Compliance Strategist

Relay; Toronto; On-site; CAD 112,500 - 137,500; Full time

Job summary

Relay is seeking a Compliance Analyst to own and scale our monitoring program across product and operations. You will design testing methodologies, monitor schedules, and report findings to internal teams and our sponsor bank.

You will collaborate with Risk, Product, Engineering, and Operations to embed regulatory requirements into new features, ensuring exams readiness and rapid issue remediation in a fast-moving fintech environment.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of compliance, risk, audit, or related field.
• Experience building or running a compliance monitoring program.
• Able to work with sponsor bank or regulator.
• Proficient in SQL and writing efficient queries.
• Strong communicator translating complex topics clearly.
• Collaborative with cross-functional partners.
• Comfort with ambiguity and building processes from scratch.
• Active use of AI tools in work today.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own Relay's compliance monitoring program, including testing methodologies and reporting frameworks.
• Manage day-to-day relationship with sponsor bank; be primary point of contact on compliance matters, exams, and audits.
• Analyze account/transaction data to identify gaps, risks, and control improvements.
• Execute ongoing compliance testing and document findings for internal stakeholders and sponsor bank.
• Track issues through remediation and validate corrective actions.
• Partner with Risk, Product, Engineering, and Operations to embed compliance into new features and processes.
• Monitor regulatory changes and translate into updates to the monitoring program and controls.
• Iterate on monitoring processes, tools, and documentation to increase efficiency and scalability.

Skills

SQL

Data analysis

Stakeholder comms

Cross-functional work

Problem solving

Job description

Relay is a digital banking platform that gives self-made business owners the tools and know-how to be great with money—bringing clarity, confidence, and control to every dollar earned, so they can turn hard work into lasting success. We do this by replacing financial guesswork with real visibility, transforming cash flow from a constant source of stress into a clear signal owners can use to run stronger, more resilient businesses.

Our mission is to increase the success rate of small businesses. Traditional banking has been a growth limiter rather than a growth enabler for business owners, and we're changing that. Relay is the all-in-one, collaborative money management platform. We're building for employer SMBs and their finance function, internal and external, and are focused on delivering a human-centric customer experience. Ultimately, we help SMBs be 'on the money'.

Relay is scaling rapidly, and we're growing our Compliance team to help safeguard our platform, our customers, and our regulatory standing as we scale. We're looking for a data-driven, detail-oriented problem solver who is excited to build out our compliance monitoring capabilities and strengthen how we partner with our sponsor bank – not just maintain existing processes.

As a Compliance Analyst, you'll own the development and ongoing management of Relay's compliance monitoring program end-to-end, designing the frameworks, testing, and reporting that ensure our products and operations meet regulatory requirements. You'll also be a key point of contact in managing the day-to-day partnership between Relay and our sponsor bank, ensuring alignment on compliance expectations, exam readiness, and issue resolution. Your work directly shapes how Relay identifies, monitors, and remediates compliance risk while maintaining a trusted relationship with our banking partner, meeting the needs of our fast moving business, and ensuring a seamless customer experience.

At Relay, your work has real reach – helping millions of SMBs operate safely and confidently, while protecting the integrity of our banking partnership. If you're passionate about using data and process rigor to solve meaningful problems, building compliance programs from the ground up, and being a trusted partner to both internal teams and external stakeholders, this is the role for you.

What You'll Be Doing

• Compliance Monitoring Program: Develop and own Relay's compliance monitoring program, including designing testing methodologies, monitoring schedules, and reporting frameworks
• Sponsor Bank Partnership: Manage the day-to-day relationship between Relay and our sponsor bank, serving as a primary point of contact on compliance matters, exams, and audits
• Data-Driven Monitoring: Analyze account, transaction, and operational data to identify compliance gaps, emerging risks, and areas for control enhancement
• Testing & Reporting: Execute ongoing compliance testing and reviews, document findings, and produce clear reporting for internal stakeholders and our sponsor bank
• Issue Management: Track identified issues through to remediation, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and validated in a timely manner
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Risk, Product, Engineering, and Operations to embed compliance requirements into new features, products, and processes
• Regulatory Change Management: Monitor changes in applicable regulations and guidance, and translate them into updates to our monitoring program and controls
• Continuous Improvement: Iterate on monitoring processes, tools, and documentation to increase efficiency and scalability as Relay grows
• Stakeholder Communication: Translate compliance findings into clear, actionable recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders, including our sponsor bank

Who You Are

• You have 2+ years of experience in compliance, risk, audit, or a related field, preferably in fintech, banking, or payments
• You have experience building or running a compliance monitoring or testing program, or are eager to build one from the ground up
• You're comfortable working directly with a bank partner or regulator, and understand the importance of a strong, trusted partnership
• You’re proficient in SQL (joins, aggregations, window functions, subqueries) and can write efficient queries with minimal supervision
• You own projects from start to finish, defining the problem, diving into the details, and driving solutions to completion
• You're a strong communicator, translating complex compliance topics into clear, actionable recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders
• You're collaborative and know how to navigate cross-functional work with Risk, Product, Engineering, and Operations
• You thrive in fast-paced environments, tackling ambiguity, building process where none exists, and raising the bar across the team
• You're actively using AI tools in how you work today and you're excited to push what's possible with them

Bonus Points

• You have experience managing a sponsor bank or regulatory partnership directly
• You have worked in a startup or scale-up environment

The Interview Process

• Stage 1: A 45-minute Google Meet video call with a member of the Talent team
• Stage 2: A 45-minute Google Meet video call with the Manager, Risk Strategy
• Stage 3: A take-home case study followed by a 60-minute Google Meet video call with our team
• Stage 4: A 45-minute in-person interview with a member of the Leadership team

Our Compensation Approach

We believe Relayers should feel rewarded for the impact they have on our mission and growth. Compensation follows impact. As impact increases, compensation grows, and we do not limit compensation changes to a once-a-year review cycle.

The annual salary range for this role is $112,500 CAD to $137,500 CAD

For candidates who demonstrate full readiness for the defined scope of the role, the typical starting salary is $125,000 CAD. Offers below this point reflect candidates we believe can grow into the full scope of the role with support and development. Offers above this point reflect impact that meaningfully exceeds the role's defined expectations or an expanded scope from day one.

We encourage you to have a conversation with your recruiter and ask questions about compensation throughout the hiring process. For more information on our compensation philosophy and perks and benefits, visit Candidate Hub.

Why Relay Might Be the Perfect Fit For You

• You push relentlessly for reinvention: You're always asking "how can this be better?" -- in your work, in your craft, in yourself. Comfort is a signal to push harder, not coast. You'd rather build something better than defend something familiar.
• You crave autonomy: We trust our team with big challenges and the freedom to solve them. If you’re someone who takes initiative, is comfortable taking risks, and seeks input when needed, you’ll find the freedom here empowering.
• You own your work: You take pride in your work, follow through on commitments, and feel a deep sense of responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks.
• You build with AI, not just use it: You're actively embedding AI into how you work, pushing what's possible, and bringing your team along with you.
• You care about impact, not noise: You care deeply about the substance of your work. You measure success by results, not recognition, and you let your work speak for itself.
• You’re energized by complexity and ambiguity: You enjoy tackling problems that don’t come with a playbook. You’re comfortable building from scratch, iterating as you go, and collaborating to shape the best path forward.
• You seek out feedback: You see directness as respect, not criticism. You actively seek input, sit with hard truths, and use feedback as fuel for improvement.
• Small businesses are why we’re here: Relay exists to help them thrive -- that mission has to resonate with you.

We welcome diverse backgrounds and people who think critically, challenge the status quo, and want to help small businesses thrive.

If you require accommodations at any stage of the hiring process, please reach out to your Talent Partner.

Disclaimer: For compliance reasons, all offers of employment at Relay are conditional upon a successful background check and employment verification through Certn.