Client Compliance & AML Officer

About our Company
Apex Group Ltd., established in Bermuda in 2003, is a global financial services provider. With 85 offices in 42 countries worldwide and over 10,000 employees. Apex delivers an extensive range of services to asset managers, capital markets, private clients and family offices. The Group has continually improved and evolved its capabilities to offer a single-source solution through establishing the broadest range of services in the industry; including fund services, digital onboarding and bank accounts, depositary, custody and super ManCo services, business services including HR and Payroll and a pioneering ESG Ratings and Advisory service for private companies.

Apex Group includes FundRock, LRI and European Depositary Bank.

Job Specification:

Apex is looking for a Client Compliance & AML Officer (Cayman Islands) who will be responsible for ensuring that the assigned portfolio of client entities has comprehensive and effective systems and controls in place to maintain compliance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements, to advise on such systems and controls and to monitor for compliance with them.

The successful candidate will be appointed as the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (“AMLCO”) and/or Money Laundering Reporting Officer (“MLRO”) or Deputy MLRO (“DMLRO”) as required under the Cayman Islands Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (as revised).

Key Responsibilities:

Technical / Regulated

• Work with the Compliance team to ensure Apex are compliant with legal and regulatory requirements and best risk/compliance practice.
• Serve as AMLCO, MLRO & DMLRO to the allocated client entities.
• Understand the Cayman AML Regulations and ability and willingness to perform AMLCO, DMLRO and MLRO functions in line with Cayman requirements and relevant international standards, including but not limited to, FATF.
• Ability to identify and summarize any material developments in its business and other activities.
• Understand and be able to consider and advise on maintaining adequate systems to identify risks in relation to persons, countries, business relationships and activities, and to:

i.          conduct ongoing monitoring of business relationships or one-off transactions in accordance with the Regulations;

ii.         conduct transaction monitoring reviews in relation to the fund

iii.         present any updates or key findings to the Board/ Fund controlling parties

iv.        consider and make any Suspicious Transaction Reports (STR’s)

v.         develop AML & CFT Policies and Procedures

vi.        develop and prepare AML Business Risk Assessments

vii.        perform AML & CFT sample testing and AML assurance reviews

• Monitoring the systems and controls (including, without limitation, the AML/CFT Procedures and other documented policies and procedures, in line with the requirements of the Regulations, as amended from time to time)
• Carrying out regular audit of the AML/CFT Procedures and any other policies and procedures used by, or on behalf of, the Company, to adhere to the requirements of the Regulations;
• Maintaining logs, as determined to be necessary, with respect to declined business, politically exposed persons (as such term is defined in the Regulations), and requests from supervisory and competent authorities, particularly in relation to investigations;
• Advising the Board of AML/CFT compliance issues and any issues with respect to the Company Compliance Functions, that require the attention of the Board;
• Reporting at least annually to the Board on the maintenance of the Company Compliance Functions and the Company's compliance with, or compliance on behalf of the Company with (as the case may be), the AML/CFT Procedures; and
• Acting as the main point of contact with the supervisory and other competent authorities in the Cayman Islands in relation to AML/CFT and responding promptly to requests for information.
• Filing a SAR with the FRA in accordance with the Regulations, if deemed appropriate;
• Maintaining a log of all reports of Suspicious Activity (including where the filing of a SAR is not deemed necessary or appropriate);
• Keeping the Board informed of all internal reports of Suspicious Activity and SARs filed with the FRA, to the extent permitted by legislation and regulation;
• Providing assistance as a point of contact for CIMA, and other regulators and law enforcement as applicable and necessary under the applicable legislation and regulation;
• Functioning as the point of contact with CIMA for the purpose of the Regulations; and
• Be able to perform the role of the DMLRO, in discharging the functions of the MLRO, pursuant to the MLRO Services, in the absence of the MLRO.
• Embedding a compliance culture within Apex and through personal engagement with client entity governing bodies / committees.
• Driving forward the development, implementation and embedding of SAR, AML/CFT and associated regulatory policies and procedures, including robust control procedures.
• Responsibility for the client entity screening process and various Compliance registers and reviews (including assisting with new business).
• Assisting with the regulatory aspects of client entity audits.
• Conducting ad hoc reviews and/or special investigations as required.

People

• Contributing in regular 1:1s, appraisals and development meetings.
• Providing support and direction and sharing examples of best practice with relevant business areas and colleagues.

Skills Required:

• Strong academic background and industry relevant professional qualification.
• In depth knowledge of the Finance industry
• Excellent people management, interpersonal (at all levels), analytic, and diplomacy skills.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong working knowledge of MS Office applications
• A good level of commercial and fiduciary risk awareness.
• Sound working knowledge of statutory requirements and financial services legislation, together with relevant guidance notes and Codes of Practice.
• Sound knowledge and application of relevant AML/CFT legislation, the AML/CFT Handbook and relevant guidance notes and codes of practice.
• Ability to communicate complex and potentially sensitive issues to client entities / across the business.
• Discretion / ability to handle confidential information.
• Commitment to service excellence.
• Previously held CO / MLCO / MLRO positions would be an advantage

What you will get in return:

• A genuinely unique opportunity to be part of an expanding large global business;
• Training and development opportunities.
• Exposure to all aspects of the business, cross-jurisdiction and to working with senior management directly.
• Being part of a friendly, open, hardworking team who often get together for social events!

Additional information:
We are an equal opportunity employer and ensure that no applicant is subject to less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, gender identity, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation. Any hiring decision are made on the basis of skills, qualifications and experiences.

We measure our success as a business, not only by delivering great products and services and continually increasing our assets under administration and market share, but also by how we positively impact people, society and the planet.

If you are looking to take that next step in your career and are ready to work for a high performing organisation, alongside talented people who take pride in delivering great results, please submit your application and we look forward to hearing from you.

Personal data provided by job applicant(s) will be used for recruitment purposes only and will be treated strictly confidential. Such personal data can be accessed by different Apex stakeholders within and out of Hong Kong for the consideration of the job application hereunder. Application made by the job applicant(s) constitutes the irrevocable consent of the job applicant for her/his personal data to be used by Apex stakeholders within or outside Hong Kong for the purpose of this recruitment.