Director/Head of Financial Crimes Investigations, North America

About the role

This leadership position involves overseeing the entire lifecycle of financial crime investigations for North America, from initial review to SAR filing. The successful candidate will guide a team of investigators, ensuring all processes meet stringent regulatory standards. A key aspect of the role is to support the local Money Laundering Reporting Officer and BSA/Compliance Officer, addressing regulatory inquiries and law enforcement requests related to digital assets and financial crimes.

The role requires advanced analytical capabilities, combining traditional AML transaction monitoring with blockchain analytics tools like Chainalysis or TRM Labs. This includes tracing customer blockchain activity to identify suspicious fund flows, sanctions evasion, or the use of mixing services. The Director will also collaborate with Data Science, Engineering, and Compliance teams to refine transaction monitoring rules, optimize alert efficiency, and adapt to emerging money laundering and terrorist financing typologies.

Beyond investigations, this role is strategic, focusing on program development and performance management. The Director will establish and monitor Key Performance Indicators and Key Risk Indicators for internal stakeholders and executive leadership. This involves proactively analyzing trends in suspicious behavior to inform programmatic adjustments, scale operations, and ensure consistent team performance through staffing forecasts, recruitment, and training initiatives.

The salary for this position ranges from $150,000 to $225,000 USD annually.

Skills that matter here

• AML/CFT investigations: This role requires deep experience in anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism investigations, including transaction monitoring and risk assessment.
• Leadership or people management: The position demands proven leadership skills to build, scale, and mentor a team of financial crime investigators within a crypto or fintech environment.
• Blockchain analytics tools (e.g., Chainalysis, TRM Labs): Direct experience with these tools is essential for tracing digital asset transactions and identifying suspicious activity on various blockchains.
• Financial crime typologies specific to virtual currencies: A broad understanding of crypto-specific financial crime schemes, such as darknet markets, ransomware, and mixing services, is critical for effective investigations.
• Drafting and reviewing SARs to FinCEN/FinTRAC: The role involves extensive experience in preparing and reviewing Suspicious Activity Reports to meet regulatory standards in North America.
• Operational focus: The candidate must be able to structure ambiguous problems, analyze data, and synthesize insights for executive reporting and operational improvements.

Who this role suits

• A leader with a minimum of 5 years in financial crime investigations and 3 years in a management role, ideally within the crypto or digital asset fintech space.
• Someone who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving regulatory environment and can adapt investigation strategies to new financial crime typologies.
• An individual who can effectively bridge technical blockchain concepts with compliance requirements, communicating complex issues to diverse audiences.
• A strategic thinker capable of developing and implementing performance metrics, driving team growth, and ensuring high-quality investigative outcomes.

From the employer

Responsibilities

• Manage Investigations: Own and manage the end-to-end review, investigation, and disposition of Level 2/escalated cases and Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) filing processes for North American entities. Lead and mentor a team of experienced investigators conducting complex investigations to the highest regulatory standards.
• Blockchain & Fiat Analytics: Oversee investigations leveraging traditional AML transaction monitoring alongside advanced blockchain analytics software (e.g., Chainalysis, TRM Labs) to trace customer blockchain transaction activity and identify suspicious fund flows, sanctions evasion, or mixing services.
• Regulatory Support: Continuously support the local Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and / or BSA / Compliance Officer. Support responses to regulatory inquiries, examinations, internal audits, and law enforcement requests (e.g., subpoenas) involving digital assets and complex financial crime.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Data Science, Engineering, and Compliance teams to evaluate the performance of transaction monitoring rule sets. Provide feedback to refine detection scenarios, optimize alert efficiency, and ensure coverage of emerging money laundering and terrorist financing typologies. Regularly coordinate with Compliance Operations Management to review quality of Level 1 alert dispositions and escalations.
• Program Strategy & Metrics: Develop, monitor, and report on a suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) for internal stakeholders and executive leadership. Proactively analyze trends in suspicious behavior to guide programmatic adjustments and scale operations.
• Performance Management: Oversee service level agreements and quality indicators to ensure consistent performance in the team. Forecast staffing requirements, drive the recruitment of top investigative talent, and develop robust training programs.

Requirements

• 5+ years of relevant experience in AML/CFT investigations, transaction monitoring, customer due diligence and risk assessment, etc.
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership or people management role, building and scaling teams within a crypto exchange, digital asset fintech, or complex financial institution.
• Extensive, hands-on experience managing complex crypto/fiat transactional investigations, including drafting and reviewing SARs to FinCEN/FinTRAC and other regulatory standards.
• Direct experience utilizing blockchain analytics tools (e.g., Chainalysis, TRM Labs) and enterprise case management platforms.
• Broad and deep understanding of financial crime typologies specific to virtual currencies (e.g., darknet markets, ransomware, pig butchering scams, unhosted wallets, and mixing services).
• Strong operational focus with the ability to structure ambiguous problems, manipulate data, and synthesize actionable insights for executive reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex crypto and compliance issues for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Preferred: Professional certifications such as CAMS, CFE, CFCS, or specialized blockchain compliance certifications (e.g., CCAS, CRC) are highly preferred.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Attractive annual leave entitlement including: birthday, work anniversary
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Eligible for company-sponsored group health, dental, vision, and life/disability insurance
• Work Flexibility Adoption. Flexi-work hour and hybrid set-up
• Aspire career alternatives through us. Our internal mobility program can offer employees a diverse scope.