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 robust compliance frameworks, managing risks effectively, and ensuring transparent reporting across the bank’s global operations. The position drives compliance governance standards, oversees regulatory and internal reporting, and aligns compliance activities with the bank’s strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

- Oversee and maintain a comprehensive compliance governance framework that supports effective risk management and regulatory adherence, ensuring alignment with global best practices and local regulatory requirements. Regularly review and enhance governance models to adapt to regulatory changes and business strategies.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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 discussions to align compliance priorities.

- Lead quality control reviews within Sanctions and FI Compliance to ensure regulatory compliance and adherence to internal standards. Conduct quality control testing of investigations, screening decisions, advisory opinions, and FI compliance reviews. Identify control gaps and drive remediation efforts while maintaining quality metrics and governance reporting.

- 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.

- 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 coordinate compliance efforts. Serve as a key contact for regulatory inquiries and inspections related to governance and oversight.

- Operate effectively within a dynamic, multi-jurisdictional regulatory environment, coordinating across global business lines and control functions. Manage competing priorities and regulatory expectations with agility, adhering to the bank’s enterprise risk management and compliance frameworks, escalation procedures, and decision-making hierarchies.

- Analyze complex governance and oversight challenges, proposing structured solutions while balancing regulatory expectations with operational feasibility. Anticipate governance risks and implement mitigation strategies proactively. Resolve cross-functional issues, support process restructuring, outsourcing, and system development, maintaining robust compliance controls and acting as a risk steward.

- Make informed decisions on governance and oversight matters within defined thresholds. Recommend enhancements to compliance frameworks and escalate significant issues. Contribute to strategic decisions impacting compliance governance and risk posture.

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 strong attention to detail and execution discipline.

- High integrity, sound judgment, and the 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 offers the opportunity to lead critical compliance governance functions within a global banking environment, contributing to the bank’s risk management and regulatory adherence while working closely with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.