Head of Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

Overall Purpose of the Role:

The Head: AML is a senior leadership role that serves as the principal strategic and technical authority within GoTyme Bank's AML compliance function, working in close partnership with and directly supporting the Money Laundering Control Officer (MLCO).

The incumbent is expected to carry deep statutory knowledge of FICA, the FATF Standards and all related legislation, and to act as the designated delegate to the MLCO — stepping into the MLCO's responsibilities in their absence and maintaining operational continuity of the bank's regulatory obligations at all times. This is a role for a financial crime professional who combines regulatory depth, strategic leadership, and the technical capability to assist in building a world-class monitoring environment in a fully digital banking context.

Beyond South Africa, the role is central to strengthening AML capability across the GoTyme Group — including GoTyme Bank Philippines — and will be instrumental with assisting in standing up AML frameworks for new entities as the Group grows.

Requirements

Experience and Skills Required:

• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in AML/CFT compliance, with at least 3 years in a senior or leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience operating within or directly supporting the MLCO function at a South African accountable institution registered with the FIC — including hands-on accountability for STR/CTR submissions, FIC engagements, and FICA programme management. (Essential)
• Hands-on experience operating, configuring, or managing a transaction monitoring system (e.g., RiskSecure, NICE Actimize, Temenos Financial Crime Mitigation, Oracle FCCM, or equivalent). (Essential)
• Proven experience working in or alongside a Technology or Data function on financial crime detection projects involving AI, machine learning, or advanced analytics. (Strongly Preferred)
• Experience in a digital banking, fintech, or neobank environment. (Essential)
• Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Commerce, Finance, or Risk Management (Essential); Postgraduate qualification in Compliance, Risk Management, or Financial Crime (Advantageous); ACAMS Certification (Advantageous).
• In-depth knowledge of FICA and related legislation, FATF Recommendations, and Wolfsberg Principles.
• Working knowledge of AML typologies relevant to digital banking — including account takeover, layering through digital wallets, mule networks, and card-based fraud/crime nexus.
• Understanding of AI/ML model governance, explainability requirements, and regulatory expectations around algorithmic compliance tools.
• AI & data analytics proficiency essential.

Responsibilities:

• Manage escalation protocols between AML Ops, the MLCO, the CCO, and senior management for high-risk cases, PEPs, sanctions hits, and complex financial crime typologies.
• Ensure execution of the Bank’s RMCP as it relates to operations; monitor quality of AML operational processes and outcomes, ensuring consistent, defensible, and auditable decision-making at every stage of the investigation workflow.
• Provide strategic input into system configuration, rule set governance, model performance, threshold calibration, and vendor management for all AML technology platforms.
• Assist in the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of GoTyme’s AI-enabled financial crime detection capabilities in partnership with Technology, Data, and Product teams.
• Champion the use of AI and advanced data analytics to enhance financial crime detection, network analysis, and typology identification capabilities; use AI in driving down costs.
• Act as the standing delegate to the MLCO — maintaining readiness to assume full functional responsibility in the MLCO’s absence, including oversight of all FICA reporting obligations, regulatory engagements, and statutory decisions.
• Maintain deep, current expertise in all FICA obligations (CDD, EDD, STRs, IFTRs, TPRs, and record-keeping) and ensure the bank’s operational execution is consistently accurate, timely, and auditable.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison with the FIC on day-to-day regulatory matters, information requests, and submission queries; attend PA and FIC engagements and regulatory inspections alongside or in support of the MLCO.
• Collaborate with the GoTyme Philippines Compliance team to align monitoring typologies, risk appetite calibration, and reporting standards across Group entities.
• Assist in the design and implementation of AML technology infrastructure for new Group entities, ensuring system architecture is fit for purpose in a multi-entity, fully digital banking environment.
• Assist the MLCO in maintaining the bank’s AML/CFT Risk Assessment; review and maintain AML/CFT policies and procedures, ensuring they are current, practically executable, and designed for a fully digital operating model.
• Produce high-quality AML reporting for the MLCO, CCO, EXCO, Board Risk Committee, and regulators — including trend analysis, typology reporting, and programme effectiveness assessments.
• Lead the bank’s AML training programme in collaboration with the broader Compliance team.
• Manage AML regulatory examination readiness, including preparation of evidence packs, self-assessments, and supporting documentation for PA/FIC and other regulator engagements.