Senior Manager, Client Risk Management (AML/KYC)-(Hybrid)

Central 1; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Generous vacation allotment

Flexible benefits including family, 6%

Educational assistance

Learning platform access

Wellness program

Volunteer day

Job summary

Central 1 is seeking a Senior Manager to lead AML/KYC client risk management across Payments clients. You will oversee onboarding, due diligence, risk assessments, and ongoing monitoring while ensuring regulatory compliance and strong governance.

The role demands a strategic leader with excellent judgment, capable of navigating sensitive matters and driving continuous improvement in AML services and risk management practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of AML/ATF compliance experience within financial services, payments, banking, or related industries.
• Strong expertise in CDD, EDD, KYC lifecycle management and ongoing monitoring programs.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive information with sound judgment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead onboarding due diligence for new clients, including high-risk assessments for PSPs, MSBs, and elevated-risk relationships.
• Oversee KYC assessments to meet regulatory requirements and risk appetite.
• Review and challenge customer risk classifications and ownership structures.
• Develop risk assessment methodologies supporting onboarding and customer acceptance decisions.
• Provide guidance on customer acceptance and onboarding readiness.

Skills

AML/ATF compliance

CDD/EDD/KYC lifecycle

Regulatory guidance

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

University degree in business, law, criminology, risk management

Job description

What we offer:

• Work-life flexibility
• Hybrid work environment
• Variable annual incentive plan
• Generous annual vacation allotment
• Top-notch flexible benefits plan including family building and gender affirmation
• Retirement Plan, matched contributions at 6%
• Access to a learning platform and educational assistance support
• Access to a virtual wellness platform
• Wellness Flex Fund to support personal interest and activities
• Day off to volunteer in your community and other paid time off options

*subject to employment agreement

Job Summary:

The Senior Manager, AML/KYC Client Risk Management leads Central 1's AML client lifecycle program for Payments clients, overseeing client onboarding, due diligence, risk assessments, ongoing monitoring, and governance activities.

As a key AML/ATF subject matter expert, this role helps ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while identifying and mitigating financial crime, sanctions, and reputational risks.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity to shape AML/KYC practices, influence key decisions, and strengthen risk management across the organization. Success in this role requires strong leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive matters with confidence and discretion.

What you'll be doing:

AML/KYC Client Onboarding and Risk Assessment

• Lead the onboarding due diligence process for new Central 1 clients, including enhanced due diligence risk assessments for high-risk clients, high-risk industries, payment service providers (PSP’s), money services businesses (MSBs), and other elevated-risk relationships.
• Oversee the completion of client KYC assessments to ensure regulatory requirements and risk appetite standards are met.
• Review and challenge customer risk classifications, ownership structures, business activities, source of funds, anticipated activity, and other AML risk factors.
• Develop and maintain risk assessment methodologies supporting client onboarding and customer acceptance decisions.
• Provide recommendations regarding customer acceptance, enhanced due diligence requirements, and onboarding readiness.

Early Life Monitoring & Ongoing Client Monitoring Oversight

• Establish and oversee early life monitoring programs for newly onboarded clients.
• Monitor transactional activity during the post-onboarding period to validate expected behaviour and identify emerging risks.
• Review monitoring outcomes and recommend risk mitigation strategies where onboarding assumptions or expected customer activity materially differ from observed behaviour.
• Oversee ongoing client monitoring programs designed to identify changes in risk profiles and business activities.
• Ensure periodic refreshes of KYC information are completed based on regulatory and risk-based requirements.
• Assess changes in ownership, control, products, services, transaction activity, and geographic exposure that may impact risk ratings.

Client (Internal and External) Engagement and Support

• Provide CAMLO advice and support for Central 1 external credit union clients, including oversight and guidance on anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorist financing (ATF) compliance requirements; support for transaction monitoring, investigations, and suspicious transaction reporting; provision of regulatory and risk management expertise; and ongoing consultation to assist Central 1 external credit union clients in maintaining effective AML compliance programs and meeting regulatory expectations.
• Provide ongoing support to Central 1 Payment clients by participating in client meetings, responding to inquiries, delivering subject matter expertise, and collaborating with stakeholders to support the effective implementation and operation of AML compliance and transaction monitoring programs for Central 1 Payment clients.

Request for Information (RFI) Management

• Lead the governance and oversight of RFI processes across Payment clients.
• Ensure information requests support investigative requirements and regulatory obligations.
• Monitor aging, response quality, and completion rates of RFIs.
• Escalate unresolved or overdue requests and recommend appropriate risk mitigation actions.
• Develop reporting and metrics to assess the effectiveness of RFI programs.

Monthly Client Risk Reporting and Assessment

• Oversee the monthly AML risk reports received from Central 1 Payment clients.
• Provide meaningful analysis and recommendations regarding client risk exposures and operational effectiveness.
• Present findings and recommendations to management, and governance committees.
• Ensure reporting accurately reflects client risk trends, control effectiveness, significant investigations, and regulatory concerns.

Customer De-Risking and Relationship Management

• Lead the assessment and management of customer relationships that exceed Central 1 risk appetite.
• Develop evidence-based recommendations supporting customer retention, remediation, restriction, or de-risking decisions.
• Coordinate customer exit strategies and monitoring activities in collaboration with clients and stakeholders.
• Ensure de-risking decisions are appropriately documented, supported, and governed.
• Lead AML governance forum related to customer de-risking activities. Develop agendas, meeting materials, recommendations, and meeting minutes.

Leadership and Continuous Improvement

• Promote a culture of compliance, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive process improvements, automation opportunities, and operational efficiencies within AML client lifecycle management activities.
• Support strategic initiatives related to AML Services growth, client onboarding, risk management, and service delivery.
• Participate in regulatory examinations, audits, independent reviews, and remediation initiatives.

What you'll have:

• Minimum 10 years of AML/ATF compliance experience within financial services, payments, credit unions, banking, or related industries.
• Extensive experience in Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), KYC lifecycle management, and ongoing monitoring programs, including the identification, assessment, and management of AML/ATF risks associated with higher-risk customer segments such as Money Services Businesses (MSBs), Payment Service Providers (PSPs), gaming and gambling operators, fintechs, and other emerging financial service providers
• Strong understanding of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), FINTRAC guidance, and AML industry best practices
• High degree of judgment, leadership, and discretion in managing sensitive and confidential information.
• Demonstrated experience conducting or overseeing onboarding risk assessments, customer risk reviews, and ongoing monitoring programs.
• Experience managing customer de-risking decisions and governance processes.
• Proven ability to prepare and present risk assessments, committee materials, and executive-level reporting.
• Strong analytical, investigative, and risk assessment skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and relationship-building capabilities.
• CAMS, CFCS, or equivalent AML designation preferred.
• University degree in business, law, criminology, risk management, or a related field preferred or equivalent experience.

Salary range: $115,000-$130,000 plus variable incentive 14%-21%

The salary represents the job rate determined for the successful candidate who is fully competent in the role. The actual salary will vary depending on market conditions and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training.

Central 1 does not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to screen, assess, or select applicants during our recruitment process. This job posting is for an existing, specific vacancy within our organization. All applications will be considered exclusively for the position described in this posting.

Central 1 is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building an inclusive workforce by creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to be successful. We welcome all applicants to join our diverse workforce and we will provide an accessible candidate experience including, but not limited to accommodations to interview sites and alternate formats upon request to our Recruitment team.