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Sanctions Specialist - VP

Hong Kong, Hong Kong China; Singapore, Singapore

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Date live: 01/22/2025

Business Area: Compliance

Area of Expertise: Compliance

Contract: Permanent

Reference Code: JR-0000025330

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Barclays Compliance

Compliance is a broad, multidisciplinary function at Barclays that oversees our global business operations. We ensure the bank lives its values, meets regulatory requirements, and follows our codes of conduct. Compliance helps manage financial affairs safely, prevents crime, and eliminates bad practices, acting as guardians for customers, colleagues, assets, shareholders, and reputation. This vital, challenging, and rewarding role protects customers, defends our reputation, and defines our business practices. Without Compliance, Barclays could not operate.

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This is an exciting opportunity to join Barclays as VP Sanctions Specialist. You will be responsible for the Sanctions Advisory and List Management process including but not limited to attending day to day business advisory matters as well as the management of the Sanctioned securities ISINs process. You will develop and drive the framework to ensure appropriate 2LOD oversight across end-to-end Sanctions Advisory and Screening processes and controls and provide SME advice to Operations and Technology partners on strategic change initiatives that impact the Sanctions control environment and ensuring appropriate consideration of risk. You will also lead and oversee delivery of Sanctions and Screening team activities, pro-actively identifying and driving improvements to maintain effectiveness and drive efficiency.

You may be assessed on key critical skills relevant for success in the role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking, as well as job-specific technical skills.

To be successful for the role, candidates should possess the following skills or experience:

  • Good working knowledge of OFAC, HMT, EU, UN and other jurisdictional Sanctions laws, regulators, regulatory expectations and industry best practice
  • Experience at a financial institution, preferably within the Sanctions space and demonstrating strong leadership and operational management skills
  • Excellent working knowledge of data led approaches to identify, monitor, manage Sanctions risk and good working knowledge of Sanctions list management

Barclays is required by law to confirm that you have the Legal Right to Work in any role that you apply for. If you currently hold a work visa sponsored by Barclays, or you would require sponsorship from Barclays, you must declare this as part of your application. Sponsored visas are role and entity specific and any changes must be reviewed. It is important that you ensure you are working on the correct visa at all times. Failure to accurately disclose your visa status or Legal Right to Work may result in your application or any employment offer being withdrawn at any time.

Purpose of the role

To identify and conduct the appropriate analysis and due diligence on Sanctions alerts to ensure the appropriate action is taken against customers and payment activity as defined by the Sanctions Standards and Restricted Activity Matrix, ensuring that the organisation adheres to all applicable sanction’s laws and regulations and internal governance, such that client accounts are not held and transactions are not processed in breach of application laws and regulations. 

Accountabilities

  • Understanding the objectives of the Global Sanctions Function and the control frameworks and embed a culture of compliance with sanctions.
  • Revision of escalated cases and confirm a True Match in line with regulations/policy accurately and in a timely manner, feeding back on instances of incorrect escalation.
  • Management and provision of guidance in the completion of complex sanctions investigations, ensuring that matters are correctly managed and follow appropriate escalation routes, while involving the relevant stakeholders early and fully.
  • Due diligence on Payment Screening alerts to determine the appropriate treatment and next steps for the payment in line with documented procedures following the defined governance process and approvals as required.
  • Escalation of Customer Screening True Matches to appropriate Business Aligned Sanctions Team for assessment.
  • Identification of opportunities to drive efficiencies in the alert management process and feed these back to the appropriate team(s) to implement.

Vice President Expectations

  • To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/ processes; deliver continuous improvements and escalate breaches of policies/procedures..
  • If managing a team, they define jobs and responsibilities, planning for the department’s future needs and operations, counselling employees on performance and contributing to employee pay decisions/changes. They may also lead a number of specialists to influence the operations of a department, in alignment with strategic as well as tactical priorities, while balancing short and long term goals and ensuring that budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements..
  • If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others..
  • OR for an individual contributor, they will be a subject matter expert within own discipline and will guide technical direction. They will lead collaborative, multi-year assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
  • Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management on functional and cross functional areas of impact and alignment.
  • Manage and mitigate risks through assessment, in support of the control and governance agenda.
  • Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work your team does.
  • Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the organisation functions to contribute to achieving the goals of the business.
  • Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategies.
  • Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought comparing and selecting complex alternatives. In-depth analysis with interpretative thinking will be required to define problems and develop innovative solutions.
  • Adopt and include the outcomes of extensive research in problem solving processes.
  • Seek out, build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders in order to accomplish key business objectives, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Barclays welcomes applications from all candidates and is committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments (accommodations) are put in place to allow for a fair and inclusive recruitment process. For more information and how to request one, please review Adjustments to the recruitment process.

We’re a global, vital and highly respected financial organisation with an inspiring Purpose. Operating in 39 countries and employing around 100,000 people across the world, we help communities, individuals and businesses thrive. And we’ve created financial solutions and technology that the world now takes for granted. A career with us can offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience, and the chance to learn from some of the best minds in technology and finance.

To find out more about Barclays' strategy please click here.

Barclays offers a diverse, inclusive and engaged culture. A place where people can bring their whole selves to work and be respected for who they are, valued for what they do and celebrated for their contribution to our business and our community.

We are an equal opportunity employer and opposed to discrimination on any grounds. It is the policy of Barclays to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Barclays is required by law to confirm that you have the Legal Right to Work in any role that you apply for. If you currently hold a work visa sponsored by Barclays, or you would require sponsorship from Barclays, you must declare this as part of your application. Sponsored visas are role and entity specific and any changes must be reviewed. It is important that you ensure you are working on the correct visa at all times. Failure to accurately disclose your visa status or Legal Right to Work may result in your application or any employment offer being withdrawn at any time.

Barclays welcomes applications from all candidates and is committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments (accommodations) are put in place to allow for a fair and inclusive recruitment process. For more information and how to request one, please review Adjustments to the recruitment process.

We’re a global, vital and highly respected financial organisation with an inspiring Purpose. Operating in 39 countries and employing around 100,000 people across the world, we help communities, individuals and businesses thrive. And we’ve created financial solutions and technology that the world now takes for granted. A career with us can offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience, and the chance to learn from some of the best minds in technology and finance.

To find out more about Barclays' strategy please click here.

Barclays offers a diverse, inclusive and engaged culture. A place where people can bring their whole selves to work and be respected for who they are, valued for what they do and celebrated for their contribution to our business and our community.

We are an equal opportunity employer and opposed to discrimination on any grounds. It is the policy of Barclays to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Barclays is required by law to confirm that you have the Legal Right to Work in any role that you apply for. If you currently hold a work visa sponsored by Barclays, or you would require sponsorship from Barclays, you must declare this as part of your application. Sponsored visas are role and entity specific and any changes must be reviewed. It is important that you ensure you are working on the correct visa at all times. Failure to accurately disclose your visa status or Legal Right to Work may result in your application or any employment offer being withdrawn at any time.

This is Barclays Hong Kong

China is a major growth opportunity, and Barclays’ Hong Kong branch has driven client growth in Greater China for five decades. Supported by the bank’s global cross-border Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) platform and strong business collaboration, it remains a key growth platform.

Our Hong Kong office drives client growth in Greater China, leveraging its global banking platform and decades of local expertise.

Barclays’ Hong Kong office offers convenient commutes via nearby MTR stations, bus routes, trams, and Airport Express.

In the central district, employees enjoy nearby cultural spots like Hong Kong Park and art galleries, enhancing work-life balance.

Barclays Hong Kong offers diverse client base, exposing employees to varied industries and markets.

This is Barclays Hong Kong

China is a major growth opportunity, and Barclays’ Hong Kong branch has driven client growth in Greater China for five decades. Supported by the bank’s global cross-border Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) platform and strong business collaboration, it remains a key growth platform.

Driving Growth

Our Hong Kong office drives client growth in Greater China, leveraging its global banking platform and decades of local expertise.

Great for commuters

Barclays’ Hong Kong office offers convenient commutes via nearby MTR stations, bus routes, trams, and Airport Express.

Prime location

In the central district, employees enjoy nearby cultural spots like Hong Kong Park and art galleries, enhancing work-life balance.

Diverse client base

Barclays Hong Kong offers diverse client base, exposing employees to varied industries and markets.

Be you. Be valued. Belong.

We celebrate the unique perspectives and experiences each individual brings, believing our differences make us stronger and drive success. Our colleague networks offer connection, support, and growth, while our "This is Me" series shares the unique stories of our colleagues. Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Barclays values you for who you are and ensures you truly belong.

You can learn more about our commitment to our colleague on our DE&I page.  

Learn more

Application Process

Your application

We’ll ask for information about you, your CV and cover letter.

1

Your assessment

Covering your behaviours and ability at work.

2

Your interview

Exploring your past experiences and skills.

3

Next step

We’ll request additional information so that you can complete our screening process

4
How to ApplyRead our FAQ's
Barclays

Working flexibly

We’re committed to providing an inclusive culture and environment, that recognises and supports ways to balance your personal needs, alongside the professional needs of our business. Providing the opportunity for all our employees globally to work flexibly empowers each of us to work in a way that suits our lives, as well as enabling us to better service our customers’ and clients’ needs.

Our approach to working flexibly is designed to support you to balance your life and to accommodate diverse needs, whilst still allowing us to meet our business needs. If you’d like to request a flexible working arrangement, please discuss this with your hiring manager.

Hybrid working: Our approach to hybrid working ensures there’s the right balance of working alongside colleagues at our onsite locations, as required for each role. For business areas that offer a hybrid working experience, this will be in a structured way, where colleagues work at an onsite location on fixed, ‘anchor’, days of the week. Some roles may require full onsite working. Please discuss the working pattern requirements for the role you are applying for with the hiring manager.

We continue to embed and review our hybrid working environment and remain in a phase of testing and learning. This means that working arrangements could change, with reasonable notice, to align with the needs of our business.

Barclays is built on an international scale.

Our geographic reach, our wide variety of functions, businesses, roles and locations reflect the rich diversity of our worldwide customer base. All of which means we offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience.
And the chance to learn from a globally diverse mix of colleagues, including some of the very best minds in banking, finance, technology and business. Throughout, we’ll encourage you to embrace mobility, exploring every part of our operations as you build your career.

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