Director of AML & Virtual Asset Compliance

Job description

**About the Company** Born from groundbreaking research at Columbia University and Yale University, CertiK is a leading Web3 security company focused on securing blockchain protocols, smart contracts, and decentralized applications through cutting-edge security research, formal verification, and AI-powered technology. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in New York City, CertiK provides end-to-end security solutions including smart contract audits, penetration testing, on-chain monitoring, incident response, and compliance services for some of the largest projects in the digital asset ecosystem. Today, CertiK supports thousands of enterprise clients and Web3 projects globally, with a distributed international team spanning North America, Asia, and Europe. The company is backed by leading investors including Coatue, Goldman Sachs, Insight Partners, and Sequoia Capital, and has been recognized by organizations such as the World Economic Forum and CB Insights for its contributions to blockchain security innovation. **About the Role** We are looking for an experienced compliance and financial crime leader to help shape and expand our work across anti money laundering, virtual asset compliance, and blockchain risk management. This role is designed for someone who understands compliance from both sides of the market: traditional financial institutions and virtual asset service providers. You should be comfortable operating at the intersection of regulation, financial crime prevention, blockchain analytics, and commercial strategy. You will serve as a senior subject matter expert on AML and virtual asset compliance, helping the company strengthen its compliance capabilities, advise financial institutions and VASPs, and engage credibly with regulators, law enforcement agencies, clients, and industry partners. **About You** You are a practical and commercially minded compliance leader with deep experience in AML, financial crime, and virtual assets. You have worked within, or closely alongside, both traditional financial institutions and VASPs, and understand the differences between conventional transaction monitoring and the risks presented by blockchain based financial activity. You are equally comfortable reviewing a complex financial crime case, designing an AML framework, advising senior leadership, speaking with a regulator, and explaining blockchain risk to a bank, exchange, or government stakeholder. You do not approach compliance as a purely administrative function. You understand how strong compliance programs, credible risk controls, and effective blockchain analytics can support responsible business growth. ### Responsibilities - Build and improve AML frameworks, virtual asset compliance strategy, sanctions, risk assessments, transaction monitoring, and investigation processes. - Advise financial institutions and VASPs on virtual asset compliance, regulatory expectations, and blockchain related financial crime risks. - Monitor regulatory developments and translate them into practical compliance guidance and product requirements. - Where applicable, serve as MLRO or support the designated MLRO on suspicious activity reviews and regulatory reporting. - Partner with product, engineering, business development teams, regulators, law enforcement, and other industry stakeholders. ### Requirements - Prior experience as an MLRO, Chief Compliance Officer, Head of Financial Crime, or a similar senior compliance role. - Experience across both traditional financial institutions and the virtual asset industry. - Strong knowledge of AML, financial crime, sanctions, transaction monitoring, regulatory compliance and reporting, and virtual asset financial crime risks. - Hands on experience with blockchain analytics, KYT, wallet screening, or similar on-chain compliance tools and processes. - Strong communication skills and CAMS or an equivalent AML qualification. ### Bonus Points - Experience owning the AML program of a regulated entity, VASP licensing, regulatory examinations, or remediation. - Established relationships across regulators, law enforcement, banks, exchanges, or the virtual asset industry.