Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Operations Lead

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. We are currently seeking an experienced Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Manager, to support both our Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) efforts and client onboarding. This is primarily an office-based role, requiring a minimum of two days per week in the London office. Additional travel to Manchester may occasionally be required. About the job In this role, you will play a pivotal part in the frontline defence against financial crime, serving as a subject matter expert and point of reference for team members. You’ll be responsible for overseeing the quality and accuracy of due diligence performed by the frontline team, ensuring high standards are consistently met. You’ll work in close partnership with internal stakeholders and external partners to strengthen and evolve our AML and KYC processes, and provide regular updates via preparation of MI on financial crime risk. If you’re an experienced KYC professional seeking an opportunity to shape policies and procedures, support team development, and share your expertise across the wider function we’d be excited to hear from you. Key Responsibilities * As a 1st Line Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Manager you will be responsible for overseeing and supporting customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD), and transaction monitoring activities to ensure the Bank's compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. You’ll play a critical role in identifying and mitigating financial crime risk at the frontline of customer interaction. * Oversee and support AML/KYC reviews on new and existing customers in line with internal policies and regulatory requirements. * Review and advise on suitability of customer documentation and verification (e.g., ID, proof of address, source of funds/wealth). * Assess and monitor screening and background checks using internal systems and third-party tools. * Manage and monitor investigations of alerts from monitoring systems conducted by the frontline, escalating suspicious activity as appropriate. * Liaise with internal teams to obtain missing information or resolve KYC issues. * Contribute to the overall continuous improvement and development of the AML/KYC operations by supporting the implementation of internal controls, process improvements and documentation updates. * Assist in the preparation of internal reports and MI relating to Financial Crime and AML. * Stay current on AML/CTF legislation, typologies, and regulatory expectations. Required Skills * Experience in a KYC, AML, or compliance role within a financial institution (preferably with experience in Commercial/SME Lending). * Working knowledge of the UK regulatory environment, including the Money Laundering Regulations, JMLSG Guidance, and FCA Handbook. * Familiarity with screening and case management tools e.g. LexisNexis, ComplyAdvantage, RiskNarrative, Dow Jones. * Team player with a proactive attitude and ethical mindset. * Strong attention to detail and investigative mindset. * Good written and verbal communication skills. * Ability to work under pressure and manage workload in line with SLAs. * Strong communication skills including the ability to forge new connections with existing stakeholders and escalate risks diligently in line with agreed processes. * Keen eye for detail and problem solving with an investigative mind and the desire to find solutions to problems independently and quickly using a risk-based rationale in line with relevant legislation.   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.

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. We are currently seeking a Senior Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Analyst, to support both our Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) efforts and client onboarding. This is primarily an office-based role, requiring a minimum of two days per week in either the Manchester or London office. Additional travel to these offices may occasionally be required. About the job The Senior AFC and Onboarding Analyst supports the delivery of effective first line financial crime controls and client onboarding activities within SME Lending. The role is responsible for assisting with KYC, EDD, sanctions screening, onboarding including quality assurance, and ongoing process improvements to support the continued growth of the franchise while maintaining strong control standards. Reporting to the Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Manager the role will work closely with Head of SME Product, Risk and Financial Crime, Lending Managers, Operations, and Compliance, to ensure onboarding is completed efficiently, consistently, and in line with internal policies and regulatory expectations. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in the frontline defence against financial crime, serving as a subject matter expert and point of reference for team members. You’ll be responsible for assisting with and overseeing the quality and accuracy of due diligence performed by the frontline team, ensuring high standards are consistently met. You’ll work in close partnership with internal stakeholders and external partners to strengthen and evolve our AML and KYC processes, and assist the AFC and Onboarding Manager in providing regular updates via preparation of MI on financial crime risk. If you’re a KYC professional seeking an opportunity to shape policies and procedures, support team development, and share your expertise across the wider function we’d be excited to hear from you. Key Responsibilities * As a 1st Line Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Analyst you will be responsible for supporting customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD), and transaction monitoring activities to ensure the Bank's compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. You’ll play a critical role in identifying and mitigating financial crime risk at the frontline of customer interaction. * Supporting AML/KYC reviews on new and existing customers in line with internal policies and regulatory requirements. * Review and assess the suitability of customer documentation including corporate structures, identification documents, source of funds/source of wealth evidence and lending-related information. * Utilise internal onboarding and monitoring systems, together with third-party screening tools to conduct and assess sanctions, PEP, adverse media and background checks. * Manage and monitor investigations of alerts from monitoring systems conducted by the frontline, escalating suspicious activity as appropriate. * Liaise with internal teams to obtain missing information or resolve KYC issues. * Contribute to the overall continuous improvement and development of the AML/KYC Operations by supporting the implementation of internal controls, process improvements and documentation updates. * Assist in the preparation of internal reports and MI relating to Financial Crime and AML. * Stay current on AML/CTF legislation, typologies, and regulatory expectations. * Provide guidance and day-to-day support to frontline colleagues on AML/KYC requirements and onboarding best practice. Required Skills * Previous demonstrable experience in a KYC, AML, or compliance role within a financial institution (preferably with experience in Commercial/SME Lending). * Working knowledge of the UK regulatory environment, including the Money Laundering Regulations, JMLSG Guidance, and FCA Handbook. * Familiarity with screening and case management tools e.g. LexisNexis, ComplyAdvantage, RiskNarrative, Dow Jones. * Team player with a proactive attitude and ethical mindset. * Ability to work under pressure and manage workload in line with SLAs. * Strong communication skills including the ability to forge new connections with existing stakeholders and escalate risks diligently in line with agreed processes. * Keen eye for detail and problem solving with an investigative mind and the desire to find solutions to problems independently and quickly using a risk-based rationale in line with relevant legislation.   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.