How do you create progression in an AML and Conflicts team?

How to build a career ladder that keeps your Risk and Compliance team engaged and ambitious.

The Short Answer

Progression isn’t just about adding the word 'Senior' to a job title. It’s about increasing the complexity of the work and the level of stakeholder interaction. A clear path usually moves from Analyst to Senior Analyst, then to Team Leader or Specialist (e.g., Sanctions Lead), and finally into Management or Risk Lawyer roles.

Mapping the Journey

• The Technical Track: For those who love the 'doing'. They become the go-to experts for the firm’s most complex jurisdictional risks.
• The Management Track: For those who want to lead people and improve processes.
• The Advisory Track: For those who want to move closer to the legal side, often becoming 'Risk Lawyers' or 'Conflicts Counsel'.

Incentivising Longevity

Use qualifications like those from the International Compliance Association (ICA) as milestones. If the firm pays for the training, and the qualification leads to a pre-agreed pay rise or promotion, the analyst is much more likely to stay the course.

The Bottom Line

If your team can't see where they’ll be in three years, they’ll find a firm that shows them. Build a roadmap that rewards both technical expertise and leadership potential.

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