Head of AML Monitoring & Testing
San Francisco Bay Area (Hybrid)

About the Company
We are partnered with a leading global fintech that is entering the US market for the first time. With a massive international presence and deep expertise in digital payments, remittances, and financial services, the firm is now building its US operations to align with regulatory expectations while maintaining the speed and innovation that have made it a global leader.

About the Role
The company is seeking a Head of AML Testing & Monitoring to establish and lead its independent testing and monitoring function for financial crime compliance. This individual will be responsible for designing and executing a framework to assess the effectiveness of controls across AML, Sanctions, KYC, Transaction Monitoring, and other financial crime domains.

This is a global-facing role that will collaborate with stakeholders across the US, APAC, and EMEA. Initially, it will be an individual contributor position, with the opportunity to scale as the U.S. business expands. The successful candidate must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area and willing to work in a hybrid capacity. Payments industry experience is a non-negotiable requirement.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and oversee the company’s independent testing and monitoring program for financial crime compliance.
• Design and execute monitoring plans to evaluate the effectiveness of AML, Sanctions, KYC, and Transaction Monitoring controls.
• Establish QA processes to ensure consistent standards across global AML operations.
• Conduct control effectiveness reviews and provide recommendations for enhancements.
• Partner with global compliance, audit, and risk stakeholders to ensure alignment with international standards and U.S. regulatory requirements.
• Prepare testing results and metrics for senior leadership, governance committees, and regulators.
• Support remediation efforts by identifying gaps, validating corrective actions, and ensuring timely issue closure.
• Develop testing methodologies, documentation, and reporting templates to standardize review processes.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on best practices in testing and monitoring.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of AML, BSA/Financial Crimes, or Compliance experience within the payments industry (required).
• Strong background in testing, monitoring, audit, or quality assurance within financial crime compliance programs.
• Hands-on experience assessing control design and effectiveness across multiple AML domains (KYC, TM, Sanctions).
• Ability to build and operationalize independent testing and QA frameworks from the ground up.
• Experience working in global organizations with cross-border compliance programs.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to synthesize testing results for both technical and executive audiences.
• Comfortable starting as an individual contributor, with the ability to later build and lead a team.
• Must be located in the San Francisco Bay Area and able to work in a hybrid office model.