James Keywood

Risk Assurance Analyst at Starling Bank with experience in Financial Crime Prevention.

Risk Assurance Analyst – Starling Bank

September 2022 – Current

• Create Risk Assurance reports that are analytical, critical & extensive of areas of the Business to push positive change and highlight key operational issues on behalf of relevant executives
• Play a key role in protecting Starling and its customers by ensuring that our internal practices comply with regulations, are carried out in line with policy and procedure, are in line with our values, and deliver fair outcomes to our customers.
• Become a subject matter expert on multiple key business areas to enable me to conduct a Risk Assurance review efficiently and with credibility
• I have conducted reviews on key business areas such as Treasury; Payment Operations; Financial Crime; Complaints; Lending and Collections
• Maintain a high level of knowledge and understanding of regulatory requirements from regulators such as the FCA, PRA and Bank of England and critically apply the relevant regulations to internal processes and procedures ensuring the bank's compliance
• Use data software to extrapolate samples and findings
• Lead meetings with senior executives that can be critical of business areas maintaining a high level of confidence and vision to obtain the correct outcomes for the business.
• Creating data visualisation dashboards using business intelligence solutions and big data analytics platforms such as Looker & Grafana

June 2021 – September 2022

• Identify suspicious applications and conduct detailed investigations utilising knowledge of KYC and risk-based checks
• Keen ability to verify the legitimacy of ID and proof of address documentation
• Extensive usage of fraud and credit detection and reporting software to aid in investigations such as CIFAS, SIRA, Equifax and Bureau
• Performing AML checks; reviewing transactions and investigating involving direct contact with the customer, external bank contact and submitting DAMLs to the NCA
• Provide training and coaching to new members of the team as well as providing training to other fraud teams to help manage SLAs/KPIs – also continue to be a point of contact and subject matter expert to aid in others’ investigations
• Suggest improvements/changes that could be implemented to senior members of AFT and Financial Crime strategy teams
• Identify and analyse unusual activity and work complex fraud rings
• Knowledge of fraud typologies and the ability to apply the correct typology under the burden of proof

July 2019 – June 2021

• Providing exceptional customer service via phone, email, and live chat
• Obtained responsibility as a ‘Floor Walker’ – essentially an expert to help answer any queries other team members may have
• Gained valuable knowledge of many processes and products available at Starling Bank
• Showing ownership and accountability for offering solutions that help and benefit our customers.
• Dealing with customer complaints and escalating as necessary
• First point of contact for potential victims and perpetrators of fraud

University of Southampton

• Criminology and Psychology

• BTEC Extended Diploma Level 3 – Analytical and Forensic Science
• A-Level Psychology

• ACAMS Fighting Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Part 1
• ACAMS Fighting Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Part 2: US Sex and Exploitation Cases
• ACAMS WWF Ending Illegal Wildlife Trade

• ICA Advanced Certificate in Managing Fraud
• IRM International Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management