Director, Digital Asset 1st Line Compliance & Financial Crimes Lead

About the role

BNY is seeking a Digital Asset 1st Line Compliance & Financial Crimes Lead, Director to serve as the primary business-facing compliance and financial crimes subject matter expert for Digital Asset Custody and related tokenized asset activities. This role sits within the Digital Asset Custody business and partners closely with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, and Technology to help ensure that digital asset products, services, and operating models are designed and operated in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, internal policies, and risk standards.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary compliance and financial crimes subject matter expert for Digital Asset Custody and related digital asset initiatives.
• Provide guidance on AML, KYC, sanctions, Travel Rule, counterparty risk, and regulatory requirements applicable to digital asset activities.
• Partner with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, and Technology teams to support business growth while maintaining appropriate risk management standards.
• Review escalated client, transaction, wallet, and counterparty matters and provide risk-based recommendations.
• Ensure early engagement on new business initiatives, products, and client opportunities to support commercial priorities while maintaining regulatory compliance.
• Help design scalable compliance and financial crimes processes that support business growth and operational efficiency.
• Audit the impact of regulatory developments, market changes, and emerging risk trends on Digital Asset Custody products and services.
• Support the development of operating models, onboarding frameworks, and governance processes for new digital asset capabilities.
• Support responses to regulatory inquiries, examinations, and ongoing supervisory activities.
• Monitor and interpret emerging regulatory developments and communicate implications to business leadership.
• Prepare updates and reporting for senior management and governance committees on compliance, financial crimes, and regulatory matters.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business leadership on digital asset regulatory and financial crimes considerations.
• Monitor and issue management of key compliance, financial crimes, and operational risk indicators and escalate issues as appropriate.
• Partner with business stakeholders to investigate and resolve compliance-related exceptions and emerging risks.
• Support remediation efforts and corrective action plans where required.
• Identify opportunities to enhance monitoring, streamline processes, and improve client experience while maintaining appropriate controls.

Requirements

• 7–10+ years of experience in Compliance, Financial Crimes, Legal, Risk, or related functions.
• Meaningful experience supporting digital assets, cryptocurrency, blockchain-based financial products, tokenization initiatives, or digital asset custody activities.
• Strong knowledge of AML/KYC requirements, sanctions compliance, Travel Rule obligations, and financial crimes risks associated with digital assets.
• Experience reviewing escalations, exceptions, or investigations related to digital asset transactions, wallet activity, blockchain-based financial activity, or counterparty risk.
• Hands-on experience with blockchain analytics and monitoring tools such as Chainalysis, Elliptic, TRM Labs, or similar platforms.
• Working knowledge of U.S. regulatory requirements relevant to digital assets, including SEC, OCC, FinCEN, and NYDFS expectations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present complex compliance and regulatory topics to senior management and regulators.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-evolving regulatory and business environment while applying sound judgment and a practical, risk-based approach.

Qualifications

• CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) or similar compliance, financial crimes, or risk certification.
• Experience working at a bank, qualified custodian, broker-dealer, fintech, digital asset firm, blockchain company, or other regulated financial institution.
• Experience supporting digital asset custody, tokenization, stablecoins, blockchain infrastructure, or related products.
• Strong understanding of wallet technologies, blockchain networks, tokenization frameworks, and digital asset operating models.
• Familiarity with global digital asset regulatory frameworks and emerging market standards.
• Experience partnering directly with business leadership, product teams, and regulators on complex digital asset initiatives.

Skills

• Deep expertise in digital assets, blockchain-based financial activity, AML/KYC requirements, sanctions compliance, and the evolving regulatory landscape for institutional digital assets.
• Strong knowledge of AML/KYC requirements, sanctions compliance, Travel Rule obligations, and financial crimes risks associated with digital assets.
• Experience reviewing escalations, exceptions, or investigations related to digital asset transactions, wallet activity, blockchain-based financial activity, or counterparty risk.
• Hands-on experience with blockchain analytics and monitoring tools such as Chainalysis, Elliptic, TRM Labs, or similar platforms.
• Working knowledge of U.S. regulatory requirements relevant to digital assets, including SEC, OCC, FinCEN, and NYDFS expectations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present complex compliance and regulatory topics to senior management and regulators.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-evolving regulatory and business environment while applying sound judgment and a practical, risk-based approach.

Benefits

BNY offers highly competitive compensation, benefits, and wellbeing programs rooted in a strong culture of excellence and our pay-for-performance philosophy. We provide access to flexible global resources and tools for your life’s journey. Focus on your health, foster your personal resilience, and reach your financial goals as a valued member of our team, along with generous paid leaves, including paid volunteer time, that can support you and your family through moments that matter. BNY is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer - Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups/Females/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans. BNY assesses market data to ensure a competitive compensation package for our employees. The expected base salary for this position when employment commences can be found in the Job Info section at the bottom of the posting. Base salary offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Base salary is only part of the total rewards package, which may include eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive award. Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, eligible employees may enroll in a 401(k) plan as well as participate in Company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance plans for the employee and the employee’s eligible dependents. Eligible employees also may receive other benefits (including various paid time off benefits, such as vacation and sick time), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, the employee will be in an “at will” position and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payments or compensation programs) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.