Lead KYC Risk Program Manager

Mercury; Los Angeles (CA); Remote; USD 187,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative financial technology firm is seeking a Lead KYC Risk Program Manager to enhance compliance operations. In this pivotal role, you will drive KYC risk initiatives, ensuring seamless integration of controls and fostering a culture of compliance. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you will develop scalable programs that support operational excellence. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of banking for startups, making it an exciting prospect for those passionate about risk management and compliance in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 5–10+ years of experience in KYC, AML, compliance, or risk management.
• Proven experience managing KYC risk programs in a high-volume setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead KYC-related programs, including policy updates and process enhancements.
• Partner with operations teams to integrate KYC controls into workflows.

Skills

KYC

AML

compliance

risk management

analytical skills

problem-solving

stakeholder management

data analytics

Job description

San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, Portland, OR, or Remote within Canada or United States

Mercury is building a modern financial stack to power the next generation of startups. Our mission is to make banking* as intuitive, secure, and seamless as possible, helping founders and business owners focus on building—not banking. To deliver this best-in-class experience, we need a deep understanding of our customers and how they engage with our platform.

We’re looking for a Lead KYC Risk Program Manager to join our team and play a critical role in supporting and scaling our operations function. Reporting to the Head of KYC, you’ll lead high-impact KYC risk initiatives, drive enhancements to our compliance programs, and collaborate cross-functionally to ensure our operations are both effective and aligned with regulatory expectations.

In this role, you’ll partner with teams across Operations, Risk Strategy, Product, and Compliance to help design and implement scalable programs that enable operational excellence. You’ll turn strategy into execution—building the frameworks, processes, and tools needed to support a fast-growing, customer-obsessed organization.

Here are some things you’ll do on the job:

• Program Management: Lead the development and execution of KYC-related programs across operations, including policy updates, process enhancements, and quality assurance efforts.
• Operational Support: Partner with operations teams to ensure seamless integration of KYC controls and tools into workflows.
• Change Management: Drive implementation of operational changes, upgrades, and process optimizations with minimal disruption to daily operations.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Act as a key liaison between Strategy, Product, Eng Compliance, and other business units to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to KYC operations.
• Training & Development: Develop and deliver KYC risk training for operations personnel to foster a strong compliance culture.
• Issue Management: Identify, assess, and remediate issues, including root cause analysis and action planning.

You should:

• 5–10+ years of experience in KYC, AML, compliance, or risk management, preferably in a financial services or fintech environment.
• Proven experience managing KYC risk programs or projects in a high-volume operations setting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; experience with data analytics a plus.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving regulatory environment.

The total rewards package at Mercury includes base salary, equity (stock options), and benefits.

Our salary and equity ranges are highly competitive within the SaaS and fintech industry and are updated regularly using the most reliable compensation survey data for our industry. New hire offers are made based on a candidate’s experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity relative to peers.

Our target new hire base salary ranges for this role are the following:

• US employees in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area: $187,700 - 234,600
• US employees outside of New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area: $168,900 - 211,100
• Canadian employees (any location): CAD 177,400 - 221,700

*Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Mercury values diversity & belonging and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All individuals seeking employment at Mercury are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities or special needs. If you need assistance, or an accommodation, please let your recruiter know once you are contacted about a role.