Senior Risk and Compliance Officer

Fox Williams offers a unique opportunity to advance your career in a personable, progressive and entrepreneurial environment.  Our people and culture are important to us and central to everything we do. We continually strive to create and maintain a friendly and supportive environment for our staff.   You will quickly get to know everyone from the Senior Partner to the most junior staff.  Whilst we are recognised for our strong culture and investing in our people, we are equally well known for our high profile matters, quality of our work and solving our clients’ most complex legal issues. 

Fox Williams is committed to creating a more diverse workforce which better reflects the demographics of society and the broad range of clients for whom we work. We collaborate with our recruitment agents to seek a broad talent pool for all our roles. We are passionate about working in an inclusive environment and successful candidates will be required to uphold this.

This is a position for a Senior Risk and Compliance Officer to join the Risk and Compliance team that consists of the Head of Compliance, Risk and Compliance Manager, Risk and Compliance lawyer, Compliance Officer, Junior Compliance Officer. 

The successful candidate will work closely with the team to assist in the management of the client and matter onboarding process and help ensure that the firm complies with the relevant regulations. This is a very busy support role that requires good organisational skills as well as a proactive approach.

The role will particularly suit a candidate who is looking to actively expand their knowledge and experience in the risk and compliance field.

Ensuring that robust client due diligence (CDD) is conducted when onboarding clients with particular focus on CDD for corporate entities and more complex structures.

Liaising with fee earners to ensure that any outstanding information for onboarding, including conflict checks, AML checks and Risk Assessments are completed.

Conducting screening (e.g. Sanctions, PEPs, adverse media) and dealing with ongoing monitoring of enhanced due diligence clients and updating and maintaining central registers. Experience using LSEG platform of Woldcheck would be advantageous.

Answering AML queries and escalating to the MLCO and MLRO where required.

Managing a shared inbox of incoming requests for new client and new matter openings and ensuring that emails and requests are dealt with in a timely manner.

Supporting the team with other risk and compliance projects and working on the agreed priorities of the team in accordance with the firm’s strategic priorities.

Carrying out administrative duties and other ad-hoc activities as required.

A minimum of at least 5 year experience in a risk and compliance role ideally within a law firm.

Prior experience in reviewing risk assessments and experience in client onboarding.

Experience in completing CDD/KYC for corporate entities and exposure to complex corporate structures would be an advantage.

Experience with dealing with regulatory queries and general risk and compliance matters in a law firm.

Strong attention to detail and an ability to handle confidential information in a professional and discreet manner.

Excellent analytical skills and a high standard of written and oral communication.

Strong IT skills.

Willingness to learn, develop and demonstrate proactive behaviour in a fast evolving environment.