Financial Compliance Manager

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Virginia; On-site; USD 101,000 - 116,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of VA Careers seeks a Financial Compliance Manager to oversee regulatory compliance in Virginia’s cannabis sector. You will interpret complex rules, conduct financial audits, and advise internal teams and licensees on obligations, with a focus on risk assessment and investigative rigor.

The role emphasizes coordination with enforcement, legal, and licensing partners, maintaining thorough documentation, and ensuring ethical, confidential handling of financial information throughout

Qualifications

• Principles of accounting, auditing, and financial analysis.
• Regulatory frameworks governing the cannabis industry.
• Anti-money laundering (AML) concepts and financial risk indicators.
• Business operations, financial reporting systems, and internal controls.
• Strong analytical, investigative, and critical thinking skills.
• Advanced proficiency with financial software, spreadsheets, and data analysis tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizing, documenting, and managing multiple investigations.
• Interpret complex financial data and identify inconsistencies.
• Apply laws, regulations, and policies to real-world financial scenarios.

Responsibilities

• Applies state cannabis financial regulations and compliance standards.
• Interprets statutes, administrative rules, policies, and reporting requirements.
• Advises internal teams and licensees on regulatory expectations and compliance obligations.
• Conducts financial audits, risk assessments, and transactional reviews.
• Identifies financial irregularities, fraud indicators, or money laundering risks.
• Evaluates financial controls, reporting systems, and documentation for compliance accuracy.
• Investigates financial compliance cases including on-site audits and record reviews.
• Coordinates with enforcement, legal, licensing, and external partners to gather information.
• Maintains investigative files, timelines, and case documentation.
• Ensures investigations follow legal standards and agency procedures.

Skills

Analytical skills

Investigative skills

Regulatory knowledge

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Judgment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Title: Financial Compliance Manager

State Role Title:Salary Non-Specified

Hiring Range: $100,937 - $116,077

Pay Band: UG

Agency: VA Cannabis Control Authority

Location:VA Cannabis Control Authority

Agency Website:cca.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Regulatory Compliance & Interpretation

• Applies state cannabis financial regulations and compliance standards.
• Interprets statutes, administrative rules, policies, and reporting requirements.
• Advises internal teams and licensees on regulatory expectations and compliance obligations.

Financial Analysis & Investigations

• Conducts thorough financial audits, risk assessments, and transactional reviews.
• Identifies financial irregularities, fraud indicators, or money laundering risks.
• Evaluates financial controls, reporting systems, and documentation for compliance accuracy.

Investigating

• Conducts comprehensive financial compliance investigations of cannabis licensee establishments, including on site audits, document reviews, interviews, and detailed analysis of financial systems and processes.
• Examines accounting records, bank statements, tax filings, point of sale data, seed to sale system records, and internal controls to identify irregularities or compliance gaps.
• Utilizes investigative techniques to detect potential fraud, money laundering, diversion, underreporting, or other financial misconduct.
• Coordinates with enforcement, legal, licensing, and external regulatory partners to gather information and support cross agency investigations.
• Maintains accurate investigative files, evidence logs, timelines, and case documentation to support administrative or legal actions.
• Ensures all investigative activities follow legal standards, agency procedures, and ethical guidelines.

Problem Solving

• Evaluates complex or ambiguous financial scenarios and identifies the root causes of compliance concerns or discrepancies.
• Uses critical thinking and analytical methodologies to detect patterns, identify risks, and develop practical solutions that ensure regulatory compliance.
• Anticipates potential financial risks or emerging patterns of noncompliance within the cannabis industry and proposes proactive mitigation strategies.
• Makes sound, timely decisions using investigative evidence and professional judgment, even when information is incomplete.
• Designs corrective action recommendations that balance regulatory requirements, agency priorities, and operational realities of licensees.

Reporting

• Produces detailed, accurate, and well supported investigative reports that clearly outline findings, evidence, regulatory implications, and recommended actions.
• Translates complex financial data into clear, understandable summaries for internal leadership, legal teams, enforcement partners, and decision makers.
• Maintains thorough documentation that meets audit, legal, and regulatory standards.
• Present investigative findings in meetings, hearings, or internal briefings with clarity and professionalism.
• Ensures all reports are objective, consistent, evidence based, and aligned with agency policies.

Communication & Collaboration

• Communicates clearly with licensing, enforcement, legal, and partner agencies.
• Engages constructively with cannabis licensees to explain findings, compliance expectations, and remediation steps.
• Supports training and educational initiatives related to financial compliance.

Confidentiality & Ethics

• Handles sensitive financial and business information responsibly.
• Demonstrates impartiality, integrity, and high ethical standards in all investigations and interactions.

Other duties as assigned

• Follow workplace safety regulations and adhere to applicable standards, processes, and programs established for your position.
• Report unsafe work conditions to your supervisor.
• Immediately report work-related incidents to your supervisor and participate in accident investigation requests.

Minimum Qualifications

• Principles of accounting, auditing, and financial analysis.
• Regulatory frameworks governing the cannabis industry.
• Anti money laundering (AML) concepts and financial risk indicators.
• Business operations, financial reporting systems, and internal control structures.
• Strong analytical, investigative, and critical thinking skills.
• Advanced proficiency with financial software, spreadsheets, and data analysis tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Skilled in organizing, documenting, and managing multiple investigations.
• Interpret complex financial data and identify inconsistencies.
• Apply laws, regulations, and policies to real world financial scenarios.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and work with high levels of precision and detail.
• Work independently and collaboratively in a regulatory environment.
• Exercise sound judgment in recommending compliance actions.

Recommended Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, auditing, business administration, economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in financial auditing, compliance investigations, accounting, regulatory enforcement, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience analyzing financial statements, ledgers, transactional activity, or audit documentation.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in accounting, business, public administration, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as CPA, CFE, CIA, CAMS, or similar credentials.
• Experience in regulated industries (e.g., banking, gaming, pharmaceuticals, cannabis, or government).
• Experience conducting forensic financial investigations or risk assessments.
• Familiarity with state cannabis laws, seed to sale tracking systems, or financial monitoring tools.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call [phone] for assistance.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.