Overview
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This role is part of the Microsoft Financial Crime (FinCrime) Operations team, responsible for leading the execution, governance, and continuous enhancement of Financial Crime compliance operations across customer onboarding, ongoing monitoring, sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention, investigations, and regulatory reporting. The Fincrime Operations Manager drives the operational effectiveness and continuous optimization of Microsoft's Financial Crime program, ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations, internal policies, and risk management standards.
This role provides strategic and operational leadership across governance, operational processes, controls, outsourcing management, data quality, and technology enablement to support a scalable and sustainable FinCrime operating model. This role ensures operational readiness for evolving regulatory requirements through the implementation of effective controls, governance frameworks, and risk management practices.
The Fincrime Operations manager partners closely with Compliance, Legal, Engineering, Risk, Operations, and business stakeholders to strengthen Microsoft's Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), sanctions, fraud, and Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC) compliance capabilities. It leads the development and ongoing enhancement of operational performance frameworks, dashboards, KPIs, KRIs, SLAs, reporting models, and management information systems to support effective oversight and decision-making. The role drives audit readiness, regulatory examination preparedness, operational risk management, and continuous improvement initiatives across the global Financial Crime program. It champions process innovation, automation, and operational excellence to improve compliance effectiveness, operational efficiency, and stakeholder experience while supporting Microsoft's long-term Financial Crime strategy.
Responsibilities
Operations Management
- Drive operational excellence across customer onboarding, Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, fraud investigations, and ongoing monitoring activities.
- Support oversight and management of FinCrime operational processes, controls, and technology platforms.
- Partner with Operations, Compliance, Legal, Engineering, and external service providers to implement process enhancements and AI-enabled compliance solutions.
- Lead initiatives that reduce operational overhead while improving compliance effectiveness, customer experience, and regulatory readiness.
- Oversee vendor-delivered operations and outsourced FinCrime services, ensuring adherence to contractual obligations, operating procedures, and performance expectations.
- Ensure operational procedures are documented, scalable, and aligned to regulatory obligations and Microsoft policy requirements.
Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Manage, analyze, and coordinate Financial Crime risks through risk registers and governance mechanisms, ensuring timely remediation and mitigation.
- Lead periodic operational health checks, risk assessments, and control effectiveness reviews.
- Support governance and oversight activities related to AML/CFT, financial sanctions, fraud, anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), and broader Financial Crime risk management.
- Partner with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Engineering, and business stakeholders to address identified gaps, emerging risks, and regulatory developments.
- Support audit, regulatory examination, and control testing activities through effective evidence management and operational readiness.
- Identify and escalate issues not adequately addressed by current policies, standards, systems, or procedures and help develop sustainable solutions.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Provide consultation, communication, roadmap direction, and operational insights to stakeholders across Operations, Engineering, Compliance, Legal, and Product organizations.
- Partner with global stakeholders to ensure Financial Crime obligations are effectively embedded into business processes and customer experiences.
- Facilitate alignment across first-line, second-line, and outsourced operational functions.
- Prepare and deliver executive briefings, governance updates, and risk reviews for leadership.
- Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, operational rigor, and continuous improvement.
Reporting & Performance Management
- Define and implement key performance indicators (KPIs), key risk indicators (KRIs), and service-level agreements (SLAs) across Financial Crime operations.
- Establish standardized operational reporting frameworks and executive dashboards.
- Monitor operational performance, capacity, quality, compliance adherence, and vendor effectiveness.
- Deliver concise, actionable reporting to FinCrime leadership highlighting trends, risks, operational efficiency, and remediation progress.
- Support management information systems (MIS) and reporting capabilities that enable effective operational and risk oversight.
Process Improvement & Innovation
- Drive continuous improvement across Financial Crime operations through process optimization, automation, and technology enhancements.
- Challenge existing operating models and identify opportunities to improve controls, efficiency, scalability, and customer experience.
- Lead operational transformation initiatives supporting future regulatory requirements and evolving business needs.
- Partner with Engineering and Data teams to enhance case management, workflow automation, screening effectiveness, analytics, and operational insights.
- Promote data-driven decision making and innovation across compliance operations.
Training & Change Management
- Identify operational capability and training needs across FinCrime teams and vendors.
- Support the development and delivery of Financial Crime training programs and awareness initiatives.
- Coordinate change management activities related to new regulations, policies, systems, and operating procedures.
- Ensure operational teams maintain the knowledge and expertise required to effectively manage Financial Crime risk.
**Leadership Capabilities **
- Demonstrates a strategic mindset while balancing regulatory compliance, operational effectiveness, and business objectives.
- Drives continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence.
- Uses data and risk insights to influence business decisions and prioritize investments.
- Builds trusted partnerships across business, compliance, engineering, and operational teams.
- Communicates with clarity and influence across executive, technical, legal, and operational audiences.
- Embodies Microsoft’s values.
Qualifications
Minimum/Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Law, Risk Management, Compliance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field, AND extensive experience in Financial Crime, AML, Compliance Operations, Fraud Operations, Risk Management, Payments, Banking, or related functions
- OR equivalent experience.
Good knowledge of AML/CFT, sanctions, fraud prevention, KYC/CDD/EDD processes, and broader compliance frameworks.
Experience managing operational risk, controls, and governance processes.
Preferred Qualifications:
- ACAMS, ICA, CFE, CAMS-FCI, or equivalent Financial Crime certification.
- Experience working within regulated financial services, payments, fintech, or large technology organizations,
- Program management and operational leadership experience, including oversight of outsourced operations and vendor governance programs.
- Familiarity with case management systems, transaction monitoring platforms, sanctions screening tools, and workflow automation technologies.
- Familiarity with AI-driven compliance, fraud detection, and operational analytics solutions.
- Demonstrated use of business data, KPIs, KRIs, and operational metrics to identify risks and drive corrective actions.
- Analytical, problem-solving, communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to simplify complex regulatory and operational topics for diverse audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to adapt to evolving regulatory and business requirements.
- Proven ability to drive results, manage competing priorities, and influence outcomes across highly matrixed global organizations.
Launch Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across Ireland is € 80,000.00 - € 136,400.00 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.
Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/corporate-pay/ireland-corporate-pay.html
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about **requesting accommodations.**