Governance Team Head, Compliance

Our client, a well-established financial institution, is seeking a Governance Team Head within its Compliance Department. This leadership role is responsible for supporting the design, enhancement, and execution of the bank’s enterprise-wide Anti-Money Laundering / Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) and Regulatory Compliance (RC) programs.
The successful candidate will oversee the governance function of the Compliance team and ensure that compliance activities align with all applicable regulations, internal policies, and industry best practices. This role requires a seasoned compliance professional who can manage regulatory inquiries, supervise analysts, and support strategic initiatives that strengthen the bank’s compliance framework.
The Governance Team Head will also play a key role in preparing responses to regulatory requests for information (RFIs), supporting risk assessments and quality assurance initiatives, and providing leadership across compliance-related projects and initiatives. As a trusted advisor and subject matter expert, the incumbent will collaborate with internal stakeholders and senior leadership to ensure regulatory expectations are met and governance standards remain robust.


Advantages
•Opportunity to lead a critical governance function within a well-established financial institution
•Exposure to senior leadership and Board-level reporting within the compliance framework
•Involvement in bank-wide regulatory, AML, and compliance initiatives
•Ability to influence policy development, governance frameworks, and compliance best practices
•Leadership role with mentorship and team development responsibilities
•Participation in industry forums and regulatory engagement opportunities


Responsibilities
•Update and maintain comprehensive AML and Regulatory Compliance policies, procedures, and internal controls to align with evolving regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
•Manage and support the preparation of timely responses to regulatory requests for information (RFIs) and inquiries from regulatory bodies and auditors.
•Assist with risk assessments, compliance testing, and quality assurance activities to ensure the effectiveness of AML and compliance programs.
•Develop and deliver compliance training materials aligned with departmental policies and regulatory requirements.
•Serve as a Compliance Subject Matter Expert (SME) for technology enhancement initiatives, new product launches, and enterprise-wide projects.
•Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather metrics and produce governance and compliance reporting for senior management and the Board of Directors.
•Provide leadership, coaching, and mentorship to a team of analysts to ensure successful delivery of governance initiatives and regulatory commitments.
•Support broader compliance initiatives and perform ad hoc governance and regulatory projects as required.


Qualifications
•Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Law, or a related discipline.
•Minimum 10 years of experience in AML and Regulatory Compliance within a financial services environment.
•Demonstrated experience liaising with regulatory bodies and responding to regulatory inquiries or examinations.
•Strong working knowledge of AML/ATF and regulatory compliance frameworks applicable to Canadian financial institutions.
•Experience interacting with regulators such as Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, and Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation.
•Experience representing institutions in industry forums such as the Canadian Bankers Association or compliance conferences hosted by Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists is considered an asset.
•Demonstrated experience managing projects or initiatives with a compliance or regulatory component.
•Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
•Fluency in Mandarin (preferred) and/or Cantonese is considered an asset but is not required.


Summary
This is an excellent opportunity for a senior compliance professional to take on a leadership role overseeing governance within a growing Compliance function. The successful candidate will play a key role in strengthening AML and regulatory compliance frameworks, managing regulatory relationships, and ensuring the organization remains aligned with evolving regulatory expectations.
Our client is seeking a strategic and collaborative leader who brings deep regulatory knowledge, strong governance expertise, and the ability to guide teams while supporting enterprise-wide compliance initiatives.


Randstad Canada is committed to fostering a workforce reflective of all peoples of Canada. As a result, we are committed to developing and implementing strategies to increase the equity, diversity and inclusion within the workplace by examining our internal policies, practices, and systems throughout the entire lifecycle of our workforce, including its recruitment, retention and advancement for all employees. In addition to our deep commitment to respecting human rights, we are dedicated to positive actions to affect change to ensure everyone has full participation in the workforce free from any barriers, systemic or otherwise, especially equity-seeking groups who are usually underrepresented in Canada's workforce, including those who identify as women or non-binary/gender non-conforming; Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples; persons with disabilities (visible or invisible) and; members of visible minorities, racialized groups and the LGBTQ2+ community.

Randstad Canada is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace for all its candidates and employees by supporting their accessibility and accommodation needs throughout the employment lifecycle. We ask that all job applications please identify any accommodation requirements by sending an email to accessibility@randstad.ca to ensure their ability to fully participate in the interview process.