Company Overview

Our client is a leading international financial services organisation with a strong presence across European markets. Operating within a highly regulated environment, the firm is committed to maintaining high standards of risk management, regulatory compliance, and financial crime prevention. The business offers a collaborative culture with excellent exposure to senior stakeholders and opportunities for long-term career development.


The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Financial Crime professional to join a second line of defence function based in Frankfurt. This is not an MLRO position, but rather a broad Financial Crime oversight role covering all key Financial Crime disciplines.
The successful candidate will act as a subject matter expert, providing independent oversight, challenge, and guidance across the business. The team is seeking a seasoned professional with approximately 7+ years of Financial Crime experience who is comfortable operating in a hands-on capacity and can quickly establish themselves within the function.
German language skills are essential, as the role requires close interaction with local stakeholders and a strong understanding of the German regulatory landscape. Working alongside the local MLRO and wider Compliance team, you will play a key role in ensuring the business maintains a strong and effective Financial Crime framework.


Key Responsibilities

• Provide independent second-line oversight across all Financial Crime activities.
• Challenge and assess business activities, products, and processes from a Financial Crime risk perspective.
• Review and evaluate the effectiveness of Financial Crime controls, systems, and governance frameworks.
• Identify control weaknesses and support escalation, remediation, and risk mitigation efforts.
• Participate in governance committees and contribute to executive-level reporting and risk assessments.
• Monitor emerging Financial Crime risks and ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory expectations.
• Act as a trusted adviser and subject matter expert to stakeholders across the business.
• Support the continued development and enhancement of the Financial Crime control environment.

Qualifications & Experience

• Approximately 7+ years' experience within Financial Crime, Compliance, or Risk Management.
• Fluent German speaker with experience operating within the German regulatory environment.
• Strong knowledge of the German Anti-Money Laundering Act (GwG).
• Proven ability to operate as a hands-on Financial Crime SME within a second line oversight function.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Experience within Markets, Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, or Financial Services would be highly advantageous.