Chief Compliance Officer

Banco Santander SA; Genf; On-site; CHF 260,000 - 370,000; Full time

Job summary

Banco Santander SA in Switzerland seeks a seasoned Chief Compliance Officer to lead the Compliance function, manage regulatory interactions, and guide governance across cross-border wealth activities. You will set strategy, oversee risk controls, and report to the bank’s management body with a focus on the highest ethical standards.

You bring 15+ years in banking, private wealth or international banking, strong regulatory expertise, and fluency in English.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Law, Business Administration, Economics, Finance or related discipline.
• 15+ years of experience in banking or financial services.
• Proven experience acting as Chief Compliance Officer within private banking, wealth management or international banking institutions.
• Proven experience leading compliance transformation, remediation and regulatory change programs.
• Fluent English (mandatory); French desirable; Spanish/Arabic advantageous.
• Residence in Switzerland or willingness to relocate.

Responsibilities

• Establish and drive the compliance strategy and annual plans across conduct, regulatory compliance and AML/CTF.
• Oversee compliance risk monitoring, reporting, and interaction with regulators and auditors.
• Advise top management on regulatory changes and coordinate corporate responses.
• Promote a strong compliance culture and governance throughout the Bank.
• Lead the Compliance function ensuring alignment with group policies and risk appetite.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Regulatory expertise

Communication

Influence stakeholders

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Law, Business Administration, Economics, Finance

Job description

Chief Compliance Officer Country: Switzerland

Acting as a second line of defense, the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) is responsible for ensuring adherence to applicable laws, regulations, supervisory expectations, internal policies and the highest standards of ethical conduct. The CCO advises and reports to the Bank’s management body, safeguarding the interests of the Bank, the Group, employees, customers, shareholders and communities. The Chief Compliance Officer leads the Compliance function by overseeing compliance, conduct and financial crime risks, ensuring that risk‑taking activities remain within the Bank’s risk appetite and regulatory expectations. The role requires a combination of deep Swiss regulatory expertise, international private banking experience and strong knowledge of cross‑border wealth management activities, including exposure to Latin American, European and Middle Eastern markets and clients.

Duties and Responsibilities

Compliance Strategy: establish the compliance strategy of the Bank and set forth the annual plans for the function, in the following fields considering the group guidelines: i. conduct and customer protection; ii. regulatory compliance; iii. anti‑money laundering and prevention of terrorism financing; iv. reputational risk. Control and oversight: establish the necessary control and oversight mechanisms to integrate compliance risk information – in accordance with the risk appetite of the Bank and with the principles set forth by the Group - through an information consolidation and reporting process. Compliance & Conduct (C&C) corporate principles: manage the process of adopting the C&C corporate principles / policies defined by the Group, and define and manage the implementation of C&C models, policies, guidelines, key processes and control tools as required for the performance of the function within the Bank. Management advice: advise the management body on laws, regulations and standards in general that the Bank must comply with and evaluate the impact of changes in the regulatory environment, setting in motion corporate projects to adapt the Bank to the rules and to regulators’ demands and expectations. Compliance management: promote the development and implementation of a compliance management and control environment at the Bank that allows for periodic assessment of the adequacy of the compliance procedures in place. Identify potential improvements and set up action plans. Main compliance representative: act as the Bank’s main compliance representative and ensure an effective relationship with the Group and other stakeholders, mainly regulators, supervisors and auditors. Provide guidance to the Bank’s top management on their compliance‑related responsibilities and advise other functions within the Bank and, when necessary, work with other organizational units or with the Group in forming and stating an opinion at the entity or Group level. Regulatory affairs: manage relationships with supervisors and ensure compliance‑related requests for information are accommodated appropriately. Advise other functions: Advise other functions within the Bank on compliance‑related matters. Support the necessary coordination with other functions involved in key processes, particularly to ensure that data quality is high and that the systems needed to perform the compliance function are adequate. Strong compliance culture: encourage the emergence of a strong compliance culture at the Bank, providing guidance and facilitating communication and training that ensure the integration of the culture with the day‑to‑day management throughout the organization. Industry trends & best practices: maintain oversight of regulatory developments, industry trends and applicable legal and regulatory requirements, ensuring the adoption of best practices and the continuous enhancement of compliance policies, procedures, controls and monitoring plans.. Compliance plans: oversee and monitor the implementation of existing compliance plans and propose that they are reviewed when required by changes in the entity’s needs or in applicable laws and regulations. Committee Governance and Communication: direct the compliance committee to ensure sufficient oversight, reporting and escalation, participate in other committees if necessary and attend top‑level committee when appropriate.

Profile

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Law, Business Administration, Economics, Finance or a related discipline.
• Professional compliance certifications (ICA, ACAMS, CAS Compliance Management or equivalent) are considered a strong advantage.
• Experience: Minimum 15 years of experience within the banking or financial services industry.
• Proven experience acting as Chief Compliance Officer within private banking, wealth management or international banking institutions.
• Proven experience in team leadership Experience dealing with clients, business activities and regulatory frameworks related to Swiss and Middle Eastern markets Extensive experience managing regulatory interactions and supervisory reviews.
• Demonstrated experience leading compliance transformation, remediation and regulatory change programs.
• Demonstrated experience supporting private banking and wealth management activities involving international clients, family offices and complex structures.
• Strong understanding of cross‑border compliance risks and international wealth management structures.
• Skills: Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, regulators and auditors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high‑performance teams.
• Strong strategic thinking and decision‑making capabilities.
• Ability to operate effectively in a multicultural and international environment.
• Languages Fluent English (mandatory). French is highly desirable. Spanish is considered an advantage. Arabic is considered an asset.
• Others: Residence in Switzerland or open to relocate.

The Santander Way

Santander is evolving from a global, high‑impact brand into a technology‑driven organization, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer‑centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible. This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference. Our mission is to contribute to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and all our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management. Ready to make it happen? It starts with you. It starts here.