Experienced Compliance Officer, Financial Crime Compliance

What would your role be?

As a Senior Compliance Officer within Financial Crime Compliance, you conduct complex and holistic financial crime investigations, combining transactional activity, client profiles, source of wealth and funds, counterparties, ownership structures, and geographic exposure to assess material financial crime risks.

You apply sound judgement and professional skepticism to identify unusual activity, assess economic rationale, and ensure appropriate escalation in line with regulatory requirements and the Bank’s risk appetite.

• Conduct complex transaction monitoring and financial crime investigations, identifying unusual patterns, unexplained fund flows, and potential money laundering or sanctions risks.
• Perform holistic client and transaction assessments, connecting transactional behavior with KYC information, source of wealth and funds, counterparties, jurisdictions, ownership structures, and adverse information.
• Investigate complex cross-border transactions, high-risk relationships, and potential sanctions evasion or circumvention.
• Assess the economic rationale and plausibility of transactions and identify inconsistencies or emerging financial crime risk indicators.
• Prepare concise, evidence-based investigation reports and formulate clear risk assessments and recommendations.
• Escalate potentially suspicious activity and support regulatory reporting processes where required.
• Provide senior-level expertise and independent challenge on complex Financial Crime Compliance matters.
• Collaborate effectively with Front Office, Legal, Risk, Operations, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to the continuous enhancement of transaction monitoring, investigative standards, controls, and the broader Financial Crime Compliance.

What are we looking for?

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in Financial Crime Compliance, AML, transaction monitoring, or financial crime investigations within the financial services industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field; a Master’s degree is considered an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of AML, sanctions, transaction monitoring, and applicable financial crime regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical and investigative capabilities, with sound judgement in complex and sensitive cases.
• Ability to assess complex transactional patterns and translate findings into clear, risk-based conclusions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide constructive and independent challenge.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, professional skepticism, and attention to detail.
• Fluency in English and German; additional languages are considered an advantage.
• Affinity for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a willingness to embrace AI-enabled tools and ways of working.

What do we offer? 

• Top Zurich location with collaboration spaces and free lunch.

• Friendly, diverse team in an open-office space.

• All the latest technology to help you excel and advance.

• Agile environment in how we think, the way we work and our trust for each other.

• Flat hierarchy with collaboration at all levels.

• Campus feeling and a collaborative spirit.

We are looking for talented people, not just a CV that ticks all the boxes. Even if you do not have absolutely everything we have asked for, if this role sounds like a good fit for you, we encourage you to apply.

Location Requirement

This role is based in Zurich but will move to Baar in 2030, ensuring close alignment with key stakeholders in the business.

Why Vontobel?

At Vontobel, you are building better futures for our clients and society, as well as for yourself. As a family-owned and publicly listed company with over 2,000 professionals based in 28 locations globally and headquartered in Zurich, we’re committed to long-term thinking and sustainability.

Our diverse team values unique perspectives, and we hire individuals determined to deliver in a dynamic and changing world. Even if you don’t meet all the criteria, we encourage you to apply if you’re enthusiastic about the role.

Do you want to be Vontobel?

Thank you for applying to Vontobel. We will carefully review your application and will respond to you in a timely manner.

At Vontobel, we are an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity.

We value the many voices within our teams and are committed to creating an environment where everyone who wants to be part of our performance culture can be themselves. It is based on mutual respect and zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.

If you have any questions you can contact us through ourcontact form.