Operations Assistant - Financial Crime Consultancy

About Capitex Capitex is a specialist contract and interim staffing firm focused exclusively on financial crime compliance. We place experienced KYC, AML, sanctions, fraud and transaction monitoring professionals with banks, financial institutions and regulated firms across the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Our clients come to us when they are under regulatory pressure and need vetted, capable people quickly — often within 24 to 48 hours. That speed only works because the administration behind it is precise. Since we were founded in 2021 we have built our reputation on exactly that combination. We are a small, senior team. There are no layers to go through, decisions get made the same day, and the person doing a job is the person who owns it. It also means we hire carefully, because every person makes a visible difference. The role This role exists to take the operational running of our contractor and client administration off the desk of our CEO, so the business can grow without the back office becoming a bottleneck. In practice, you are the person who makes sure nothing falls through the cracks. Contractors submit their timesheets because you chased them. Compliance files are complete because you collected the documents and followed up on what was missing. Our records are accurate because you keep them that way. It is detailed, repetitive, deadline-driven work, and in our sector it genuinely matters. Our contractors work inside regulated financial institutions, which means their vetting and documentation have to be right — not roughly right. Getting that consistently correct is the core of this job. You will report directly to our CEO and work alongside our two client-facing consultants. What you will be doing Timesheets and contractor administration Chasing contractors and client managers for weekly and monthly timesheets across three regions Collating approved timesheets and checking them against contract terms Flagging discrepancies, missing approvals and anything that looks wrong Preparing summary schedules for review and sign-off Vetting, onboarding and documentation Collecting onboarding documents from new contractors and following up on anything outstanding Carrying out identity and right-to-work checks against a defined checklist Requesting and chasing references, and recording the responses accurately Maintaining complete, audit-ready compliance files for every contractor we place Records, systems and coordination Keeping contractor, client and placement records accurate and up to date Maintaining our SharePoint and Teams file structure Preparing invoice data for review, and issuing approved invoices Liaising with Employer of Record providers on routine onboarding and document requests Tracking key dates: contract end dates, document expiries, payment deadlines Raising problems early rather than waiting to be asked What this role is not We think it is only fair to be clear about the boundaries, so you know exactly what you are taking on: You will not authorise or release payments — that sits with our CEO You will not set rates, margins or commercial terms You will not handle escalated debt or difficult client conversations You will not be doing business development or candidate sourcing Hours and contract Full time, approximately 10:00 to 18:30 SAST, aligned to UK business hours. Fully remote, based in South Africa. This role is offered on an initial six-month fixed-term contract through Capitex's UAE entity, with a formal review at the end of the term. Where this can go We are a growing business and this is our first operations hire. The role has been scoped so that someone who proves reliable on the fundamentals can take on more over time: ownership of invoicing, oversight of compliance, and eventually the wider operational running of the business as we expand across our three markets. We would rather be honest than oversell. That progression depends on the business continuing to grow and on you demonstrating the accuracy the work demands. But the room is real, and there is no queue of people ahead of you. How we hire We keep it short and we give feedback at every stage. Application review A 30-minute introductory call A short practical exercise using anonymised data: reconciling a batch of timesheets, spotting the errors, and drafting the follow-up emails. It takes around an hour. A final interview with our CEO References and offer Requirements This role is open to people early in their career. We care more about how you work than about how long you have been working. Essential One to three years in an administrative, bookkeeping, payroll or back-office support role Genuine attention to detail — you notice when a number does not add up, and you check rather than assume Clear, professional written English; you will be emailing our clients and contractors directly Comfortable following up with people repeatedly and politely until you get what you need Solid Excel skills and general confidence with software and online systems Organised and self-directed — able to work a full day productively without being told what to do next Discreet: you will handle confidential candidate, client and financial information every day Helpful, but not required Any exposure to recruitment, staffing, payroll or professional services Any background in compliance, banking, financial services or vetting Experience with Microsoft 365, SharePoint or Teams Any experience working with clients or colleagues in another country Practical requirements Based in South Africa and able to work UK business hours Reliable fibre internet with mobile data as a backup Backup power — inverter, UPS or solar — sufficient to keep working through an outage A quiet, private space to work from Benefits Real ownership from month one, not a queue of someone else's tasks A direct line to the CEO — no layers, no politics, decisions made the same day Fully remote Exposure to financial crime compliance, a growing and well-paid specialism Genuine room to grow as we expand across the UK, UAE and US