Branch Compliance Officer - Bank study plan

Map every statutory and regulatory instrument named in the exam outline to its issuing authority, and state in one sentence what each instrument obliges a branch to do

Build a one-page table linking each regulator (central bank, deposit insurer, financial intelligence unit, data protection authority) to the returns, disclosures and inspections it imposes on branches

Explain the compliance officer's personal accountability chain, from board-approved policy down to branch-level attestation, in a written note

Identify the penalties and enforcement actions available for branch-level statutory breaches and note which are civil versus criminal

Trace how a statutory requirement becomes a branch procedure, using at least three worked examples from the week 1 register

Draft the branch's compliance calendar for a quarter, sequencing statutory returns, internal reporting deadlines and inspection windows

Distinguish branch-level operational compliance duties (cash, vault, locker, stationery, segregation of duties) from head-office obligations

Practice writing a compliance memo that escalates a statutory breach without admitting liability

Apply the full customer due diligence sequence to four constructed customer profiles, including a non-resident, a trust, a cash-intensive business and a politically exposed person

Classify each profile by risk rating and justify the rating against defined risk factors

Specify the enhanced due diligence measures, approval level and refresh cycle required for each higher-risk profile

Explain beneficial ownership identification and control tests, and record the ownership chain for the trust and corporate profiles

Describe the four pillars of an anti-money-laundering programme and state what evidence a branch must retain for each

Draft a suspicious transaction report narrative from a constructed fact pattern, covering who, what, when, how much and why it is suspicious, without conclusory language

Explain tipping-off prohibitions and the correct branch response when a customer asks why a transaction is delayed

List the sanctions and terrorist-financing screening points in a branch payment journey and the escalation path for a potential match

State record-keeping retention periods for identification, transaction and training records under the applicable regime

Enumerate the fraud typologies most likely to surface at branch level, including account takeover, cheque fraud, insider collusion, loan documentation fraud and mule accounts

Design preventive controls for each typology and identify the control owner and test method

Explain the purpose and mechanics of preventive vigilance, including surveillance, rotation of staff and whistle-blowing channels

Analyse a constructed red-flag scenario and decide whether to investigate, report or close, documenting the reasoning

Differentiate risk-focused internal audit from transaction testing and explain how audit scope is set by risk rating

Draft a risk assessment for a branch function, scoring inherent risk, control effectiveness and residual risk

Write audit findings that state condition, criteria, cause, effect and recommendation

Design a compliance reporting pack for branch management containing at least five metrics with thresholds and escalation triggers

Compile the branch inspection readiness checklist covering cash management, locker operations, know-your-customer files, loan documentation and statutory registers

Simulate an inspection query and draft a factual reply within a stated turnaround

Map the grievance redressal lifecycle from receipt to closure, including acknowledgement, escalation tiers and ombudsman referral

Apply fair-treatment principles to two constructed mis-selling and hidden-charge complaints and draft the resolution letters

State the disclosure, fee transparency and complaint-reporting obligations owed to customers

Apply data protection principles to branch handling of customer data, covering lawful basis, minimisation, retention and breach notification timelines

Identify cyber and digital banking risks at branch level, including phishing, unauthorised electronic transfers, device and credential controls, and customer liability rules for unauthorised transactions

State the branch's obligations on incident reporting, customer notification and evidence preservation after a suspected breach

Revisit the weakest two domains from earlier weeks and close the gaps with targeted revision

Complete a timed mixed-domain mock examination and review every incorrect answer against source material