Director, Sanctions Program Owner and Advisor

The role:

As SoFi 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 SoFi Enterprise, advising Compliance, product managers, engineers, and SoFi’s business units.

Continuously engage with leaders in the AML department and across SoFi’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 SoFi 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