Compliance Testing Advisor - Institutional Services and Wealth Management (ISWM) - Hybrid (see potential locations in job description)

Wilmington Trust; Wilmington (DE); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

M&T Bank is seeking a Compliance Testing Advisor to lead testing engagements and mentor the team in a hybrid role. You will interface across the organization to gather process details, perform testing, and communicate findings to senior management.

The role requires a strong background in regulatory compliance, risk assessment, and wealth/institutional services, with coaching experience and superb communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 6 years in compliance, legal, audit, risk, or related fields, or 10 years total experience with no degree.
• Demonstrated coaching and leadership experience.
• Experience in Institutional Services and Wealth Management compliance is preferred.
• Experience building compliance/audit test scripts is highly preferred.
• Ability to read and understand laws and regulations applicable to the subject matter.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and regulatory guidance understanding.
• Strong knowledge of financial services functions.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Interface with all organization layers to obtain process and control information.
• Perform compliance testing per standards and risk-based approach.
• Oversee planning and execution of multiple testing engagements.
• Ensure timely completion and escalate delays as needed.
• Draft and communicate testing findings and control weaknesses to management.
• Lead team discussions and challenge judgments constructively.
• Review test findings with management to confirm issue validity and tiering.
• Coordinate with business units to align requirements.
• Possibly perform system administration tasks in Archer.
• Provide feedback, coaching, and mentoring to team members.
• Build relationships with Internal Audit and Compliance portfolio managers.
• Encourage integrated testing with data and systems teams.
• Act as a knowledge resource for staff.
• Maintain knowledge of regulatory requirements for testing.
• Document test scripts across levels and participate in projects.
• Multitask and meet deadlines while adhering to risk standards.
• Escalate risk-related findings to management when needed.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Testing

Coaching

Communication

Teamwork

Risk assessment

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's Degree in related field

MBA or master's degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

• Work Location/Arrangement: This is a hybrid position requiring in-office work four days every week, with on remote work day/week possible. The position will be based at an M&T Bank corporate office in Buffalo, NY, Wilmington, DE, Iselin, NJ, or possibly NY, NY.

• Work Location/Arrangement: This is a hybrid position requiring in-office work four days every week, with on remote work day/week possible. The position will be based at an M&T Bank corporate office in Buffalo, NY, Wilmington, DE, Iselin, NJ, or possibly NY, NY.

Overview

The Compliance Testing Advisor is responsible for the managing, leading, and execution of compliance testing engagements utilizing a risk-based approach in line with department standards to ensure the Bank’s compliance with applicable laws, rules & regulations. The Compliance Testing Advisor is also responsible for the oversight and coaching of team members to deliver a quality product in line with department standards. This role supports continued enhancements to testing methodology, ongoing stakeholder engagement, and overall promotion of the Compliance Testing Group within the organization.

Position Responsibilities

• Interface with all layers of the organization independently to obtain information related to processes and controls.
• Perform compliance testing in accordance with department and professional standards.
• Oversee planning and execution of testing, including multiple simultaneous testing engagements across a defined testing portfolio.
• Ensure testing engagements are completed within established timeframes, and/or provide early escalation of anticipated delays to senior management.
• Draft and communicate substantive testing findings and control execution weaknesses to all levels of compliance and business unit management under the direction of a manager.
• Lead collaborative testing team discussions with all levels of management where judgment and opinions are effectively challenged.
• Review test findings with testing management and other compliance officers to confirm validity of issues; make recommendations to Senior Compliance Testing Manager regarding the appropriate tier rating of identified issues.
• Work with business units and compliance groups to ensure consistent understanding of requirements.
• Responsibilities may also include system administrative duties such as maintenance, validation, and/or updating in the compliance data management system (Archer).
• Review work papers of all team members and provide related feedback, coaching, and mentoring.
• Build a working relationship with mid-level Internal Audit, Business Units, and Corporate Compliance Portfolio Managers.
• Encourage integrated testing approaches with the data & systems team and make suggestions on testing approaches to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of testing procedures.
• Serve as knowledge resource for all staff.
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of regulatory requirements to ensure an appropriate level of testing.
• Provide feedback to team members regarding assessments of business unit process and controls and respective risk focused input on effectiveness and efficiency of testing approach.
• Independently document and assess all levels of test scripts.
• Participate in special projects and department wide initiatives, as necessary.
• Multitask assignments and meet established deadlines.
• Understand and adhere to the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies, and controls in accordance with the Company’s Risk Appetite. Identify risk-related findings needing escalation to a Manager.
• Promote an environment that supports diversity and reflects the M&T Bank brand.
• Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable.
• Complete other related duties as assigned.

Nature And Scope

The position works under the direction of the Compliance Testing Manager and is required to exercise independent judgment and discretion utilizing a risk-based approach. The position collaborates extensively with (a) Corporate Compliance subject matter deputies (PCMs) to gain an appropriate understanding of applicable regulatory requirements, (b) business unit staff and PCMs to understand workflows and processes, and (c) Internal Audit as a resource for review and coordination of testing plans and methods. The position will interact with external contacts including Bank Supervisors/Examiners and peers at other institutions. Assist in oversight of Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Institutional broker dealer testing for state, federal, domestic, and possibly international regulator relationships and examinations including the Federal Reserve, OCC, SEC, DOL, FINRA, CFPB, State of New York, and/or the State of Delaware, as applicable.

Education/Experience Required

• Bachelor's Degree in related field PLUS 6 years’ experience in compliance, legal, audit, risk, or other relevant function, OR in lieu of degree, a combined minimum of 10 years higher education and/or work experience, including 6 years in compliance, legal, audit, risk or other relevant function
• Demonstrated coaching/leadership experience.
• Institutional Services and Wealth Management experience, especially compliance related to this area, is highly preferred.
• Experience building compliance/audit test scripts is highly preferred.
• Ability to read and understand laws, regulations, and common law applicable to subject matter.
• Ability to exercise judgment and sound discretion and understand when Corporate Compliance Management guidance is needed.
• Strong, comprehensive understanding of financial services functions.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, having the ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing to mid-level management.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Possess regulatory subject matter expertise related to aspects of the portfolio.
• Strong proficiency with spreadsheet, presentation, and word processing software.

Education/Experience Preferred

• Related certifications (CPA, CIA, CISA, CAMS, CRCM or similar certifications).
• MBA or master’s degree in an appropriate field.

M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $89,600.00 - $149,300.00 Annual (USD). The successful candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation.

Location

Buffalo, New York, United States of America