Overview
AML and Compliance Specialist Jobs in Brussels, Brussels Region, Belgium at Baker McKenzie
Title: AML and Compliance Specialist
Company: Baker McKenzie
Location: Brussels, Brussels Region, Belgium
The Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Compliance Specialist will act as the primary day-to-day AML and compliance resource for the Belgian offices, supporting and guiding lawyers and business support teams on AML requirements and broader compliance matters.
The role-holder will serve as an experienced specialist, combining hands-on AML delivery with broader compliance advisory responsibilities. This includes CDD and EDD reviews, ongoing monitoring, sanctions and suspicious activity escalation, policy, procedure and control (PPC) updates, training development and delivery, support for risk assessments, audits and regulatory reviews, and implementation of regulatory requirements impacting the office.
The individual will work with a high degree of autonomy, exercising sound judgement to manage routine AML and compliance matters independently, while escalating material risks, suspicious activity concerns, regulatory requests and complex issues as appropriate.
Main responsibilities:
AML and Financial Crime
- Advise lawyers and business support teams on AML obligations relating to client onboarding, matter acceptance and ongoing monitoring
- Independently manage routine AML and compliance matters, escalating material risks and complex issues with clear reasoning and recommendations
- Undertake and review customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD), beneficial ownership, source of funds and source of wealth assessments
- Assess higher-risk clients, matters and transactions and provide recommendations regarding risk mitigation and escalation
- Assess suspicious activity escalations and support investigations and reporting
- Support ongoing monitoring, periodic reviews and AML record-keeping requirements
- Support AML, sanctions, and financial crime risk assessments where required including the firm-wide risk assessment
Compliance & Regulatory Support
- Act as a key compliance resource for regulatory obligations impacting the Belgian offices
- Monitor legal and regulatory developments and support implementation of regulatory change initiatives
- Support compliance risk assessments, control reviews and remediation activities
- Support regulatory reporting, audits, inspections, regulatory requests, compliance reviews and compliance initiatives
- Prepare compliance reporting, management information and risk updates
Policies, Procedures and Controls
- Support the development, maintenance and implementation of AML and compliance policies, procedures and controls
- Draft guidance, communications and compliance updates for office stakeholders
- Identify opportunities to strengthen compliance processes and controls
- Support annual compliance reviews and governance activities
Data Privacy and Wider Compliance
- Support GDPR and Belgian data protection compliance activities
- Support DAC6 governance, reporting and record retention requirements
- Assist with professional conduct, ethics, whistleblowing, information governance and related compliance matters as required
Training, Advisory and Stakeholder Support
- Provide AML and compliance guidance to lawyers and business support teams
- Support the development and delivery of AML and compliance training
- Respond to day-to-day AML and compliance queries and promote awareness of regulatory obligations
Skills and experience:
Essential
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Law, Business, Finance, Compliance, Risk Management or a related discipline
- Strong experience in AML, compliance, risk or regulatory roles
- Experience within a law firm, professional services firm, financial institution or other regulated environment
- Strong knowledge of Belgian AML/CTF requirements and legal sector obligations, including CDD, EDD, sanctions and beneficial ownership requirements
- Experience assessing and escalating suspicious activity concerns
- Experience supporting compliance reviews, audits, regulatory requests and risk assessments.
- Experience drafting policies, procedures, controls, guidance materials and training
- Strong analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills with the ability to provide practical, risk-based recommendations
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility across all levels of the organisation
- Highly self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and manage competing priorities effectively
- Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
- Comfortable working in a large, complex, matrixed environment with multiple stakeholders
- Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational delivery
- Demonstrates a commitment to quality, professionalism and service excellence
- Excellent written and spoken English communication skills; French and/or Dutch language capability would be advantageous
Desirable
- Familiar with AML screening tools, business intelligence databases and client onboarding systems is advantageous.
- Experience supporting GDPR compliance
- Familiar with DAC6 requirements
- CAMS, ICA or equivalent professional qualification
Position type: Specialist
Development framework: Specialist
