AML Governance Manager-Fintech, Onboarding and KYC

In this role at Citizens, you’re made ready for a fulfilling career with exciting new challenges and opportunities to stretch yourself. As part of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Governance & Advisory team, you will help mitigate money laundering and illicit finance risks, ensuring Citizens’ businesses comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Supporting the Join the Bank team, this role helps deliver seamless, end-to-end onboarding and servicing for new-to-bank customers while enabling responsible growth and maintaining strong risk discipline.

You will partner closely with business and cross-functional teams to design solutions that balance regulatory requirements with a frictionless client experience. This role requires a strategic, collaborative mindset to simplify complexity, solve problems, and embed effective risk management practices that support customer and business outcomes.

You will lead and support key AML and sanctions initiatives, providing enterprise governance and guidance to ensure compliance. As a key contributor, you will oversee program execution, identify emerging risks, and develop standards to strengthen the AML & Sanctions program. Additionally, you will drive innovation focused initiatives to enhance processes and improve overall program effectiveness. Most importantly, you’ll feel valued for who you are and supported to achieve what’s important to you, personally and professionally!

Primary responsibilities include:

• Serve as a strategic partner to business leaders, strengthening AML & Sanctions risk management while enabling a seamless customer experience.
• Act as a trusted advisor, influencing decisions through strong relationships and a solutions-oriented approach.
• Identify opportunities to reduce client friction and streamline processes without compromising controls or regulatory expectations.
• Collaborate across business, product, technology, and operations to deliver innovative solutions to complex AML/Sanctions challenges.
• Balance risk discipline with customer-centric thinking, ensuring controls support both compliance and experience.
• Challenge existing processes to drive continuous improvement, simplification, and modernization.
• Partner with product and tech teams to identify, document, and mitigate risks on new initiatives.
• Translate regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for the business.
• Proactively identify emerging risks and industry trends to keep the organization ahead.
• Drive issue resolution and strengthen controls through practical, sustainable solutions.
• Define and maintain methodologies, frameworks, and compliance standards.
• Interpret regulations (BSA, USA PATRIOT Act, OFAC) and provide guidance to business units and risk teams.
• Conduct risk assessments and compliance reviews; ensure timely issue remediation.
• Support AML & Sanctions policy updates, investigations, and program effectiveness initiatives.
• Partner with technology teams on solutions aligned to regulatory expectations.
• Manage audit and regulatory exams; support governance committees with materials and reporting.

Qualifications, Education, Certifications and/or Other Professional Credentials

• Experience in AML, risk, compliance, or audit within financial services preferred.
• Deep expertise in at least one AML program pillar; strong understanding of enterprise AML program execution.
• Hands-on experience with KYC, onboarding, risk rating, ID&V, and CIP across digital banking and products.
• Knowledge of data, automation, and AI to improve customer and colleague experience.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills; able to address complex, ambiguous challenges with risk-aligned solutions.
• Proven ability to identify inefficiencies and drive process improvement in a risk/compliance environment.
• Comfortable in fast-paced, evolving environments; able to provide clear risk guidance amid change.
• Experience with AML/sanctions risk assessments for new or innovative (including digital asset) products preferred.
• Strong knowledge of internal controls, risk assessments, banking operations, and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent investigative, analytical, research, and critical thinking skills.
• Experience translating evolving regulatory expectations into governance frameworks and controls.
• Consulting, risk technology, analytics, or BI experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and influence senior stakeholders; strong communication and presentation skills.
• Experience in highly regulated environments; sound judgment, decisiveness, and ability to challenge the status quo.
• Strong analytical, mathematical, and business writing skills; proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio).
• Bachelor’s degree required; AML or related certifications preferred (e.g., CAMS, CIA, CRCM, CFE).
• Digital asset certifications (e.g., CCI, Chainalysis/TRM) a plus.

Hours and Work Schedule: (4 days in office, 1 day remote)

Hours per Week: 40

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday

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Pay Transparency

‌The salary range for this position is $107,000-$175,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to, the budget, work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits .

Citizens will not sponsor an applicant for a work visa, such as an H-1B, for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Employer

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Background Check

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.