About the position
Wise has already pioneered new ways for people to transfer money across borders and currencies. Our customers can also manage their hard-earned money with the world’s first platform to offer true multi-currency banking. We are looking for an experienced operations lead and sanctions expert to lead the Sanctions Specialist Team and Training Team within Sanctions Operations. The Sanctions Specialist team serves as the sanctions subject matter experts responsible for reviewing and investigating all potential violations of OFAC, E.U., UK and other sanctions programs processed through Wise. This includes: reviewing and final approval regarding escalated alerts on transactions and matches to the OFAC, E.U., UK and any other applicable lists and programs; reviewing and approving licensed transactions; reporting blocked property and rejected transactions to the respective regulatory agencies; drafting and filing Voluntary Self-Disclosures to OFAC; investigation into potential circumvention attempts; advising teams on sanctions related issues and sanctions incidents. The team also owns training and knowledge management for the whole of Sanctions Operations.
Responsibilities
- Lead the Specialist teams
- Lead complex operational projects acting as a subject matter expert for the rest of the business
- Review current operational processes and policies
- Implement effective controls to reduce risk
- Maintain strong relationships with Compliance, ensuring we have the right structure and processes in place for effective oversight
- Own the plan to develop Sanctions Operations team capabilities, strategic placement of staff across teams, skills and capacity over 12+ months, including skills mapping and training plans
- Lead significant cross-team projects requiring material decisions and content contribution as well as project management
Requirements
- 2-3 years experience leading an Operations Team preferably within Financial Crime
- 3+ years of Sanctions experience
- Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS) certification or similar
- Great communicator both verbal and written
- Proven track record of taking individual ownership and responsibilities as well as being a great team-player
- Good understanding and ability to analyse, forecast and move of team’s metrics
- Ability to work collaboratively within a complex organisation, across multiple cultures, geographies, and disciplines
- Project management and organisational skills and capability to handle multiple projects at one time
- Willingness to travel as needed
Nice-to-haves
- Experience in L&D and Knowledge Management
- Experience with outsourced sanctions operations and controls
- Experience interfacing with regulatory enforcement agencies
- Experience with the OFAC e-filing system and potential VSD analysis
- Additional language skills in one or more jurisdictions in which Wise has operations
