AML Operation Manager

We’re WorldFirst, an international payments business helping move money around the world. We became part of Ant Group in 2019, accelerating our mission to create the world’s best platform for international trade by combining WorldFirst’s products with Ant’s solutions aimed at enabling the digitalization of the modern services industry globally.

We have a shared purpose ‘to make it easy to do business anywhere.’ Together, we are advancing our shared aim of bringing innovative, inclusive and affordable services to small and medium-sized businesses and online merchants in the rapidly growing area of cross-border trade.

Execute AML Ops day-to-day activities in line with AML operational framework, proactively contributing to the standardization and efficient implementation of Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Transaction Monitoring (TM), and Screening processes to ensure both regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.

Take ownership of activities besides BAU, for example owning AML-related data governance initiatives, establishing and maintaining exceptions and issues trackers to enhance accuracy, completeness, and traceability, supporting risk identification and regulatory reporting.

Proactively participate and drive operational efficiency improvement projects through supporting TL in process re-engineering, adoption of automation tools, and cross-functional collaboration to continuously optimize AML workflows, reduce operational risk, and accelerate response times.

Establish and maintain AML operational quality control mechanisms, including periodic audits, KPI monitoring, and issue closure management, to ensure consistent achievement of quality benchmarks.

Closely monitor regulatory developments covering EMEA region, proactively assess their operational impact, and lead internal process adjustments and staff training to ensure ongoing compliance.

Collaborate closely with Compliance, Risk, Technology, Legal, and Business teams to foster cross-functional alignment and ensure AML operations are consistent with Group strategy and risk appetite.

Bachelor’s degree or above in Finance, Law, Economics, Accounting, Risk Management, or related disciplines; professional certifications such as CAMS, CFE, CIA, or CISA are preferred.

Minimum 5 years of experience in AML/Compliance Operations, including at least 3 years in a management or team lead role, with proven experience leading EDD, TM, or Screening workflows within international financial institutions or FinTech/PayTech firms.

In-depth understanding of EU and Dutch AML regulatory frameworks (e.g., AMLD5/AMLD6, Dutch Wwft, DNB requirements), with proven ability to implement localized compliance solutions; local team collaboration or regulatory engagement experience in the Netherlands is highly desirable.

Demonstrated capability in process optimization, data governance, KPI management, and cross-functional collaboration; experience leading operational efficiency initiatives and implementing automation tools; prior experience building or restructuring operational frameworks from scratch is a plus.

Fluent in written and spoken English (working language); Dutch is a strong advantage; excellent communication, cross-cultural collaboration, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to articulate risk and operational insights clearly to senior management.

Familiarity with leading AML systems (e.g., Actimize, SAS, Quantexa, Socure) and data tools (e.g., SQL, advanced Excel, Power BI/Tableau); basic data analytics skills to guide teams in leveraging systems for operational efficiency.