The Head of Compliance is heading the Compliance department at Western Union International Bank (WUIB) with HQ in Vienna. In this role the Head of Compliance serves as MLRO and Sanctions Officer and is responsible for composing and ensuring the regulated entity’s compliance with AML/CFT and Sanctions policies, based on regulatory requirements, reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities, ensuring the institution’s senior management is informed of compliance activities (including ML/TF and Sanctions) and advising the first line of defense on all compliance matters. In this regard, the Head of Compliance is authorized to approve or disapprove the onboarding of customers and the continuation of existing customer relationships, including for customers associated with high-risk jurisdictions, PEP status or nexus to terrorist financing or sanctions risks. In addition, the Head of Compliance is responsible for managing regulatory compliance of WUIB with a subject matter expert as a direct report. The Head of Compliance has a direct line of communication and reporting to the WUIB Management Board and a functional reporting line to Western Union's Head of AML Compliance for Europe and Africa.
Hybrid: 3 days at the office per week
Role Responsibilities
- Directing and developing risk-based AML/CFT and Sanctions strategies and programs for assigned countries of WUIB. This includes long- and short-term planning, adapting to a highly diversified and changing environment and managing priorities.
- Develop, implement and enforce policies, procedures, and programs, including reviewing and monitoring of their ongoing application, to ensure compliance with due diligence obligations for the prevention of sanctions, money laundering and terrorist financing risks. Perform all duties inherent in a managerial role, including providing leadership and guidance to a group of managers and staff in multiple geographical locations to deliver and/or effectively support compliance programs, processes and procedures, as well as accomplish compliance goals and strategies.
- Testing and controlling whether the measures taken and processes implemented by WUIB to prevent money laundering, terrorist financing and violation of sanctions with special regards to WUIB’s operating model with outsourcing providers are suitable to comply with the legal provisions and, if necessary, adjusting the respective measures and processes.
- Provide a common vision, clear direction and challenge the team and others internal and external to the Compliance Department to drive for results in meeting local, regional and global compliance requirements.
- Drive the AML/CFT and Sanctions Risk Strategy of WUIB – in close co-operation with the Compliance Risk Office – including the annual Risk Assessment throughout all business lines of WUIB and the refinement of risk management strategies as well as the outsourcing of Compliance related tasks.
- Drawing on the information provided in the annual risk assessment process, regulator feedback and other stakeholder planning, produce and drive the execution of the annual objectives and key results for WUIB.
- Make and own the most complex decisions in respect of compliance/business escalations in multiple jurisdictions around all aspects of the European regulatory framework related to AML/CFT and Sanctions compliance issues.
- Advise the business leadership on all aspects of the compliance business risks, and the ramifications of any decisions they will make on risk acceptance, and their responsibilities under the fully implemented three lines of defense model
- Own and execute the Regulatory Strategy of WUIB related to AML, CFT and Sanctions by partnering with regulators and financial intelligence units as well as law enforcement agencies, driving the communication with regulators and position WUIB in regulatory outreach initiatives.
- Oversee the introduction of Financial Regulation for WUIB (regulatory compliance) and provide guidance for the adoption of WUIB processes and procedures, consistent with the global program and standards
- Provide strategic and tactical guidance for the Introduction of New Products, the Launch of New Markets as well as the Integration of Acquired Assets
- Represent the company’s interests in International Institutions (e.g. FATF) as coordinated by the department “International Regulatory Affairs”
- As part of the Western Union Group, assess WUIB’s compliance with groupwide compliance standards, as well as contribute to group-level assessments of the effectiveness of strategies, procedures, and controls across Group entities • Organizing, and in some instances developing, occasional or regular provision of training for AML/CFT and Sanctions matters to ensure ongoing awareness across all staff levels.
- Provides both ad-hoc and regular compliance reporting to the management body as well as required reporting to competent authorities.
Role Requirements
- 6 + years of relevant experience in an FMA regulated retail/consumer financial services/payment services organizations with multiple financial products, or a regulatory agency or law firm involving payment services compliance issues
- Proven track record of complex problem solving and decision-making ability.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Effective leader and team player.
- Must be a strong, decisive, bottom-line and action-oriented manager of people and projects, who can obtain results.
- 5 years experience in a compliance management role focusing on anti-money laundering/terrorist financing and sanctions responsibilities.
- 5+ years experience in a management/supervisory position with multi-jurisdictional direct reports preferred.
- Law or other graduate degree desirable.
- Substantive knowledge of applicable compliance issues and requirements;
- Substantive understanding of payments products, services, and operations.
- Strong knowledge of AML/CFT and Sanctions regulations and regulatory developments
- Keeps abreast of changes in regulatory policies
- Effective leader for a diverse group of employee levels and job functions
- Able to manage a regionally diverse team Strong, decisive, bottom-line and actionoriented manager.
- Effective communicator on both an individual and group level, and both orally and written.
- Team player who works effectively with others to identify and resolve issues.
- Effectively motivates to achieve common goals.
- Shares information and keeps team members and supervisors informed.
- Strong strategic thinking and planning skills including
- Understanding of technology and best practices in the compliance field.
- Written and spoken fluency in English and German required.
Western Union is well positioned to become the world’s most accessible financial services company —transforming lives and communities. More than moving money, we design easy-touse products and services for our digital and physical financial ecosystem that help our customers move forward.
Salary
The starting salary for this exciting position is € 150,000 which includes base salary, corporate bonus and equity. However, the salary will naturally be market-based and discussed personally.
Benefits
You will also have access to short-term incentives, multiple health insurance options, accident and life insurance, and access to best-in-class development platforms, to name a few (https://careers.westernunion.com/global-benefits/). Please see the location-specific benefits below and note that your Recruiter may share additional role-specific benefits during your interview process or in an offer of employment.
- Your Austria specific benefits include:
- Comprehensive life & medical cover
- Contributory pension plan
- Luncheon vouchers
- Other partner discounts
Western Union values in-person collaboration, learning, and ideation whenever possible. We believe this creates value through common ways of working and supports the execution of enterprise objectives which will ultimately help us achieve our strategic goals. By connecting face-to-face, we are better able to learn from our peers, problem-solve together, and innovate.
Our Hybrid Work Model categorizes each role into one of three categories. Western Union has determined the category of this role to be Hybrid. This is defined as a flexible working arrangement that enables employees to divide their time between working from home and working from an office location. The expectation is to work from the office a minimum of three days a week.
We are passionate about diversity. Our commitment is to provide an inclusive culture that celebrates the unique backgrounds and perspectives of our global teams while reflecting the communities we serve. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, national origin, religion, political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. The company will provide accommodation to applicants, including those with disabilities, during the recruitment process, following applicable laws.