Financial Crime Operations Analyst

Licensed sponsor Liverpool Posted 5 days ago

At Rathbones, our purpose is to help more people invest their money well, so they can live well.

We are one of the UK’s leading providers of wealth management, investment management, financial planning and asset management services. We work with individuals and families, charities, trustees, financial advisers and other professional partners to help them make confident decisions about money and investments.

Our advisers take the time to understand each client’s goals, values and circumstances. Together, we create a personalised approach designed to manage, preserve and grow their wealth over the long term.

Our services include discretionary investment management, financial planning, fund and asset management, tax planning, trust and company management, and specialist responsible investment services through Rathbone Greenbank Investments. We also work with financial advisers to help them deliver positive outcomes for their clients.

With roots dating back to 1742, Rathbones has been trusted for generations. Today, we manage £120.7 billion of client assets*, supported by more than 700 investment professionals across 21 offices in the UK and Channel Islands.

Rathbones Group Plc is a FTSE 250-listed company.

*Figures as at 30 June 2026.

Role Title: Financial Crime Operations Analyst

Division: Financial Crime

Location: Liverpool

Contract: Permanent

Role Purpose

The Financial Crime Operations Analyst will support the effective operation of the firm's financial crime control framework by reviewing, investigating and resolving alerts generated through transaction monitoring, customer screening and payment or transaction screening systems.

The role will assess alerts proportionately and within agreed service levels, document clear and evidence-based decisions, escalate potential financial crime concerns and help ensure that clients and transactions are managed in line with legal, regulatory and internal requirements.

The successful candidate will combine sound financial crime knowledge with strong analytical judgement, attention to detail and the ability to manage a varied operational workload within a regulated wealth and asset management environment.

Key Responsibilities

Review and investigate transaction monitoring alerts, assessing customer activity against expected behaviour, known customer information and relevant risk indicators.
Determine whether transaction monitoring alerts can be closed with a clear rationale or require escalation for further investigation.
Review customer screening alerts relating to sanctions, politically exposed persons, relatives and close associates, adverse media and other relevant watchlists.
Distinguish false positives from potential matches using available client data, reliable sources and established matching criteria.
Review payment and transaction screening alerts promptly to support appropriate decisions before payments or transactions are released, rejected, suspended or escalated.
Escalate confirmed, suspected or complex matches, unusual activity and potential policy breaches in accordance with documented procedures.
Record alert investigations, evidence considered, decisions and rationale accurately within relevant systems and case management records.
Complete alert reviews within agreed service levels while maintaining required quality and control standards.
Apply a risk-based approach, taking account of customer risk, jurisdiction, product, transaction type and other relevant contextual factors.
Request and assess additional information where required to reach a supported decision.
Support the identification and referral of matters that may require enhanced due diligence, restrictions, suspicious activity consideration or other management action.
Undertake quality checks, peer reviews or case sampling where required and respond constructively to quality findings.
Identify recurring alert themes, control weaknesses, system issues or data quality concerns and raise these with management.
Contribute to management information on alert volumes, outcomes, ageing, backlogs, escalations, service levels and quality.
Support the review and improvement of procedures, guidance, alert-handling standards and operational controls.
Assist with testing, tuning, implementation or optimisation of transaction monitoring and screening systems where required.
Support regulatory reviews, audits, assurance activity and requests for information by providing complete and accurate records.
Maintain current knowledge of relevant financial crime risks, regulatory developments, typologies and internal requirements.
Work collaboratively with Financial Crime Compliance, Operations, Client-facing teams and other relevant stakeholders to resolve alerts and manage risk.
Undertake ad hoc financial crime activities, investigations, projects, remediation exercises and other team tasks as business needs arise.

Skills & Knowledge

Experience in a financial crime, compliance, operations, payments, fraud or investigation role within a regulated financial services environment.
Practical experience reviewing transaction monitoring, customer screening or payment and transaction screening alerts is desirable.
Sound understanding of anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, proliferation financing, sanctions, politically exposed persons, fraud and related financial crime risks.
Ability to analyse customer, payment and transactional information and reach clear, proportionate and evidence-based decisions.
Strong attention to detail, with the ability to maintain accurate and complete case records.
Ability to identify material risk indicators and recognise when a matter requires escalation.
Good written communication skills, including the ability to produce concise investigation summaries and decision rationales.
Ability to manage competing priorities, alert queues and deadlines while maintaining quality.
Confidence using screening, transaction monitoring, case management and data or reporting systems.
Ability to work independently within defined procedures and collaboratively across teams.
Experience in wealth management, private banking, asset management, payments or trust services is desirable.
Knowledge of customer due diligence, enhanced due diligence and suspicious activity escalation processes is desirable.
Relevant professional qualification, such as ICA or equivalent financial crime certification, is desirable.

Measures of Success

Accurate and timely review and resolution of transaction monitoring, customer screening and payment or transaction screening alerts.
Clear, consistent and evidence-based case records and decision rationales.
Appropriate and timely escalation of potential financial crime concerns and material control issues.
Achievement of agreed service levels, productivity requirements and quality standards.
Effective contribution to backlog management, management information and continuous improvement activity.
Positive feedback from management and stakeholders regarding judgement, responsiveness and quality of work.

Our offer to you

We want everyone at Rathbones to fulfil their potential, in an environment where you are proud to work and feel like you belong.

We offer a comprehensive remuneration package, which we review regularly, and benefits include:

A company pension - 9% non-contributory or 10% if you contribute 5%
Private medical insurance – Individual on joining, family after 1 year’s service
Life assurance - 8 x salary
Income protection – 75 % salary
Company share scheme
Discretionary bonus
Flexible holidays – purchase up to 5 additional days
Green Car Scheme
Family friendly policies – enhanced family leave for parents & carers
Study support – study days and funding for courses and qualifications
Season travel ticket loans
Volunteering days
Gym discounts
Other voluntary benefits you can choose to suit you

Our employees can choose to take part in various social groups and communities to support their wellbeing, growth, development and sense of community. These include:

Sports & Social Committees, such as cricket, football, netball, running, yoga, quiz nights, charity bake sales and much more.
Inclusion Networks that help us drive change within the organisation such as Gender Balance, Multicultural, Abilities Count, Pride, Social Mobility, Generations, Menopause Matters@Rathbones’ and Armed Forces.

Life at Rathbones

We aim to become an employer of choice for the wealth management sector, to achieve this we are working hard to build a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace that motivates, develops and embraces the strengths of all our colleagues. Being part of Rathbones means you will join a team of passionate professionals in a successful culture that cares for its people. At Rathbones, we provide meaningful work, opportunities, and a voice to all.

We are committed to building a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and encourage applications from all backgrounds. We welcome individuals who share our values.

We’re a Disability Confident Employer (level 2) under the UK Government scheme. This means we’ve signed up to a set of commitments around how we recruit, retain and develop people with disabilities. Find out more about the Government Scheme online, click here. If you require adjustments to apply for a role at Rathbones, please contact us via recruit@rathbones.com to let us know what adjustments you may need.

Mission

We believe in playing the long game. That means building consistent results, earning trust and doing the right thing — for our clients, our colleagues and the communities we’re part of.

Our values shape how we work

We aim high
We get it done
We show we care
We do the right thing

These aren’t just words on a wall. They guide how we treat each other, how we make decisions and how we build relationships that last.

We will close this advert once we have received enough applications for the next stage. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out.