Director, Sanctions Program Owner and Advisor

United States Digital Space LLC; United States; On-site; USD 170,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a Principal Advisor to lead the Global Sanctions Compliance function, guiding OFAC and international regimes while aligning with business goals in a fast-moving digital assets environment. You will partner with Compliance, Product, and Engineering, oversee risk assessments, develop policies, and support regulatory exams and audits.

The role requires senior government and financial institution experience, strong leadership, and the ability to navigate

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years in a senior policy, enforcement, licensing, or compliance role directly within OFAC.
• 10-15+ years of experience in sanctions, with crypto and global sanctions compliance.
• Comprehensive understanding of BaaS products including payment processing and traditional banking services.
• Ability to lead development of sanctions policies, risk appetites, and governance structures.
• Provide advisory support on high‑risk transactions, strategic market expansions, and sanctions regimes.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with all levels of an organization across lines of business.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills.
• Excellent knowledge of sanctions compliance across international jurisdictions.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multitask, adapt to changing priorities, and work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Be accountable as the Sanctions Program Leader.
• Advise Compliance, product managers, engineers, and business units on sanctions matters.
• Engage AML leadership to identify changes impacting sanctions processes and provide guidance.
• Support annual sanctions risk assessments and implement effective controls.
• Provide proactive guidance to detect and reduce sanctions exposure.
• Develop and review sanctions policies and controls across the product lifecycle.
• Partner with compliance, business, and engineering teams to address sanctions issues.
• Stay informed of sanctions regulations, trends, and best practices.
• Recommend product updates and processes to strengthen compliance.
• Assist in regulatory exams, internal audits, and third-party risk reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Communication

Job description

Employee Applicant Privacy Notice Who we are:

Shape a brighter financial future with us.

Together with our members, we’re changing the way people think about and interact with personal finance.

We’re a next-generation financial services company and national bank using innovative, mobile-first technology to help our millions of members reach their goals. The industry is going through an unprecedented transformation, and we’re at the forefront. We’re proud to come to work every day knowing that what we do has a direct impact on people’s lives, with our core values guiding us every step of the way. Join us to invest in yourself, your career, and the financial world.

The role:

As the company continues its expansion into digital assets and cutting-edge financial technology, you will play a critical role in ensuring our sanctions compliance program keeps pace. You will oversee the strategy, establishment, and ongoing direction of our Enterprise Sanctions Program. You will support the business in identifying, mitigating, and managing risks related to global sanctions (OFAC, UN, MX, HK, EU, UK), while ensuring the enterprise meets evolving regulatory expectations. We are seeking a Principal Advisor to develop, refine, and lead the Global Sanctions Compliance function across all lines of business, jurisdictions, and operational units. The ideal candidate brings senior-level experience in a government agency, combined with leadership experience at a Tier-1 global financial institution.

What you’ll do:

Be accountable as the Sanctions Program Leader.

Act as Sanctions subject matter expert for the the company Enterprise, advising Compliance, product managers, engineers, and the company’s business units.

Continuously engage with leaders in the AML department and across the company’s cross-functional leadership within the three lines of defense to identify changes impacting Sanctions-related processes and prepare guidance as applicable.

Support the AML Governance team with the annual Sanctions risk assessment and identify strategies to implement effective controls to mitigate identified risks.

Provide proactive guidance to detect and reduce sanctions exposure.

Support with the development and review of Sanctions policies, procedures, and controls for the the company Enterprise, ensuring that they align with both regulatory requirements and business objectives. Ensure policies and procedures are properly implemented throughout the product lifecycle.

Partner closely with compliance, business, and engineering teams to identify, assess, and advise on Sanctions issues and controls.

Stay informed of the latest developments in Sanctions regulations, industry trends, and best practices.

Recommend product updates, policies, and processes to strengthen compliance and reduce sanctions risk.

Assist in regulatory exams, internal audits, and third-party risk management reviews and respond to requests from regulatory agencies.

What you’ll need:

• Minimum 5+ years in a senior policy, enforcement, licensing, or compliance role directly within the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
• 10-15+ years of experience in sanctions, with experience in crypto and global sanctions compliance.
• Comprehensive understanding of BaaS products including payment processing, card issuance, credit and lending, and other traditional banking services.
• Ability to lead the development and continuous enhancement of core sanctions policies, risk appetites, and governance structures to reflect evolving legal, geopolitical, and regulatory landscapes.
• Provide direct advisory support to the Compliance and Risk Leadership team on high-risk transactions, strategic market expansions, mergers, and emerging international sanctions regimes.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization and across different business lines.
• Demonstrated strong leadership and management skills that build solid working relationships within the organization.
• Excellent working knowledge of Sanctions Compliance within various international jurisdictions
• Excellent organizational, verbal, written and interpersonal skills are required.
• Must be able to multitask, adapt well to changing priorities, and effectively prioritize responsibilities to meet critical deadlines.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, demanding, and changing environment; must work well under pressure.
• Excellent analytical skills required.Ability to work collaboratively and independently while managing projects and assignments.

Nice to have:

• Multilingual

Compensation and Benefits

The base pay range for this role is listed below. Final base pay offer will be determined based on individual factors such as the candidate’s experience, skills, and location.

To view all of our comprehensiveand competitivebenefits, visit ourBenefits at the companypage!

the company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, breastfeeding, and conditions related to breastfeeding), gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age (40 or over), physical or