Financial Crime Lead ( FS Consulting )

We are Eversheds Sutherland

Eversheds Sutherland is a global law firm with more than 5,000 people across over 30 countries. We are a full-service firm with deep sector and niche expertise, supporting clients across a wide range of complex legal and regulatory challenges.

We are purpose-led and values-driven, with a strong focus on enabling our clients, our communities and our people to thrive.

Practice Group / Team: FS Consulting

Role: Financial Crime Lead / Project Lead

Contract Type: Interim / Contract

Location: Remote (UK-Based)

Working Model: Fully Remote

Start Date: Immediate Opportunities Available

About FS Consulting

FS Consulting is Eversheds Sutherland's specialist consulting practice, supporting clients across regulatory change, risk, compliance, financial crime, remediation and transformation initiatives. We partner with leading financial services organisations to deliver practical solutions to complex regulatory and operational challenges.

Our teams work across banking, payments, asset management, wealth management, insurance and fintech, helping clients navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

The Opportunity

FS Consulting continues to support a growing portfolio of financial services clients across a range of regulatory, financial crime and transformation programmes. As a result, we are seeking highly experienced Financial Crime Leads and Project Leads for a range of current and upcoming client engagements.

This opportunity is aimed at senior financial crime professionals who have operated in leadership, advisory or programme delivery roles within complex regulated environments. We are particularly interested in individuals who combine deep financial crime expertise with proven experience leading large-scale regulatory programmes, remediation initiatives and strategic change projects.

Of particular interest are candidates who have led or played a significant role in Section 166 Skilled Person Reviews, regulatory remediation programmes, financial crime transformations, governance and controls enhancement initiatives, and broader risk and compliance change programmes.

Assignments may include financial crime advisory work, AML and sanctions programmes, Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) reviews, regulatory response activity, control framework design, operating model enhancement, financial crime remediation, risk assessments and regulatory transformation initiatives.

This is an opportunity to work with leading financial services organisations on high-profile engagements, partnering with senior stakeholders to deliver critical regulatory, operational and risk objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of financial crime programmes, regulatory reviews and transformation initiatives.
• Manage complex project workstreams and oversee delivery against agreed timelines, budgets and quality standards.
• Provide subject matter expertise across AML, KYC, CDD, EDD, sanctions, transaction monitoring, customer risk assessment and wider financial crime frameworks.
• Lead engagement with senior client stakeholders, including Heads of Financial Crime, MLROs, Compliance Directors and Programme Sponsors.
• Support clients in responding to regulatory requirements, findings and remediation obligations.
• Conduct financial crime gap assessments and identify opportunities to strengthen risk and control frameworks.
• Lead client workshops and governance forums, providing clear recommendations and practical solutions.
• Oversee the production of high-quality reports, management information and executive-level deliverables.
• Identify project risks, issues and dependencies, ensuring appropriate mitigation plans are implemented.
• Support the design and implementation of enhanced financial crime controls, processes and operating models.
• Provide leadership, coaching and oversight to project teams where required.
• Lead or support Section 166 Skilled Person Reviews and other regulatory engagements.

Experience Required

• Significant experience within Financial Crime, Compliance, Risk or Regulatory Change environments.
• Deep understanding of AML, KYC, CDD, EDD, sanctions, adverse media and transaction monitoring frameworks.
• Proven track record delivering complex financial crime programmes, regulatory transformation initiatives or remediation activities.
• Demonstrable experience leading programmes, projects or workstreams within financial services organisations.
• Experience engaging with senior stakeholders and influencing decision-making at executive level.
• Strong understanding of UK financial crime regulations and regulatory expectations.
• Experience producing high-quality client deliverables, governance materials and executive reports.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively within complex and fast-paced regulatory environments.
• Experience within retail banking, commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, wealth management, payments, fintech or other regulated financial services sectors.
• Previous consulting, advisory or client-facing delivery experience is highly desirable.
• Section 166 (Skilled Person Review) experience is highly desirable.
• Immediate availability, or availability for short-notice assignments, is preferred.

This opportunity is being used to build FS Consulting's network of senior Financial Crime professionals for both immediate and future client engagements across a range of financial crime, regulatory and transformation programmes.