Overview
The Head of Financial Crime Compliance Australia is responsible for leading Australia’s Financial Crime Compliance (FCC) framework, ensuring robust governance and operational effectiveness across Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF), Sanctions, Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC), and Fraud. This role ensures compliance with regulatory obligations, mitigates financial crime risks, and maintains strong engagement with AUSTRAC and other relevant authorities
Key Accountabilities and main responsibilities
Strategic Focus
- Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of the Financial Crime Compliance framework in Australia.
- Promote deeper understanding of financial crime risks and embed a culture of compliance across the organisation.
- Work with various stakeholders to contribute to future state technology roadmap including how to leverage existing technology help detect and mitigate financial crime and drive vendor alignment across jurisdictions.
- Contribute to initiatives for the continuous improvement of AML policies and procedures to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
Operational Management
- Oversee day-to-day compliance with the AML/CTF Act, Rules, and Regulations.
- Ensure effective operation of AML/CTF, Sanctions, ABC, and Fraud policies and controls.
- Oversee AUSTRAC reporting obligations including SMRs, and the Annual Compliance Report.
- Manage AUSTRAC enrolment and ensure timely updates of business details.
- Oversee the implementation and ongoing effectiveness of Customer Due Diligence (CDD) processes, including:
- Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Risk Assessment procedures for onboarding and ongoing monitoring:
- Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (ECDD) for high-risk customers, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and complex structures.
- Periodic review and refresh of customer profiles to ensure data accuracy and risk alignment.
- Ensure customer identification procedures meet regulatory standards and support risk-based decision-making.
- Oversee the implementation and continuous improvement of transaction and behavioural monitoring systems
- Draft, maintain, and regularly update AML/CTF policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Australian AML/CTF Act, Rules, and regulatory guidance.
- Ensure policies reflect current AUSTRAC expectations, emerging typologies, and internal risk assessments, and are effectively implemented across relevant business units.
- Ensure compliance with domestic and international sanctions regimes.
- Oversee screening processes for customers, transactions, and counterparties.
- Respond to sanctions alerts and coordinate investigations and reporting.
- Maintain awareness of changes in sanctions regulations and ensure timely updates to internal controls.
- Conduct Enterprise-wide Sanction risk assessments.
- Develop and maintain ABC policies and procedures.
- Conduct risk assessments and due diligence on third parties and high-risk relationships.
- Investigate and report potential bribery or corruption incidents.
- Promote a culture of integrity and ethical conduct across the organisation.
- Oversee fraud prevention, detection, and response strategies.
- Coordinate investigations into suspected fraud incidents.
- Ensure appropriate controls are in place to mitigate fraud risks across business operations.
- Collaborate with internal audit, legal, and external agencies as required.
- Provide expert financial crime compliance advice and guidance to internal stakeholders to support informed decision-making and ensure regulatory alignment:
- Act as a trusted advisor to business units on AML/CTF, sanctions, ABC, and fraud-related matters.
- Interpret and communicate regulatory obligations and AUSTRAC guidance in a clear, actionable manner.
- Support the development and implementation of new products, services, and delivery channels by advising on financial crime risks and controls.
- Provide input into policy and procedure development to ensure they are practical, risk-based, and compliant.
- Respond to internal queries regarding customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, and reporting obligations.
- Promote awareness and understanding of financial crime risks through training, workshops, and ongoing engagement.
People Leadership
- Provide strategic and operational leadership to the Financial Crime Compliance team, fostering a high-performance culture and professional development:
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of financial crime compliance professionals across AML/CTF, sanctions, ABC, and fraud.
- Set clear objectives, performance standards, and development plans aligned with business and regulatory priorities.
- Promote collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning within the team.
- Support succession planning and capability uplift through coaching, training, and external engagement.
- Champion diversity, inclusion, and psychological safety across the compliance function.
- Ensure team resourcing and structure are fit-for-purpose to meet evolving regulatory and business needs.
Risk & Governance
- Provide regular reporting to the General Manager Financial Crime, the Board and Senior Management on financial crime risks, compliance status, and mitigation strategies.
- Ensure independent reviews of the AML/CTF Program and other financial crime controls are conducted and reported to the governing body.
- Act as the designated AML Compliance Officer (AMLCO)/Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO).
- Conduct and maintain ML/TF risk assessments, including periodic reviews and updates.
- Ensure AML/CTF policies appropriately manage identified risks and reflect current regulatory requirements.
- Act as the primary liaison with AUSTRAC and other relevant regulators.
- Respond to compliance audits, regulatory inquiries, and feedback.
- Provide expert advice to business units on financial crime risks and controls.
- Monitor regulatory developments and ensure alignment with industry best practices.
- Ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the financial crime compliance framework through structured assurance and QA activities, including:
- Develop and execute a risk-based assurance plan covering AML/CTF, sanctions, ABC, and fraud controls.
- Conduct control testing and thematic reviews to assess the design and operational effectiveness of financial crime controls.
- Perform quality assurance reviews on key compliance processes such as KYC, ECDD, transaction monitoring, and regulatory reporting.
- Identify and escalate control gaps, process deficiencies, or non-compliance issues, and oversee remediation activities.
- Provide assurance reporting to senior management and the Board, highlighting key findings, trends, and areas for improvement.
- Collaborate with internal audit and second-line risk teams to ensure alignment and coverage of financial crime risks.
- Monitor and validate the implementation of corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
The above list of key accountabilities is not an exhaustive list and may change from time-to-time based on business needs.
Experience & Personal Attributes
- Qualified/ or 3+ years experience as AMLCO/MLRO, Deputy AMLCO/MLRO or Head of Financial Crime Compliance
- 8+ years on Financial Crime Compliance roles
- Proven contemporary Financial Crime experience and understanding / operating within AML/CTF legislation, preferably within financial services or the regulator
- Ability to engage all levels of stakeholders within the different businesses
- Proven experience in AML/CTF program and policy writing, with excellent attention to detail and legislative interpretation.
- Highly developed negotiation, influential and relationship management skills.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and informed decision-making capability
- Proven leadership and influencing skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication, and negotiation skills
- Excellent time management, planning and organisational skills
- Advanced risk maturity, including but not limited to operational risk management frameworks, regulatory compliance and procedures, brand reputation.
The Head of Financial Crime Compliance must be assessed as fit and proper person, including, but not limited to:
- Competence, judgement, and integrity to perform the role.
- No convictions for serious offences or adverse findings by regulatory bodies.
- No history of serious misconduct, bankruptcy, or conflicts of interest affecting independence.
MUFG Pension & Market Services is a global, digitally enabled business that empowers a brighter future by connecting millions of people with their assets – safely, securely and responsibly.
Through our two businesses MUFG Retirement Solutions and MUFG Corporate Markets, we partner with a diversified portfolio of global clients to provide robust, efficient and scalable services, purpose-built solutions and modern technology platforms that deliver world class outcomes and experiences.
A member of MUFG, a global financial group, we help manage regulatory complexity, improve data management and connect people with their assets, through exceptional user experience that leverages the expertise of our people combined with scalable technology, digital connectivity and data insights.
