Head of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Operations and Systems

About the role

Overall Purpose of the Role: The Head: AML Operations & Systems is a senior leadership role serving as the principal operational 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 carries deep statutory knowledge of FICA, the FATF Standards and all related legislation, and acts 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. Beyond South Africa, the role is central to strengthening AML capability across the GoTyme Group, including GoTyme Bank Philippines, and will be instrumental in standing up AML frameworks for new entities as the Group grows. Experience and Skills Required: Bachelor's Degree in Law, Commerce, Finance, or Risk Management (Essential); postgraduate qualification in Compliance, Risk Management, or Financial Crime (Advantageous); ACAMS certification (Advantageous). Minimum 7-10 years of AML/CFT compliance experience, 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 FCM, 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). AI & data analytics proficiency essential; in-depth knowledge of FICA, FATF Recommendations, Wolfsberg Principles, and AML typologies relevant to digital banking. Responsibilities: AML Operations Management: Lead day-to-day AML operations including transaction monitoring, alert triage, case investigation, and the full STR/SAR lifecycle from alert generation through to FIC submission. Establish and maintain robust QA processes, operational metrics, SLA frameworks, and productivity benchmarks. Manage escalation protocols for high-risk cases, PEPs, sanctions hits, and complex financial crime typologies. Oversee analyst performance, capacity planning, and skills development. AML Systems Ownership & Technology Build: Own the bank's transaction monitoring system(s) end-to-end, including system configuration, rule set governance, model performance, threshold calibration, and vendor management. Lead the design and continuous improvement of AI-enabled financial crime detection capabilities. Define and own the financial crime monitoring technology roadmap. Manage system integration between the core banking platform, KYC/onboarding systems, and the transaction monitoring environment. Establish and maintain a model governance framework for all AI/ML components. AI & Advanced Analytics in AML: Champion the use of AI and advanced data analytics to enhance financial crime detection, network analysis, and typology identification capabilities. Partner with Data Science and Technology teams to scope, test, and deploy AI-driven monitoring models. Ensure AI models are explainable, auditable, and aligned to emerging regulatory guidance. Stay current with global AI-in-AML developments and translate advances into actionable capability improvements. Produce regular performance reporting on AI model effectiveness. Support of the MLCO Function & Statutory Accountability: Act as the standing delegate to the MLCO, maintaining readiness to assume full functional responsibility in their absence. Maintain deep expertise in all FICA obligations (CDD, EDD, STRs, IFTRs, TPRs, and record-keeping requirements). Support the MLCO as co-signatory and primary operational reviewer on all AML regulatory submissions to the FIC. Serve as primary operational liaison with the FIC on day-to-day regulatory matters. Attend FIC and PA engagements and regulatory inspections alongside or in support of the MLCO. Group AML Capability Building - Philippines & New Markets: Collaborate with the Philippines Compliance team to align monitoring typologies, risk appetite calibration, and reporting standards across entities. Assist in the design and implementation of AML technology infrastructure for new Group entities. Participate in Group-level AML governance forums and provide the CCO with a consolidated view of operational AML risk across the Group. AML Risk Management & Governance: Assist the MLCO in maintaining the bank's AML/CFT Risk Assessment and reviewing AML/CFT policies and procedures. Provide expert input into Product, Technology, and Operations risk assessments. Produce high-quality AML reporting for the M