Compliance Operations Manager

About the role

Wise is a global technology company on a mission to make money without borders, offering the fairest and easiest way to manage money across borders. The Compliance Operations Manager, based in Hyderabad, India, focuses on reviewing higher-risk customers for Wise’s APAC entities and strengthening the control environment to mitigate financial crime risk and meet local regulatory obligations. Day-to-day, you will review and decide escalated cases requiring Senior Manager approval, serve as the first point of contact for operational teams on KYC/CDD advisory matters, oversee EDD decision quality with routine sample checks, and report insights to local MLROs. You will also own escalation criteria for assigned regions, participate in incidents and complaints, review EDD training materials, and drive process improvement initiatives in customer due diligence. The role involves flexible shifts to support APAC regions (and other regions if needed) and availability to work weekends when required, collaborating with multidisciplinary specialists across Product, Banking, Operations, and Compliance in APAC, Estonia, and London.

What you’ll do

• Review and make decisions on cases escalated for Senior Manager approval
• Be the first point of contact for operational teams into 2LoD when advisory is required on KYC/CDD matters, and liaise with or escalate to regional compliance officers for complex situations
• Own the definition of Senior Manager approval escalation criteria for specific regions assigned, working with local Compliance teams to understand upcoming changes, review issues/findings from interna
• Review and validate issues relevant to the Senior Manager approval process and participate in incidents and complaints where there is Senior Manager input
• Oversee the decision quality of Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and provide regular reporting to the MLRO, including performing routine sample checks focusing on decision quality where an ‘approved’ outc
• Provide input into the 1st line quality framework applied to EDD, monitor and report outcomes and insights to local MLRO
• Review EDD training materials to ensure adequate consideration of local typologies and relevant obligations
• Drive process improvement initiatives relating to customer due diligence where required

What you’ll bring

• Over 4 years of experience in FinCrime Operations or Compliance relating to customer due diligence and risk assessments
• Thorough knowledge of AML/CTF regulations in APAC markets as they relate to customer due diligence (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore)
• Background in financial services as an experienced financial crime practitioner
• Experience in first line FinCrime operational function dealing with the most complex customer cases
• Ideally experience in a compliance advisory role in the second line of defence
• Experience dealing with regulatory inspection/audits and FIU reporting
• Understanding of how to establish policy requirements and maintain oversight on policy adherence
• Strong communication, organisational skills, and relationship-building across all levels of the business and externally

Skills