MLRO - Apex Malta
Apex Group Ltd
The Apex Group was established in Bermuda in 2003 and is now one of the world’s largest fund administration and middle office solutions providers.
Our business is unique in its ability to reach globally, service locally and provide cross-jurisdictional services. With our clients at the heart of everything we do, our hard-working team has successfully delivered on an unprecedented growth and transformation journey, and we are now represented by over circa 13,000 employees across 112 offices worldwide.Your career with us should reflect your energy and passion.
That’s why, at Apex Group, we will do more than simply ‘empower’ you. We will work to supercharge your unique skills and experience.
Take the lead and we’ll give you the support you need to be at the top of your game. And we offer you the freedom to be a positive disrupter and turn big ideas into bold, industry-changing realities.
For our business, for clients, and for you
Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)
Role Location: Malta
Department: Compliance
Employment Type: Full-time
The Role & Key Responsibilities:
The role is to act as the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (“MLRO”) for Apex Malta and its associated regulated entities, namely Apex Fund Services (Malta) Limited and Apex Corporate & Advisory Services Ltd. The MLRO will be responsible to monitor the level of compliance with the applicable AML/CFT laws, regulations, rules, and policies applicable to the business activities of the Fund Administrator, the Collective Investment Schemes which appoint Apex Fund Services (Malta) Limited for MLRO services, and the Corporate Services Provider.
The role holder will have direct access to the boards of the relevant regulated entities and have unfettered access to all business lines, support departments and necessary information.
Role Responsibilities:
The selected candidate will be working closely with the Head of Compliance- Malta & Eastern Europe and will have the following responsibilities:
Be responsible for ensuring the business achieves and maintains compliance with all current and future regulatory requirements in the area of AML/CFT, Sanction Monitoring and Apex Group standards;
Acting as the appointed MLRO on the Collective Investment Schemes (‘CISs’) serviced by Apex;
Assessing received internal Suspicious Activity Reports (‘SARs’) and determining if there are grounds to submit such reports to the FIAU;
Submitting and presenting periodic MLRO reports to the Board of Directors of Apex Malta regulated entities, and the CISs to which the candidates acts at the appointed MLRO.
Replying to any request of information from the FIAU or the Asset Recovery Bureau (‘ARB’) in a timely fashion and maintaining all records of such reporting;
Exercising the necessary oversight over Financial Crime related activities;
Drafting and implementing the relevant Financial Crime Compliance procedures for the relevant regulated entities and when required provide the necessary assistance in drafting such policies and procedures for the CISs to which the candidate acts as the appointed MLRO, and ensure that such policies and procedures reflect the current Financial Crime Compliance regulatory and legislative requirements;
Monitoring pre-set levels and parameters related to transactions, manage alerts and cases from systems and tools and identify behaviours that deviate from the norm and escalate suspicions as required investigate and analyse suspicious activity reporting from the business and make recommendations on what action is required;
Maintaining the relevant regulatory registers related to Financial Crime Compliance for Apex Malta regulated entities and clients and ensuring updating of same;
Ensuring that adequate Financial Crime Compliance training is provided to all the staff members, including the Directors of Apex Malta regulated entities and CISs which the candidates acts as MLRO, as well as the provision of new joiner training, in respect of the prevention, detection and reporting of money laundering, terrorist financing and suspicious activity;
Keeping abreast of regulatory developments/ requirements related to Financial Crime Compliance and informing senior management and Board of Directors of the impact of such changes;
Providing MLRO advice to the business heads as and when required;
Drafting the AML/CTF Business Risk Assessments and Regulatory Evaluation Questionnaires on an annual basis for Apex Malta regulated entities and the Collective Investment Schemes on which the candidates is the appointed MLRO, and identifying any potential areas of Financial Crime vulnerability and risks;
Acting with integrity in carrying out the controlled function;
Acting with due skill, care and diligence in carrying out responsibilities;
Dealing with regulators in an open and co-operative way and making timely and appropriate disclosure of any information of which the regulators would reasonably expect notice;
Acting as the point of contact for the FIAU, the ARB and the Sanctions Monitoring Board;
Acting as point of reference, providing support and monitoring the performance of the designated employees (deputy MLROs);
Responding to queries related to Financial Crime Compliance practices adopted by Apex Malta, received from auditors, regulators, service providers and clients;
Assisting the client facing and other support teams with general compliance queries related to Financial Crime Compliance queries;
Maintaining appropriate independence, in particular from customer-facing, business development and system and control development roles;
Ensuring that the required level of CPD is undertaken each year;
Assisting with other duties to support the Head of Compliance as may be necessary from time to time including ad-hoc projects undertaken by the Compliance team in response to regulatory changes, changes within the group or internal findings from monitoring and testing;
Managing relationships effectively post any disclosure to avoid tipping off;
Working collaboratively with 1st line colleagues and in particular with the Transfer Agency teams in Malta and in various Global Service Centres;
Working collaboratively with Regional and Global Financial Crime Compliance colleagues to promote the Apex Group alignment of Financial Crime Compliance best practices;
Skills Required:
The ideal candidate should:
Be already approved by the MFSA to hold the MLRO role and must have the necessary knowledge to meet the Authority’s regulatory requirements, as well as understand how to apply them;
Be in possession of a University Degree (MQF Level 6) and, ideally having a qualification in Prevention of Money Laundering and Combatting Terrorist Financing or related subjects coupled with a sound knowledge of EU AML Directives and related international standards;
Have a minimum of 5 years' experience as a specialist in Financial Crime Compliance;
Be able to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines whilst keeping an eye on detail, and prioritising workloads as required;
Possess strong problem solving skills and leadership ability to adapt in undertaking a variety of tasks at a short notice, as required;
Have the ability to develop effective working relationships with different stakeholders;
Be enthusiastic,, with a positive and proactive approach to work;
Possess excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills;
Possess good organisational skills and be capable of working in a team;
Have excellent analytical and time management skills;
Good working knowledge of Microsoft products, in particular Outlook, Word and Excel as well as having the capability to quickly assimilate working with Apex’s key databases some of which are bespoke.
What you will get in return:
Exposure to all aspects of the business, cross-jurisdiction and to working with senior management directly
A genuinely unique opportunity to be part of an expanding large global business;
Competitive remuneration commensurate with skills and experience;
Training and development opportunities
Disclaimer: Unsolicited CVs sent to Apex (Talent Acquisition Team or Hiring Managers) by recruitment agencies will not be accepted for this position. Apex operates a direct sourcing model and where agency assistance is required, the Talent Acquisition team will engage directly with our exclusive recruitment partners.