AML Compliance Manager

Manager, AML/CTF Compliance (Fixed Term) – Sydney, Australia 

The Manager, AML Compliance plays a critical role in delivering the organisation's highest-priority financial crime and regulatory initiatives. Working across Compliance, Product, Operations, Risk, Technology, and senior leadership teams, the role is responsible for driving a complex remediation program designed to strengthen the firm's AML, sanctions, and broader financial crime control environment.

​​This position combines program leadership, governance oversight, stakeholder management, and regulatory engagement to support the delivery of key remediation and regulatory commitments. The role is responsible for coordinating cross-functional activities, managing remediation reporting and governance, monitoring progress against agreed objectives, and overseeing risks and issues to support successful program outcomes.

​Through effective execution, collaboration, and continuous improvement, the role contributes to the ongoing enhancement of the compliance framework and the organisation's financial crime risk management capabilities.

An opportunity to join Western Union’s Compliance Team on a full-time basis for a 24-month period.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day governance and execution of AML and financial crime remediation initiatives across multiple workstreams. Monitor delivery against milestones, manage dependencies, oversee risks and issues, facilitate governance decisions, and ensure accountability for agreed actions and outcomes.

• Drive the implementation of AML, sanctions, and financial crime remediation activities, including control enhancements, process improvements, operating model changes, and regulatory commitment delivery. Support the development and execution of remediation plans to strengthen the financial crime control framework.

• Conduct AML compliance reviews and control assessments to evaluate control effectiveness, identify risks and gaps, validate remediation outcomes, and provide recommendations to strengthen compliance and risk management practices.

• Partner with regulatory authorities, senior management, and governance forums to support regulatory commitments and program objectives. Coordinate regulatory responses, examinations, information requests, and executive communications, and present remediation progress, key risks, and strategic updates to stakeholders.

• Prepare management reporting, steering committee materials, dashboards, and key performance metrics. Support continuous improvement initiatives, lessons learned activities, training efforts, and governance coordination across related compliance and remediation programs. 

Western Union Competencies:

• Customer Focus
  • Collaborates closely with internal business units, agent partners, regulators, and stakeholders to support compliant customer service delivery while balancing regulatory requirements and business objectives. 
• Management & Planning
  • Develops and implements compliance and remediation plans, establishes governance frameworks, supports the design and execution of remediation approaches, and ensures effective monitoring, reporting, escalation, and stakeholder engagement processes.
  • Oversee remediation activities, tracks delivery against agreed objectives, and drives continuous improvement through risk-based prioritization, governance, and execution oversight.
• Business Expertise
  • Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of AML/CTF regulations, sanctions compliance, payment services regulation, financial crime risks, and the regulatory requirements applicable to the business.
• Leadership
  • Demonstrates leadership across compliance and regulatory remediation initiatives by coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, supporting governance forums, and driving accountability for remediation outcomes. Oversee remediation population management, monitors execution against approved plans and milestones, challenges delivery risks where appropriate, and ensures timely escalation of issues.
  • Prepares and presents updates to senior management and steering committees and supports the Senior Manager in delivering regulatory commitments and sustainable compliance outcomes.

Core Factors:

Functional Knowledge

• Requires extensive expertise in AML/CTF regulations, sanctions compliance, financial crime risk management, regulatory examinations, remediation governance, remediation population management, compliance monitoring, risk assessment methodologies, regulatory reporting, and payment services operations. Applies deep technical knowledge to support regulatory remediation programs, governance activities, and the delivery of regulatory commitments.

Area of Impact

• Impacts compliance effectiveness, regulatory relationships, financial crime risk mitigation, remediation program execution, population management activities, agent oversight programs, governance outcomes, and operational compliance performance across the assigned portfolio.

Nature of Impact

• Decisions and recommendations directly influence compliance outcomes, regulatory standing, remediation success, risk exposure, governance effectiveness, and operational performance. Ensures regulatory commitments and strategic remediation initiatives are executed effectively and deliver sustainable compliance outcomes.

Problem Solving

• Analyzes complex regulatory, compliance, remediation, and governance challenges; develops practical solutions; supports remediation planning and prioritization; and provides guidance to stakeholders in ambiguous situations. Balances regulatory expectations, operational requirements, and delivery objectives to achieve sustainable outcomes

Role Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of AML/CTF Compliance experience within regulated financial services, payments, fintech, banking, or money services businesses. Experience interacting with regulatory authorities and supporting regulatory examinations is required.
• Previous MLRO or Deputy MLRO experience is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Law, Risk Management, Accounting, or a related discipline. 
  • ACAMS, ICA, or equivalent AML certification is desirable. 

Additional Skills Needed:

• Strong stakeholder management and regulatory engagement experience, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, navigate complex compliance matters, and build trusted relationships with regulators and business leaders.
• Demonstrated leadership and sound risk-based judgment, with a proven track record of driving compliance initiatives, managing competing priorities, and partnering effectively across functions to achieve regulatory and business objectives.

Pre-requisites for Technical Skills:

Advanced

• Strong understanding of AML/CTF, sanctions, and payment services compliance requirements.
• Experience in customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD), suspicious matter reporting (SMR), and financial crime risk management.
• Skilled in compliance monitoring, regulatory reporting, risk assessments, audits, and regulatory reviews.
• Ability to interpret regulations and support oversight of agents and sub-agents.

Intermediate to Advanced

• Project Management, Planning & Prioritization, and Organizational Skills.
• Mentoring & Coaching, Collaboration, and Cross-Functional Partnership.
• Adaptability, Conflict Resolution, and stakeholder relationship management.

Work Shift 

Western Union values in-person collaboration, problem solving, and ideation whenever possible. We believe this fosters common ways of working and supports how we execute initiatives for our customers. The expectation is to work from the office a minimum of three days a week. 

BENEFITS AND OTHER DETAILS  

Benefits 

You will also have access to short-term incentives, accident and life insurance, and access to best-in-class development platforms, to name a few (https://careers.westernunion.com/global-benefits/). Please see the location-specific benefits below and note that your Recruiter may share additional role-specific benefits during your interview process or in an offer of employment. 

Your Australia specific benefits include: 

• Life / Accident Coverage 

• Superannuation Plan 

• Paid Time Offs 

• Employee Wellness 

• Global Recognition and Rewards Programs 

Other Details 

We are passionate about honoring our employee's identity and fostering a feeling of belonging. Our commitment is to provide an inclusive culture that celebrates the unique backgrounds and perspectives of our global teams while reflecting the communities we serve. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. The company will provide accommodation to applicants, including those with disabilities, during the recruitment process, following applicable laws. 

#LI-ES1 #LI-Hybrid  

Estimated Job Posting End Date:

This application window is a good-faith estimate of the time that this posting will remain open. This posting will be promptly updated if the deadline is extended or the role is filled.