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MotiveLead Compliance Manager
Motive is hiring a Lead Compliance Manager for its Financial Products team, which runs a lending and spend-management offering known as Motive Card. The program works…
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About This Role
Motive is hiring a Lead Compliance Manager for its Financial Products team, which runs a lending and spend-management offering known as Motive Card. The program works through issuing banks and card networks across the United States and Canada, with further international growth planned. The role is on-site in the United States and reports up to the Head of Risk for Financial Products. The person hired will set up and own…
Job Description
Motive is hiring a Lead Compliance Manager for its Financial Products team, which runs a lending and spend-management offering known as Motive Card. The program works through issuing banks and card networks across the United States and Canada, with further international growth planned. The role is on-site in the United States and reports up to the Head of Risk for Financial Products.
The person hired will set up and own the compliance function from start to finish, beginning with policy design and continuing through daily execution. This is the most senior dedicated post covering KYC/KYB, AML/BSA, sanctions, and lending compliance, areas currently spread across Product, Legal, Risk Operations, and Engineering. The manager keeps policies current in every market where Motive operates and turns regulatory obligations into policies and controls that run in practice.
The manager is also the main compliance contact for partner banks and card networks, handling reviews, examinations, audits, and remediation commitments. Sanctions and PEP screening, transaction review, and escalation of suspicious activity all fall under this role. The manager works with Legal, Risk, Underwriting, Product, and Engineering colleagues so that lending compliance is built into new products before launch, and defines what compliance should look like before entry into any new country.
Candidates need eight or more years of compliance, audit, or risk work across lending, payments, or financial services, with personal accountability for PEP, KYC/KYB, AML/BSA, and sanctions programs. Compliance experience across multiple jurisdictions that includes Canada and the UK or EU is required, and international work in Latin American countries such as Mexico is a strong plus. Posted pay is $163,000 to $225,000 USD in San Francisco, and $142,000 to $195,000 USD in the New York City and Seattle areas and other US locations.
Responsibilities
- Keep KYC/KYB, AML/BSA, and sanctions policies current for every market where Motive operates
- Build and run controls for PEP and sanctions screening, along with transaction review and suspicious-activity escalation
- Act as the main compliance contact for partner banks and card networks, covering exams, audits, and remediation
- Work with Legal, Risk, Underwriting, Product, and Engineering colleagues to build lending compliance into products and new markets before launch
- Lead internal and third-party audits and exams, closing findings with audit-ready documentation
- Track regulatory changes in each market and update policies and controls accordingly
- Build the program's governance, including reporting lines, escalation paths, and risk committees
- Recruit and manage team members as the compliance function expands
Requirements
- Eight or more years of compliance, audit, or risk work across lending, payments, or financial services
- Personal accountability for KYC/KYB, AML/BSA, sanctions, and PEP programs
- Practical history running partner relationships with banks that issue cards, card networks, or other regulated firms, covering audits and remediation
- Multi-jurisdiction compliance experience that covers Canada and the UK or EU
- Working knowledge of rules covering commercial lending, AML and sanctions, and payments in North America and Europe: BSA, FinCEN, FINTRAC and PCMLTFA, OFAC, plus UK and EU AML and privacy regimes
- A record of writing policy and then building controls that hold up under audit
- Track record of launching compliant products in new markets alongside Legal, Risk, Product, and Engineering teams
- Clear communication with regulators, auditors, bank partners, and senior leaders
Qualifications
- International work in Latin American countries such as Mexico (a strong plus)
Core Skills
Benefits
- Health, pharmacy, optical, and dental coverage
- Paid time off and sick time
- Disability coverage, both short-term and long-term
- Life insurance
- 401(k) contribution
- Restricted stock units may form part of pay for certain roles
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
Where is this job based?
The posting lists the United States and describes the role as on-site. It reports up to the Head of Risk for Financial Products.
What experience is required?
At least eight years of compliance, audit, or risk experience in lending or payments, plus ownership of KYC/KYB, PEP, sanctions, and AML/BSA programs.
What is the pay range?
The posting lists $163,000 to $225,000 USD in San Francisco, and $142,000 to $195,000 USD in the New York City and Seattle areas and other US locations.
Is Canada or European experience needed?
Yes. The posting requires multi-jurisdiction compliance experience that includes Canada and the UK or EU.
Sample Interview Questions
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