Senior Manager - Sanctions Compliance

The Senior Manager – Sanctions Compliance will lead the governance and oversight functions within the Sanctions and Financial Institution (FI) Compliance department. This role is pivotal in establishing and maintaining a robust compliance framework that ensures effective risk management and transparent reporting across the bank’s global operations. The position drives compliance governance standards, oversees regulatory and internal reporting, and ensures alignment with the bank’s strategic compliance objectives.

Key Responsibilities

- Compliance Governance Framework: Oversee and maintain a comprehensive governance framework that supports risk management and regulatory adherence. Ensure governance structures align with global best practices while being tailored to local regulatory requirements. Regularly review and enhance governance models to reflect evolving regulatory landscapes and business strategies.

- Oversight and Monitoring: Lead enterprise-wide compliance oversight programs, including thematic reviews, control testing, and risk assessments. Monitor the effectiveness of compliance controls, escalate significant issues to senior management and governance committees, and ensure timely resolution of compliance gaps and audit findings.

- Regulatory and Internal Reporting: Manage the preparation and delivery of high-quality compliance reports for regulators, senior management, and board committees. Ensure reporting consistency, accuracy, and completeness across jurisdictions and business lines. Develop dashboards and metrics to track compliance performance and emerging risks.

- Committee Management: Oversee the governance and operations of compliance-related committees such as the Compliance Committee and Regulatory Risk Committee. Coordinate meeting agendas, materials, minutes, and action tracking to facilitate effective decision-making and accountability. Promote cross-functional collaboration to align compliance priorities.

- Quality Control: Lead quality control reviews within Sanctions and FI Compliance to ensure regulatory compliance and adherence to internal standards. Conduct quality testing of investigations, screening decisions, advisory opinions, and FI compliance reviews. Identify control gaps and drive remediation efforts. Maintain quality metrics, governance reporting, and issue tracking to support oversight and continuous improvement.

- Policy and Standards Oversight: Manage the lifecycle of compliance policies, including drafting, review, approval, dissemination, and periodic updates. Ensure policies are harmonized across jurisdictions and reflect current regulatory expectations. Lead policy awareness and training initiatives to foster a strong compliance culture.

- Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a strategic partner to business units, control functions, and senior leadership on governance and oversight matters. Collaborate with internal audit, legal, and risk teams to ensure coordinated compliance efforts. Serve as a key contact for regulatory inquiries and inspections related to governance and oversight.

- Problem Solving and Decision Making: Analyze complex governance challenges and propose structured solutions. Balance regulatory expectations with operational feasibility, anticipate governance risks, and implement mitigation strategies. Resolve cross-functional issues, support process restructuring, outsourcing, and system development while maintaining robust compliance controls. Make decisions within defined governance thresholds and recommend enhancements to compliance frameworks.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Law, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in compliance, governance, or risk management within financial services.
- Demonstrated experience managing compliance governance frameworks and regulatory reporting, preferably with global or regional oversight responsibilities.
- Strong understanding of global regulatory frameworks and governance principles.
- Excellent communication, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strategic mindset with attention to detail and disciplined execution.
- High integrity, sound judgment, and ability to influence senior leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

- Advanced degree or professional certifications such as ICA, CAMS, CRCM, or CCEP.
- Familiarity with governance technology platforms and data analytics tools.

This role operates in a dynamic, multi-jurisdictional regulatory environment requiring coordination across global business lines and control functions. The Senior Manager must manage competing priorities with agility and precision, adhering to the bank’s enterprise risk management and compliance frameworks while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal governance protocols.