CDD Operations Manager - High Risk Vertical Onboarding

Responsibilities Leadership & Team Management

• Develop and mentor a high performing team specialising in end to end customer due diligence across complex verticals including payment facilitators, marketplaces, cryptocurrency, gambling and money transmission services.
• Establish clear performance frameworks, measurable objectives, and structured career development plans to support capability growth and succession planning.
• Set the tone for a strong culture of risk awareness, accountability and collaboration, balancing regulatory compliance, risk appetite and customer experience.
• Implement effective capacity planning and workload allocation aligned to risk profiles, operational demand and team capability.
• Proactively monitor workflows to ensure timely throughput, effective prioritisation and appropriate escalation of issues.
• Identify capability gaps, emerging risks and improvement opportunities, developing targeted training programmes to enhance expertise.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders to drive collaboration and alignment.
• Represent the CDD function in internal and external forums, advocating for robust due diligence practices and building industry relationships.
• Influence and negotiate with stakeholders to deliver CDD objectives while balancing business priorities and operational needs.
• Partner with cross functional teams to improve processes, enhance productivity, drive cost effectiveness and strengthen the customer experience.

Global Due Diligence and Financial Crime Programme

• Lead day to day execution of the Global Due Diligence programme, ensuring adherence to relevant regulations, policies and standards.
• Maintain oversight of emerging risks and issues, proactively managing them through identification, escalation and resolution.

Continuous Improvement

• Promote a continuous improvement mindset across the CDD Operations team to achieve optimal efficiency, quality and productivity.
• Identify and implement process optimisation opportunities to reduce customer friction, enhance user experience and deliver operational efficiencies.
• Support and embed change initiatives effectively, guiding teams through transitions to ensure sustainable improvements.
• Stay informed on industry trends, regulatory developments and best practices to ensure processes remain current, scalable and effective.

Governance and Oversight

• Oversee day to day team performance, ensuring accurate execution of CDD processes and timely issue resolution.
• Produce and analyse management information to support decision making and identify key trends and risks.
• Ensure effective oversight of team pipelines, controls and success metrics.

Qualifications

• A demonstrable understanding of high risk verticals, their associated risks and required application of controls, including payment facilitators, marketplaces, cryptocurrency, gaming, gambling and money service businesses.
• Minimum of 5 years' direct experience managing a CDD/KYC team, including performance management, mentoring and operational oversight.
• Strong understanding of AML/KYC regulatory frameworks across EMEA and their practical application within CDD operations, including local financial authorities and global standards; familiarity with central banks, financial intelligence units (FIUs), AML enforcement agencies and international frameworks such as FATF and EU AML Directives.
• Proven experience in leading CDD/KYC operations within a financial institution, ensuring due diligence processes align with local and international best practices.
• Ability to assess customer risk, oversee enhanced due diligence (EDD) cases, and ensure CDD processes are executed efficiently.
• Experience working closely with compliance, risk and front office teams, ensuring CDD aligns with regulatory expectations while supporting business objectives.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with internal teams, regulators and external partners.
• Experience using AML/KYC systems and tools (e.g., Actimize, Orbis, Fenergo) and leveraging data driven insights to improve operational efficiency.
• Ability to manage high workloads, competing priorities and evolving regulatory expectations in a fast paced environment.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience in payment services.
• Relevant professional qualifications such as CAMS, ICA or equivalent financial crime qualifications.
• Familiarity with transaction monitoring, sanctions screening and risk based approaches to CDD.
• Experience handling regulatory audits or internal reviews related to customer due diligence.