Associate Director

Role overview

Operations and transaction monitoring

• Develop strategies for client objectives, operational growth, scalability, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee transaction monitoring and investigations against accuracy, consistency, and SLA/TAT commitments.
• Maintain standards for risk assessment, alert disposition, escalation, case documentation, and regulatory requirements.
• Govern high-risk investigations, complex escalations, and suspicious-activity recommendations.

Client and delivery governance

• Act as primary leadership contact for client stakeholders and executive sponsors; lead governance, business reviews, and strategic planning.
• Own quality, productivity, utilization, accuracy, SLA/TAT, backlog, and customer-experience performance.
• Use operational analytics to identify performance trends and develop corrective action plans.
• Ensure compliance with client policies, AML regulations, internal controls, audit requirements, and compliance frameworks.

People and transformation

• Lead managers, supervisors, team leads, quality leaders, and support functions across multiple teams.
• Develop future leaders through coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and structured development.
• Partner with HR and Talent Acquisition on hiring, workforce planning, retention, and leadership development.
• Drive process optimization, automation, Lean, Six Sigma, transitions, migrations, implementations, and business expansion.

Required experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or relevant master’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years in AML, financial crime, compliance operations, risk operations, or transaction monitoring.
• At least 5 years leading large-scale operations in a senior leadership capacity.
• Experience managing multiple functions and large teams, client relationships, operational governance, and performance improvement.
• Experience with global stakeholders, transitions, scaling operations, organizational change, and business growth.

Skills and competencies

• Strong leadership, organizational management, client management, communication, presentation, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Deep understanding of AML, transaction monitoring, financial-crime investigations, and compliance operations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability, business acumen, and data-driven leadership.
• Ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced, regulated environment and work across global delivery models.

Added advantages and certifications

• Experience with crypto exchanges, digital assets, fintech, payments, VASPs, blockchain risk, or investigation tools is an added advantage.
• Experience with SAR recommendations, EDD, high-risk reviews, regulatory reporting, or global regulatory frameworks is an added advantage.
• Preferred certifications include CAMS, CFE, ICA Advanced AML, CGSS, and crypto compliance or blockchain investigation credentials; Lean Six Sigma certification is an added advantage.

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