Financial Crime Analyst

Join Aptia and help protect our business, clients and members from financial crime.

At Aptia, we're transforming pensions and employee benefits administration through expertise, innovation and a commitment to delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients and members. As our business continues to grow, we're looking for a highly analytical and detail-oriented Financial Crime Analyst to join our Financial Crime team (1LOD).

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with practical experience in financial crime investigations, fraud prevention or screening who is looking to develop their expertise within a supportive and growing organisation.

You'll support the First Line Financial Crime Lead by reviewing referrals, investigating potential financial crime risks, maintaining effective case records and helping operational teams apply established controls to protect clients and members.

What you'll be doing

As Financial Crime Analyst, you'll support the day-to-day delivery of first-line financial crime activity across our UK business, reporting into the First Line Financial Crime Lead. Working closely with operational teams and escalating matters when required, you'll:

• Investigate referrals relating to suspected pension fraud, member impersonation, changes to bank details, unusual benefit payment requests, overseas payments and other potentially high-risk activity, escalating significant concerns to the First Line Financial Crime Lead.
• Review and analyse information from multiple sources to identify concerns, inconsistencies and potential financial crime risks.
• Review PEP, sanctions and AML screening alerts, document false-positive decisions with supporting rationale, identify potential matches and escalate concerns in line with agreed procedures.
• Support routine and periodic screening activity, help manage allocated alert queues and bring backlogs, potential matches or processing issues to the attention of the First Line Financial Crime Lead.
• Maintain clear, accurate case records and investigation documentation; follow up outstanding information with operational teams and progress allocated cases through to resolution or appropriate escalation.
• Support member and third-party identity verification and due diligence checks, including reviews of identity documents, authorities to act and changes to payment instructions, in line with established procedures.
• Work with pension administration teams to obtain evidence, track outstanding requests and help resolve cases promptly without unnecessarily delaying legitimate member payments.
• Help maintain case trackers and management information, highlighting overdue cases, recurring issues, screening volumes and potential control improvements to the First Line Financial Crime Lead.
• Assist the First Line Financial Crime Lead with information gathering for risk assessments, control testing, process improvements and remediation activities, rather than owning the methodology or overall control framework.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to operational teams on established financial crime processes, referring policy interpretations, exceptions and higher-risk decisions to the First Line Financial Crime Lead.
• Assist in preparing guidance materials, communications and training content for review and approval by the First Line Financial Crime Lead.

What we're looking for

We're interested in candidates who can combine strong analytical skills with sound judgement and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Essential experience

• At least 3 years' experience in financial crime, fraud prevention, investigations, compliance, risk or a related field.
• Hands-on experience reviewing financial crime referrals, PEP or sanctions screening alerts, or suspected fraud cases, with the ability to document findings and recommendations clearly.
• Understanding of key financial crime risks including fraud, money laundering, sanctions, politically exposed persons (PEPs), bribery and corruption.
• Strong investigative and analytical skills with the ability to assess information from multiple sources.
• Excellent written communication and record-keeping skills.
• Ability to prioritise an allocated caseload, follow up actions promptly and handle sensitive information accurately, while recognising when to escalate matters.

Desirable experience

• Experience within pensions, financial services, insurance or similar regulated environments.
• Knowledge of AML, sanctions or identity verification systems.
• Experience of member or customer due diligence, identity verification, case management, management information or assisting with control testing.
• Relevant financial crime, fraud, compliance or risk qualifications, or a willingness to work towards one.