An AML Officer is the individual responsible for overseeing an organisation’s anti-money laundering programme. They ensure that AML controls, policies and procedures comply with regulatory requirements and effectively manage financial crime risk. In many jurisdictions, this role is mandatory for regulated firms and may also be referred to as the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) or Compliance Officer depending on the regulatory framework.

An AML Officer acts as the central point of accountability for customer due diligence, sanctions compliance, transaction monitoring, reporting obligations and governance.

Why AML Officers Are Critical In Compliance

AML Officers help organisations meet supervisory expectations set by authorities such as the Financial Conduct Authority. Their responsibilities align with global standards including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations, which emphasise strong governance, risk-based approaches and clearly defined roles.

A well-defined AML Officer function supports:

• Consistent oversight of AML systems and controls.

• Strong governance and defensible decision-making.

• Clear escalation pathways for risk and suspicious activity.

• Better audit readiness and regulatory visibility.

• Transparent reporting structures.

Key Responsibilities Of An AML Officer

While exact duties vary across industries, most AML Officers oversee:

• Customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD) for higher-risk customers.

• Sanctions screening and evaluation of potential matches.

• Adverse media screening to detect reputational or criminal indicators.

• Transaction monitoring to identify suspicious behaviour.

• Investigation and escalation of potential suspicious activity.

• Suspicious activity reporting (SARs) to relevant authorities.

• Policy development and maintenance of AML frameworks.

• Staff training and awareness programmes.

• Record-keeping and documentation to support audits.

• Liaison with regulators, auditors and law-enforcement bodies.

These responsibilities align with operational guidance published by international bodies such as the World Bank Financial Integrity initiative.

Skills And Qualifications Of An AML Officer

AML Officers require a blend of regulatory knowledge, analytical skill and operational experience. Typical qualifications include:

• Understanding of AML, sanctions, fraud and financial crime regulation.

• Experience with screening tools, monitoring systems and case management.

• Strong analytical and investigative skills.

• Familiarity with risk-based approaches.

• Clear written and verbal communication.

• Leadership and oversight capabilities.

Many organisations value training or certification aligned with international financial crime compliance standards.

How AML Officers Use Facctum Solutions

AML Officers rely on accurate data, real-time detection and clear workflows. Facctum supports these needs through its core solutions:

• FacctList, provided through the watchlist management solution, helps maintain accurate and enriched lists for screening.

• FacctView, delivered through the customer screening solution, supports real-time sanctions, PEP and adverse media checks.

• Alert adjudication capabilities within Facctum’s platform support investigations, documentation and escalation.

• Transaction monitoring capabilities assist in identifying unusual or suspicious patterns.

These tools support AML Officers across industries including AML for Banks, AML for Fintechs and AML for Payment Service Providers.