Financial Crime Principle Ecommerce

This Financial Crime Principle Ecommerce is a temporary role, reporting to VP Ethics & Compliance in London.

This Financial Crime Principle Ecommerce is a temporary role, reporting to VP Ethics & Compliance in London. The r

ole covers AML, sanctions and financial crime and will suit a candidate who has previously created & implemented financial crime policies and procedures, including sacntions screening programmes.

A leading ecommerce orgaisation is seeking a Financial Crime Principal to join their London-based Compliance team. This position offers the opportunity to shape and oversee comprehensive financial crime and regulatory compliance programmes across multiple jurisdictions, safeguarding the organisation from regulatory, financial, and reputational risks. The role spans Anti-Money Laundering (AML), sanctions compliance, ESG reporting readiness, and product-related compliance obligations. You will be part of a vibrant, inclusive community that values diverse skills and perspectives, working in an open, collaborative office space with flexible working arrangements. Enjoy generous benefits including health insurance, critical illness cover, employee pension scheme, and a hybrid work model that supports your work-life balance.

• Take ownership of building and scaling global financial crime prevention programmes that protect the business from regulatory and reputational risks while ensuring alignment with evolving international standards.
• Join a supportive legal team in London’s hub, where collaboration and sharing ideas are encouraged through open spaces and communal events on a large outdoor terrace.
• Benefit from flexible working opportunities, including a hybrid model with three days in the office and two days from home, alongside health insurance, critical illness cover, and an employee pension scheme.

What you'll do:

As Financial Crime Principal you will play a pivotal role in protecting the organisation from regulatory risks by developing scalable financial crime prevention strategies. Your day-to-day responsibilities will involve designing AML frameworks tailored to various jurisdictions; establishing consistent governance standards; identifying emerging risk typologies; leading global sanctions screening; overseeing system configurations; providing guidance on sanctions implications; enforcing product compliance controls; collaborating on restricted-item policies; supporting ESG reporting efforts; and coordinating cross-functional initiatives. Success in this role requires you to build intelligence-driven monitoring programmes while maintaining high-quality control environments. You will work closely with legal experts and business leaders to ensure that all compliance obligations are met efficiently across global operations. Your expertise will help foster a culture of integrity within an inclusive workplace that values collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

• Design and lead robust Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring due diligence, transaction monitoring, and suspicious transaction reporting are consistently applied.
• Establish governance standards, documentation requirements, and operational controls to maintain regulatory alignment across all markets served by the organisation.
• Identify emerging AML risk typologies and direct the development of monitoring rules, analytic methods, and escalation criteria to proactively address new threats.
• Lead global sanctions screening processes for both new and existing partners or customers, ensuring compliance with U.S., U.K., E.U., and other applicable sanctions regimes.
• Oversee configuration of sanctions systems, alert review procedures, and escalation protocols to ensure accuracy and defensibility in screening outcomes.
• Provide expert guidance to business teams regarding sanctions implications for customers, products, and market expansion initiatives.
• Develop and enforce a comprehensive compliance framework to ensure relevant controls are in place for regional safety, labelling, and certification standards across a multi-jurisdictional marketplace.
• Collaborate closely with business and legal teams to define restricted-item policies and implement automated gatekeeping mechanisms for high-risk product groups.
• Support adjacent compliance domains including ESG reporting by designing monitoring mechanisms for fraud detection, seller abuse prevention, or related risk indicators.
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives with internal stakeholders to ensure effective operation of compliance programmes throughout the organisation.

Desired experience:

• Extensive experience in progressive compliance roles with strong exposure to AML frameworks, sanctions management, or financial crime risk mitigation across multiple jurisdictions.
• Certifications such as CAMS or CGSS are highly regarded as they demonstrate advanced knowledge in anti-money laundering practices.
• Proven track record of designing scalable compliance programmes that address complex regulatory requirements in global marketplaces.
• Deep understanding of international regulatory frameworks related to AML, sanctions regimes, and product-related compliance including CE, UKCA or INFORM Act standards.
• Familiarity with ESG reporting requirements; experience with CSRD is considered advantageous for supporting sustainability initiatives.
• Ability to build intelligence-driven monitoring programmes that deliver high-quality control environments for fraud detection or seller abuse prevention.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and influence at senior levels within cross-functional teams.
• Comfortable operating within fast-evolving environments where global regulatory expectations require adaptability and attention to detail.
• Highly analytical mindset paired with meticulous attention to detail when driving cross-functional compliance initiatives at senior levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills that foster collaboration among diverse teams while promoting an inclusive culture.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates