertaking periodic reviews of existing clients, and at other points of the client lifecycle.
• Analyzing onboarding and periodic review questionnaires and the sufficiency of the financial crime programs of prospective and existing clients.
• Undertaking assessments of the risks posed to LHV UK by prospective and existing clients, both using the Customer Risk Assessment model at onboarding and periodic refresh as well as through qualitative assessment as part of targeted reviews, onsite visits, transaction monitoring results and escalations.
• Managing and maintaining the process for all aspects of CDD and EDD at onboarding and at periodic review, including driving the process to completion.
• Undertaking all necessary standalone economic sanctions, PEP and adverse media screening on clients and the applicable associated parties.
• Conducting on-site visits to clients to assess their financial crimes programme in order to form a view as to the risks posed to the firm.
• Identifying areas of high or unacceptable risk, and assessing the suitability of clients subject to the Special Interest Client and Excessive Fraud programmes.
• Producing management information in relation to onboarding, periodic review, transaction monitoring, onsite visits and the client portfolio.
• Presenting case summaries, client escalations and management information to a senior audience, including the AML Committee, as and when required.
• Fostering a positive on-going engagement with internal and external stakeholders and clients.
• Undertaking assigned Business Risk Management project work or relevant tasks as given by the Director of AML Business Risk.

Experience and attributes:

• Experience in a CDD or EDD function within a financial services firm.
• Strong experience of correspondent banking or payment intermediaries, including e-money institutions.
• The ability to analyse client documentation including organisational charts and complex ownership structures to identify beneficial ownership and to assess the sufficiency of policies and procedures.
• Experience liaising with the business regarding key AML matters.
• Able to articulate understanding of relevant regulations and guidelines particularly the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Terrorism Act 2000 and the SAR reporting regime.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Superb attention to detail.
• Ability to develop, implement and enhance processes.
• Passionate about the benefits of a positive compliance culture.
• Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure managing multiple priorities.

Limited travel may be required.

Some of our benefits (only applicable to UK based roles not Internship programmes)

• Competitive salary &lots of opportunities to learn, grow and progress professionally.
• Open and inclusive culture.
• Hybrid working.
• Fantastic offices and great working environment.
• Vitality Health Plan (includes private health insurance, travel insurance, gym discounts)
• Health cash Plan (Medicash health plan Level 3)
• 6% employer pension contribution.
• Life assurance – 4 x salary.
• Income protection insurance – 75%
• 28 days holiday plus 3 additional days, & further days for various key life events as well as the opportunity to sell up to 5 days per calendar year.
• Swap public/bank holidays each year for alternative days that align with your personal, cultural, or religious observances.
• Enhanced family friendly and family forming policies.
• Access to a wide range of retail discounts
• Team Socials.