Deputy MLRO UK & EU

Employment: Permanent Workplace: Onsite The Deputy MLRO will deputise for the MLRO & Head of Financial Crime and help ensure that YouLend's financial crime framework remains effective, risk-based and aligned with our continued growth across the UK and EU. YouLend has made significant investment in its financial crime infrastructure, including enhancements to KYC/KYB, AML controls, transaction monitoring, screening, MI, governance and Financial Crime Operations. This is not a greenfield role. The focus is on owning, assuring and future-proofing the framework, including readiness for the EU AML Regulation in July 2027, so that it remains proportionate to YouLend's business model, regulatory obligations and risk appetite. The role will act as Nominated Officer under delegated authority from the MLRO, provide named cover across the UK and EU entities, and work with the Danish MLRO. It will work closely with Legal, Regulatory Compliance, Financial Crime Operations, Product, Data, Engineering, Transformation and Commercial teams, and will support the Risk & Compliance Committee and regulatory engagement and reporting where required. Key Responsibilities Nominated Officer Cover & Financial Crime Framework Deputise for the MLRO as Nominated Officer under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Terrorism Act 2000, taking SAR and DAML decisions under a written delegation when the MLRO is unavailable. Support the ongoing refinement of YouLend's financial crime framework across the UK and EU, including AML/CTF, screening, KYC/KYB, customer risk assessment, transaction monitoring, ongoing monitoring and SAR processes. Contribute to YouLend's financial crime risk assessments, including the Business Wide Risk Assessment, Customer Risk Assessment, Country Risk Assessment and relevant product, partner and channel risk assessments. Ensure financial crime policies, standards and procedures remain current, practical and embedded across relevant first- and second-line teams. Provide senior financial crime advice to the business on new products, partners, markets, operational changes and strategic initiatives. Systems, Controls & Financial Crime Operations Oversee the effectiveness of YouLend's financial crime systems and controls, including CDD, screening, transaction monitoring, escalation processes, SAR decisioning, high-risk customer management and ongoing monitoring. Provide enhanced due diligence, PEP and high-risk sign-off within delegated limits, and escalate decisions above them to the MLRO. Work closely with Financial Crime Operations to ensure controls are applied consistently, efficiently and in line with YouLend's policies and risk appetite, including oversight of outsourced due diligence providers. Review and refine transaction monitoring, KYC/KYB and AML processes, working closely with Operations, Product, Data, Engineering and Transformation teams, and identify responsible opportunities to use automation and AI. Governance & Regulatory Engagement Act as a key financial crime contact for regulators, law enforcement, external advisors and internal stakeholders, as appropriate, including the FCA and the Danish FSA. Support the Risk & Compliance Committee, including papers, MI, action tracking and escalation of material issues. Refine financial crime MI so that senior stakeholders have clear insight into risk trends, control effectiveness, operational performance, backlogs, alerts, SARs, high-risk customers, screening outcomes and agreed actions. Support regulatory notifications, information requests, audits, thematic reviews and other regulatory engagement relating to financial crime, and contribute to the annual MLRO report. Lead readiness for the EU AML Regulation, including customer due diligence design decisions for markets such as Germany and France. Assurance, Monitoring & Continuous Improvement Lead and support financial crime compliance assurance reviews, thematic reviews and control testing. Track assurance actions through to closure, ensuring outcomes are clearly documented and appropriately evidenced. Use MI, assurance findings and operational feedback to identify trends, improve controls and support continuous improvement. Ensure relevant first and second line teams are trained and equipped to identify, escalate and manage financial crime risks, and coach second-line analysts. Continue to mature YouLend's risk-based approach, ensuring controls are commercially workable while remaining regulatorily defensible. Skills, Knowledge & Expertise Significant experience in financial crime within regulated financial services, ideally within a payment institution, electronic money institution, fintech, SME lending, merchant acquiring, corporate lending or similar environment. Experience acting as MLRO, Deputy MLRO, Nominated Officer or in a role taking SAR decisions within a regulated financial services business. Strong understanding of UK financial crime requirements, including the MLRs, JMLSG guidance, sanctions, SARs, NCA reporting and FCA expectations. Experience working with EU financial crime requirements, cross-border financial crime frameworks or multi-jurisdictional financial crime governance. Knowledge of Danish, German or French requirements, or the EU AML Regulation, is helpful. Experience overseeing KYC/KYB, CDD, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, PEP/adverse media screening, fraud controls, customer risk assessment and ongoing monitoring. Experience working with financial crime operations teams, including escalation frameworks, QA, MI, training and continuous improvement. Strong experience preparing senior management reporting, committee papers, regulatory responses and clear written assessments. ICA Advanced Certificate or Diploma in Anti-Money Laundering, ACAMS (CAMS) certification, or equivalent experience. Willingness to be notified to the FCA, and to other EU authorities where required, in a regulated individual role. Skills Strong judgment and ability to apply a practical, risk-based approach in a fast-moving business, and the confidence to hold a position under commercial pressure. Ability to use data, MI and assurance findings to assess control effectiveness and drive improvements. Clear and credible communicator, with the ability to challenge constructively and influence senior stakeholders. Comfortable working across Legal, Regulatory Compliance, Operations, Product, Data, Engineering and Commercial teams. Strong written skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise and regulatorily defensible analysis. Pragmatic, structured and execution-focused, with the ability to improve controls without creating unnecessary complexity. Job Benefits Why join YouLend? Award-Winning Workplace: YouLend has been recognised as one of the “Best Places to Work in 2024, 2025 and 2026” by the Sunday Times for being a supportive, diverse, and rewarding workplace. Award-Winning Fintech: YouLend has been recognised as a “Top 250 Fintech Worldwide” company by CNBC. It's just getting fun We have developed powerful solutions, secured significant partnerships, and are growing rapidly. The global opportunity is still massive, and YouLend is a raw organisation where we are only just getting started. Lots of upsides High-growth (>100% growth during 2022 and 2023), so clear outlook to compensation (bonus or share option appreciation) and career growth (through growth with the business). Well-capitalised with supportive private equity backing. Part of Banking Circle Group with a fully licensed Luxembourg bank, which can provide a balance sheet and support European expansion in otherwise complex regulated markets. Motivating work environment A high-quality team that pushes each other to succeed through direct feedback and aligned incentives. Strong, transparent team culture: we have each other’s backs. Independent work environment where results matter. Data-driven culture and emphasis on speed (anti-red tape). We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: Private Medical Insurance (via Vitality) EAP with Health Assured Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave Great office space (including a gym!) in Central London Subsidised lunch (via Feedr) Deliveroo allowance if working late in the office Monthly in-office masseuse Team and Company socials Sports clubs At YouLend, we champion diversity and embrace equal opportunity employment practices. Our hiring, transfer, and promotion decisions are exclusively based on qualifications, merit, and business requirements, free from any discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, nationality, or any other protected basis under applicable law.