Regulatory Counsel - Fintech

Job Description

Alexander Barnes is partnering with a global digital bank to appoint a US Financial Crime Counsel.

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This lawyer will act as a senior subject matter expert on US AML/CTF regulation, supporting the second-line Financial Crime Compliance function and advising the wider business on complex regulatory, product and control matters.

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The role will focus heavily on translating BSA/AML requirements into practical, scalable controls across Product, Engineering and Operations, while providing legal interpretation and challenge across new products, incidents, remediation and regulatory change.

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Responsibilities

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• Act as a senior legal adviser on US AML/CTF matters, working closely with the BSA Officer and second-line Financial Crime Compliance team.
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• Advise on the Bank Secrecy Act, FinCEN requirements, FFIEC guidance and relevant federal and state financial crime regulation.
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• Provide legal advice across SAR reporting, transaction monitoring, KYC/CDD, suspicious activity and AML control design.
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• Review new products, features and customer journeys for AML/CTF implications before launch.
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• Translate regulatory requirements into practical requirements for Product, Engineering and Operations.
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• Support the design, testing and enhancement of transaction monitoring, screening and wider AML controls.
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• Draft and maintain AML policies, standards, procedures, playbooks and written legal guidance.
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• Advise on AML incidents, control weaknesses, remediation plans and material deviations from established standards.
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• Monitor regulatory developments and enforcement activity, assessing their impact on the US business.
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• Support regulatory examinations, audits, investigations and risk assessments.
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• Work across Legal, Compliance, Product, Engineering and Operations on complex US and cross-border financial crime matters.
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Experience

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• Juris Doctor degree and active membership in good standing with at least one US state bar.
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• 5+ years of relevant legal experience across US AML/CTF, financial crime or financial services regulation.
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• Strong knowledge of the Bank Secrecy Act, FinCEN requirements and the wider US AML regulatory framework.
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• Experience advising a bank, Money Services Business, fintech, payments business or other regulated financial institution.
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• Strong practical experience across SARs, transaction monitoring, KYC/CDD and AML control frameworks.
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• Experience advising on regulated product development and translating legal requirements into operational or technical controls.
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• Experience supporting regulatory examinations, audits, investigations or remediation activity.
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• Strong judgement, with the ability to give clear and practical advice on complex regulatory issues.
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• Comfortable working directly with Compliance, Product, Engineering and Operations teams.
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Highly Desirable

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• In-house experience within a fintech, digital bank or technology-led financial services business.
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• Experience with state money-transmitter regulation.
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• AML investigations or SAR drafting experience.
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• Knowledge of OFAC sanctions.
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• Knowledge of NYDFS Part 504, FDIC or OCC requirements.
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• Experience with bank-level BSA/AML frameworks.
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• Exposure to EU AML regulation.
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