Customer Due Diligence

About Column

For companies building financial technology and transforming the financial services space, the biggest bottleneck to their growth and innovation is often the underlying banks and infrastructure stack they rely on. We have spent our careers founding and scaling companies like Plaid, Square, SoFi, Blend, and Affirm, and have seen this problem firsthand — builders and developers needing to partner with traditional banks, and creating API and abstraction layers over the patchwork that is the bank, its core, and many other vendors. All of this results in a complex (and often expensive) banking supply chain involving a user, fintech, BaaS middleware provider, bank, core and the Federal Reserve.

At Column, we set out to simplify and fix this. We are a bank and a software company built from the ground up, offering builders and developers technology-forward banking solutions that cut out the hundreds of vendors, middleware providers, and abstraction layers. This means a safer, more transparent, and less costly banking supply chain. Come build with us!

The opportunity:

The Customer Due Diligence role is responsible for the execution of Column's KYC program, inclusive of CIP, CDD, and EDD. This individual will own onboarding and periodic reviews for the Bank's high-risk customers, as well as enhancing Column's KYC program, procedures, and controls so that they remain best-in-class. This role will also work closely with Compliance stakeholders in performing the AML components of due diligence for the Bank's fintech partnerships.

This role will report into the Bank's first line. While an in-person presence in the Bank’s Presidio-based office is strongly preferred, this role is open to remote applicants with the expectation of periodic travel.

What you'll do:

Customer Identification and Verification:

• Further enhance the Bank’s Customer Identification and Verification processes and controls for retail and commercial banking customers, including fintech relationships

• In coordination with FCC and other first and second-line stakeholders, review and address any manual reviews generated by onboarding tools

Customer Due Diligence/Enhanced Due Diligence:

• Further enhance business and FCC-led due diligence processes and controls for retail and commercial banking customers, including fintech relationships

• Execute the collection, review, and assessment of due diligence consistent with the Bank’s standards and customer risk ranking methodology

• Perform onboarding Enhanced Due Diligence (“EDD”) collection for applicable customers including the completion of Onboarding High Risk EDD Reviews and ongoing Periodic Reviews

Collaboration and Communication:

• Collaborate with other departments, including business units, Compliance, Legal, and Third Party Risk Management, to integrate Due Diligence and Enhanced Due Diligence efforts into the overall compliance framework

• Communicate effectively with external law enforcement agencies, regulators, and other relevant entities as needed

• Work collaboratively with the Bank's BSA Officer, AML Operations, Due Diligence Advisory colleagues, and Chief Compliance Officer on improving overall KYC program execution

Continuous Improvement:

• Stay up-to-date with evolving AML laws, regulations, and industry best practices

• Identify opportunities for process improvement and implement enhancements to the KYC program

Reporting and Governance:

• Assist the BSA Officer with KRI/KPI reporting related to Due Diligence and Enhanced Due Diligence operations

• Develop and communicate ongoing customer risk information to internal and external stakeholders

• Highlight key trends, risks, issues, and opportunities for enhancements for the KYC program

What you'll need to be successful:

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business, or a related field; professional certification (e.g., CAMS) is preferred

• 7+ years of prior experience in Financial Crimes Compliance, experience at a financial institution is required

• Understanding of Financial Crime, AML and terrorist financing trends and typologies

• Expert-level understanding and execution experience related to Customer Identification and Verification requirements

• Expert-level understanding and execution experience related to the AML due diligence and enhanced due diligence activities associated with opening commercial bank accounts

• In-depth knowledge of AML laws and regulations, including the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), t