Role overview

Coinbase seeks a Senior Manager and Head of KYC to lead the global Know Your Customer program across all regulated entities. You will own strategy, policy, and execution for KYC compliance while serving as the company’s subject matter expert and primary escalation point. The role combines strategic program design with hands-on leadership of a distributed team operating within a shared services compliance model.

Key responsibilities

Develop and execute the end-to-end strategic direction of Coinbase’s global KYC program, encompassing policy development, program implementation, advisory support, and enterprise-wide process design across all regulated entities.
Lead and manage a team of KYC professionals within the second-line compliance function, establishing performance standards, developing talent, and ensuring consistent program execution across multiple jurisdictions.
Oversee global KYC issue management and resolution, including corrective action oversight, systemic enhancements, and monitoring of first-line KYC function performance.
Collaborate with sales, account management, customer experience, product, and engineering teams to design and implement KYC initiatives supporting new product launches and jurisdiction expansions.
Serve as the Directly Responsible Individual for regulatory reporting and correspondence on global KYC inquiries, and deliver senior management and executive reporting on key performance indicators and program health.
Work with Legal and Compliance colleagues to interpret and implement global KYC requirements, creating scalable solutions that balance regulatory compliance with business velocity.

Requirements

Possess at least 10 years of experience managing, designing, and implementing KYC programs at financial institutions, including direct people management experience and preferably exposure to digital assets and fintech environments.
Demonstrate deep knowledge of global AML, CTF, and sanctions regulations including BSA, USA PATRIOT Act, FinCEN CDD Rule, and EU directives (4MLD/5MLD/6MLD), with proven ability to translate regulatory requirements into scalable program design across jurisdictions.
Show a proven track record building and scaling global KYC programs from design through execution, including policy development, risk-based frameworks, and operational process implementation.
Have experience serving as a senior escalation point for KYC and onboarding matters, providing regulatory guidance to cross-functional teams and representing KYC to regulators and senior leadership.
Demonstrate the ability to manage concurrent regulatory initiatives, jurisdiction launches, and program enhancements in a matrixed environment while delivering executive-level reporting on program performance.
Apply generative AI responsibly while maintaining human oversight to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in workflow efficiency, cost, and quality.

What makes this role worth considering

Coinbase operates as a remote-first company with quarterly in-person working sessions designed to foster intense collaboration. The organization emphasizes high standards and pushes team members to exceed perceived limits while working on transformational financial infrastructure. This role offers the opportunity to shape compliance strategy at a major player in digital assets and cryptocurrency.