Director, Sanctions Compliance

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What you'll be doing

At CIBC US, we deliver tailored commercial and commercial real estate banking, private wealth management, personal and small business financial solutions, as well as cross-border banking services to clients with operations across North America. As the Director, US Sanctions Compliance, you'll report to the Head of Global Sanctions and play a pivotal role in overseeing the Second Line of Defense for sanctions risk in the US. You’ll serve as a subject matter expert on OFAC regulations and US sanctions frameworks, providing expert guidance across business lines, products, and jurisdictions. Your responsibilities include leading sanctions screening operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, and promoting a strong risk culture throughout the organization. You’ll collaborate closely with global sanctions partners to ensure alignment, engage stakeholders to foster awareness, and deliver targeted training to enhance sanctions risk expertise across the institution.

At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role. At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role. You’ll have the flexibility to manage your work activities within a hybrid work arrangement where you’ll spend 3 days per week on-site, while other days will be remote.

How you'll succeed

• Program Leadership and Oversight – Lead the development and enhancement of the Sanctions Compliance Program, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and best practices. Own and maintain global and US sanctions compliance policies and standards.

• Regulatory Engagement – Oversee and support regulatory examinations, internal audits, and testing reviews, including preparation of materials and drafting responses. Liaise with OFAC on licenses, voluntary self-disclosures, and regulatory inquiries, coordinating with internal and external legal partners.

• Operational Effectiveness – Provide expert input on sanctions screening system tuning, threshold calibration, technology configurations, and list management. Offer practical guidance for new product reviews, client onboarding, alert escalations, payment structures, and complex transactions.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Build strong partnerships with Technology, Data, and other risk management stakeholders to enhance program metrics and reporting. Engage with various risk teams and governance groups to promote and reinforce compliance standards.

• Training and Awareness – Develop and deliver targeted training sessions to foster a strong culture of sanctions risk awareness. Maintain and deepen expertise in global sanctions regulatory requirements and industry developments.

Who you are

• You’re an experienced sanctions compliance leader. You bring at least 10 years of sanctions compliance experience with global financial institutions and have a deep understanding of multijurisdictional sanctions regimes (including US, Canada, EU, and UK).

• You’re a strategic thinker. You have a proven ability to work independently, solve complex problems, and develop actionable insights to achieve objectives.

• You’re a relationship builder. You excel at cross-functional project and relationship management, and you have experience mentoring junior compliance professionals.

• You’re an effective communicator. You have exceptional written and verbal communication skills, enabling you to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance.

• You’re committed to continuous improvement. You demonstrate curiosity, collaboration, and openness to innovative approaches and industry best pr