AML Risk Manager

AML Risk Manager, Permanent, £45,726pa, 35 hours per week

It is an exciting time to join the Law Society of Scotland. At the centre of our organisation are the values of Respect, Openness, Progress, Inclusion, and Integrity which drive our teams to deliver the best possible service for the legal sector and beyond.

The Law Society of Scotland is the professional body for over 11,000 Scottish solicitors. With a strategic aim of providing modern and effective regulation, we strive to ensure our regulation is fair, proportionate, and risk based. As a key regulator, we set and uphold standards to ensure the provision of excellent legal services and to promote and protect the public interest and ensure public trust. As an organisation our values are respect, openness, progress, inclusion and integrity and we strive to embed these principles into everything we do.

We are the HM Treasury-designated Anti-Money Laundering Supervisor for Scottish solicitors - as such we have full visibility and remit across the sector, and regularly interact with law enforcement, government departments, and other regulators. We undertake a wide range of supervisory assurance activities to ensure our members comply with their duties and responsibilities under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 and The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

We are genuinely passionate about AML issues and are pragmatic and progressive in our approach to being a responsible and effective AML supervisor. We are recognised as leading best practice in professional body AML supervision - examples include the work we do to risk assess and profile our supervised population, the use of intelligence to guide our risk-based approach, and the AML-related guidance and information we publish in support of the profession. For a small team, we regularly punch above our weight!

We do not, however, rest on our laurels - we operate in a busy, dynamic environment where no two days are the same and new ideas and ways of working are actively encouraged in order to discharge our supervisory responsibilities effectively and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities for this role

· Undertaking high-quality, risk-based supervisory assurance of our membership

· Conducting reviews, thematics and other projects relating to the AML policies, controls and procedures at legal firms

· Examining file matters in order to test compliance with the UK Money Laundering Regulations

· Write up findings into inspection reports and make recommendations to firms on uplifting levels of compliance and (where necessary) refer them to our AML Sub Committee

· Innovative, responsible data management and policy/communications

Key Knowledge, Skills and Experience

· Data Management:

We have worked hard in recent years to develop our risk-based approach to supervision. Central to this has been the implementation of our annual "AML Certificate" - a data collection questionnaire which captures the information necessary to risk-profile our membership. This is a continual and evolving piece of work across the end-to-end process - from design, roll-out, management of communications and queries through to the analysis of information collected and refinement of our risk-based approach to AML supervision across the sector.

· Policy/Communications:

As a Professional Body AML Supervisor, we are a key, active stakeholder and constituent of the UK's Economic Crime strategy and plan. We regularly contribute to UK-wide government initiatives, policy consultations and economic-crime panels, forums and groups, alongside other supervisors, government departments and law enforcement. The Society also played a leading role in the most recent revision and drafting of UK-wide legal sector AML Guidance, and regularly publishes other materials through our website and other channels which promote and support AML best practice and compliance across our membership and beyond.

This is a unique opportunity which has prominence and visibility across the legal landscape and beyond. We need a good communicator who is capable of understanding both the issues legal firms face "on the ground" and the bigger-picture economic crime issues currently facing the UK. Someone who can work with and influence stakeholders ranging from HM Treasury, law enforcement/NCA, to other supervisors and professional bodies, through to legal firms large and small.

What we guarantee is that the successful candidate and the work they do at the Society can and will make a difference - as an AML supervisor we are in a position to shape and (where necessary) improve AML control across an entire profession.

You will be capable, hard-working, experienced and knowledgeable in AML risk management - particularly with regards to complex due diligence procedures and/or the assurance or audit of key AML controls, within a regulated environment such as Financial or other Professional Services.

Along with a high level of attention to detail and an ability to manage busy workstacks across assurance/audit activity, it would be great if you have additional experience in either of the two areas of data management or Policy/Communications, as described above.

While legal knowledge or background in the legal sector is obviously of interest to us, don't be put off if you haven't - the ideal candidate could come from a wide variety of career paths. It may also be that you have prior experience in a "pan-sector" role - perhaps at another AML regulator/supervisor.

As a small team there are also a variety of smaller, ad-hoc tasks we take collective responsibility for - it is therefore imperative that the candidate is a friendly, team player, who is as passionate about AML, our objectives and "doing the right thing" as we are.

If the above sounds like you, the role chimes with your career aspirations and you like the sound of us - we'd love to hear from you.

What we offer our employees?

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our colleague's professional and personal needs. Some of these include:

· A hybrid working environment.

· Flexible working, to allow you to work around your lifestyle and commitments.

· 30 days holiday plus bank holidays

· A competitive pension provision scheme

· Excellent family friendly benefits

· Learning and Development opportunities to enhance your skills or through programmes leading to professional or academic qualification.

· Private medical insurance including dental and optical.

· Various health and wellbeing benefits such as confidential counselling services, bike to work scheme, eyecare, and offers on well-known brands through our Lifestyle savings offering.

The Law Society of Scotland is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We hold a Leaders in Diversity Award in recognition of our commitment to advance fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement within our organisation and the Scottish legal sector. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity page.

We are always on the look for new talent to join our incredible workforce. If you are looking for a new opportunity within the society, we would love to hear from you!