Head of Compliance Data Product & Governance

Unchain Data; United States; Hybrid; USD 253,000 - 297,000; Full time

Job summary

Coinbase is seeking a Compliance Product Data Lead to join our Compliance Product, Strategic Programs, and Data organization. In this critical leadership role, you will serve as a “player-coach,” leading a high-performing team of data product specialists while acting as the primary architect for our Compliance data ecosystem.

You will sit at the intersection of Engineering, Product, and Compliance, ensuring data is “fit for purpose.” You will mentor your team to build data contracts, governance,

Qualifications

• 5+ years leading technical data product teams in regulated financial services or FinTech.
• 10+ years in Data Product Management, Data Engineering or Technical PM with AML/KYC/Transactions monitoring SME knowledge.
• Ability to lead deep-dive discussions on ETL pipelines, SQL, and data modeling with engineering partners.
• Experience mapping complex data flows to meet regulatory standards (e.g., BCBS 239).

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of Data Product Managers/Analysts.
• Own the Compliance data product suite (Customer Risk Scoring, Transaction Monitoring, AML, Screening, Sanctions).
• Architect the end-to-end Compliance data risk framework (Data Quality, Usage Risk, Lineage Risk).
• Define formal data contracts between Producers and Consumers.
• Oversee data lineage from generation to regulatory reporting.
• Bridge Compliance SMEs with Engineering leadership to secure data integrity.

Skills

Leadership

Data product management

Technical design literacy

Data lineage

Stakeholder management

Risk-based thinking

Tools

ETL pipelines

SQL

Data modeling

Job description

About Us

At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world. It's a massive, ambitious opportunity that demands the best of us, every day, as we build the emerging onchain platform — and with it, the future global financial system.

To achieve our mission, we're seeking a very specific candidate. We want someone who is passionate about our mission and who believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology to update the financial system. We want someone who is eager to leave their mark on the world, who relishes the pressure and privilege of working with high caliber colleagues, and who actively seeks feedback to keep leveling up. We want someone who will run towards, not away from, solving the company's hardest problems.

Our work culture is intense and isn't for everyone. But if you want to build the future alongside others who excel in their disciplines and expect the same from you, there's no better place to be.

While many roles at Coinbase are remote-first, we are not remote-only. In-person participation is required throughout the year. Team and company-wide offsites are held multiple times annually to foster collaboration, connection, and alignment. Attendance is expected and fully supported.

The Role

We are looking for a Compliance Product Data Lead to join our Compliance Product, Strategic Programs, and Data organization. In this critical leadership role, you will serve as a "player-coach," leading a high-performing team of data product specialists while acting as the primary architect for our Compliance data ecosystem.

You will sit at the intersection of Engineering, Product, and Compliance, serving as the strategic visionary who ensures our data is "fit for purpose." You won't just oversee a portfolio; you will mentor your team to build the frameworks, data contracts, and lineage standards that connect our technical producers with our compliance consumers. From quantifying the impact of data quality on false-positive alerts to navigating a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, your leadership will directly shape how we manage global risk.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Build, lead, and develop a team of Data Product Managers/Analysts. Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Product Ownership: Provide world-class leadership for the Compliance data product suite, covering Customer Risk Scoring, Transaction Monitoring, AML, Screening, and Sanctions.
• Architect Data Governance: Lead the design and implementation of the end-to-end Compliance data risk framework, specifically addressing Data Quality (DQ), Usage Risk, and Lineage Risk.
• Enforce Data Contracts: Serve as the final authority on formal data contracts between Producers (Engineering) and Consumers (Compliance, CX, IOS), defining robust control requirements and change management protocols.
• Oversee System-of-Capture Lineage: Partner with senior engineering stakeholders to maintain comprehensive data lineage, ensuring full transparency from the point of data generation to regulatory reporting.
• Drive the Data Roadmap: Act as the strategic bridge between Compliance SMEs and Engineering leadership to ensure data integrity is a foundational component of technical design, not a manual overlay.

Requirements

• Leadership Experience: Proven track record of managing and scaling technical data product teams within a regulated Financial Services or FinTech environment.
• Domain Expertise: 10+ years of experience in Data Product Management, Data Engineering or Technical Program Management, with deep SME knowledge of AML, KYC, Sanctions, and/or Transaction Monitoring.
• Technical Design Literacy: Ability to lead deep-dive discussions on ETL pipelines, SQL, and data modeling with Engineering partners while translating those needs for non-technical stakeholders.
• Mastery of Data Lineage: Experience mapping complex data flows across distributed systems to meet rigorous regulatory standards (e.g., BCBS 239 or similar).
• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to align competing priorities between "speed to market" (Product) and "data integrity" (Compliance) at the executive level.
• Risk-Based Thinking: A proactive approach to designing "compensating controls" to manage residual risk in complex technical environments.

Nice to Have

• Advanced Certifications: CAMS (Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) or CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional).

Compensation

Depending on your work location, the target annual base salary for this position ranges from $252,620 to $297,200 USD. Total compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility and benefits (including medical, dental, vision and 401(k)).