Head of KYC Remediation (Contract - 12 Months)

We are seeking a highly experienced Head of KYC Remediation to lead a large-scale Know Your Customer (KYC) remediation program for a major financial institution. This 12-month contract role is a critical leadership position within the 1st Line of Defense (1LoD) and will involve designing, mobilizing, and executing a comprehensive remediation strategy to address KYC backlogs, regulatory commitments, and risk mitigation requirements.

Phase 1: Team Build-Out & Execution

The initial phase of this program will focus on hiring and managing a team of 20 KYC Analysts dedicated to 1LoD KYC file reviews, remediation, and risk assessment. The successful candidate will be responsible for defining the team structure, onboarding staff, and ensuring adherence to regulatory and internal policy standards.

This role reports directly to senior compliance and financial crime leadership, ensuring the institution meets remediation deadlines and improves KYC operational effectiveness.

Requirements

• Lead the design, planning, and implementation of a large-scale KYC remediation project, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, internal risk appetite, and 1LoD best practices.
• Establish clear workflows and governance to address KYC file backlogs, risk classification updates, and enhanced due diligence (EDD) processes.
• Oversee daily remediation activities, ensuring cases are handled accurately, efficiently, and within set timelines.
• Implement quality assurance frameworks to ensure all KYC reviews meet compliance and regulatory standards.
• Hire, train, and oversee a team of 20 KYC Analysts focused on 1LoD KYC remediation.
• Define key responsibilities, KPIs, and performance metrics for the team.
• Ensure new hires are onboarded with comprehensive KYC policies, regulatory expectations, and operational processes.
• Provide ongoing coaching and leadership to maintain high-quality customer due diligence (CDD) and EDD execution.
• Act as the key senior point of contact between 1LoD, 2LoD Compliance, Risk, and Audit teams to ensure seamless coordination on remediation efforts.
• Deliver clear, data-driven reporting to executive leadership on remediation progress, backlog reduction, and risk trends.
• Ensure transparent communication with internal and external stakeholders (including regulators, where required) regarding the status and effectiveness of remediation efforts.
• Identify and implement efficiency improvements in KYC operational processes to prevent future backlogs and enhance due diligence quality.
• Work closely with technology teams to explore automation, workflow optimization, and AI-driven solutions to improve remediation speed.
• Ensure all remediation actions result in sustainable, long-term compliance improvements within the organization.