AML Onboarding Officer Legal/LLB background for law firm Sandton

Senior AML Onboarding Officer - Legal background LLB degree

The main purpose of the role is to assist with the following:

To assist the Firm with discharging its obligations under the FIC Act;
FICA Remediation Projects (including remediating deficient client data and remediation of existing client population);
Attend to client reviews (including ad hoc and periodic reviews);
Assist junior onboarding officers;
Sign-off on certain onboarding matters;
Manage the outstanding CDD and EDD requirements with lawyers and secretaries on a monthly basis;
Reporting on CDD and EDD matters (progress and status updates);
Compiling reports for submission to the Risk and Compliance Committee;
Escalate certain matters to the GC, Head of Risk and Compliance and the Risk Committee;
Conduct research on AML trends and typologies and propose enhancements to processes and controls;
Conduct Country Risk research and update the Country Master Data Tables on a regular basis;
Assist the Compliance Risk Manager and General Counsel, Head of Risk and Compliance with general AML portfolio management;
Conducting AML Typology research and trends on a regular basis and assist with the review and maintenance of the RBA Framework; and
Conducting country risk research and updating the Firm's Country Risk Master Data Table on a regular basis.

The key responsibilities and duties:

Accurately capture client data on the onboarding system;
Conduct CDD in respect of clients;
Conduct ad hoc and periodic reviews on existing client population;
Conduct research in respect of various sources (eg CIPC, Department of Home Affairs, Who owns Whom, etc);
Conduct Country Risk research and update the Country Master Data Table on a regular basis;
Analyse sanctions, PEP and adverse media alerts on the system when onboarding clients and conducting client reviews. Distinguish between 'False Positives' and 'True Matches';
Conduct EDD in respect of high-risk clients (including summarising adverse media reports, PEP assessments and review of sanctions against individuals, entities and countries);
Prepare EDD templates for high-risk clients and submit same to the Risk Committee for consideration. Action the decision of the Risk Committee;
Liaise with lawyers and secretaries to obtain outstanding CDD and EDD information;
Attend to daily alerts raised by the onboarding system once ongoing screening is implemented to determine whether or not they are 'false positives';
Ensure that CDD information is current when new matters are opened for existing clients. Update existing clients' CDD information and re-screen and re-rate existing clients with new matters;
Analyse constitutive documents of entity type clients, share registers, shareholder agreements, etc. in order to determine the BOs for entity type clients and document evidence in respect of same;
Ensure that regulatory reporting, eg. Cash Threshold Reports (CTRs) and Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) are lodged within the prescribed time-frames;
Assist with the development and maintenance of the Firm's internal screening list;
Ensure that all onboarding and reviews comply with the Firm's RMCP;
Develop AML training material and facilitate training sessions;
Compile reports for the HoD and the Risk and Compliance Committee; and
Assist with various AML compliance projects and any other AML-related tasks as assigned.

Qualifications and experience:

Qualifications:
LLB Degree. An admitted attorney with at least 4 years' experience in an AML / FICA compliance environment or in any compliance risk management environment; or

Qualifications or knowledge of the following subjects are advantageous:

Anti-money laundering certificates or ACAMS qualification; or
Post-Graduate Diploma in Compliance or Certificate in compliance; or
Risk Management qualification.
Personal attributes
Good presentation skills;
Above average attention to detail;
Good time management and problem-solving skills;
Must have an analytical mind; and more importantly have the ability to devise solutions to problems / shortcomings;
Ability to work under pressure.

Candidates must have experience in onboarding large corporate clients with complex ownership structures.

Other experience required:
For the legal candidate, it must be an admitted attorney. Any other experience (eg legal advisor, general compliance, other AML role (ie excluding onboarding), risk role, etc)

Recruiters to provide the following information with original CVs:
Matric and university transcripts; and
Salary and bonuses.

*PLEASE ONLY REPLY IF YOU MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS*