Compliance Risk Manager

Compliance Risk Manager

Mechanics Bank is currently searching for a Compliance Risk Manager to join our team. We value connection, partnership, long-term relationships, and working together in person. This role may be performed on-site at one of our local offices or remotely from California, Oregon, or Washington, with occasional travel for in-person meetings or professional development.

About the Role

As part of Mechanics Bank’s second line of defense Compliance Risk Management function, the Compliance Risk Manager will report to the Director of Compliance Risk. This role is responsible for owning, managing, and continuously improving key compliance risk assessment processes. You will serve as a primary process owner and play a critical part in the development, execution, governance, and enhancement of the Bank’s regulatory compliance risk assessment framework. A strong foundational understanding of Risk is required, with the ability to contribute quickly with minimal onboarding. Demonstrate deep knowledge of Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) and/or a broad range of banking laws/regulations, including consumer protection and/or fair lending. You should be willing and have the fortitude to acquire and digest knowledge from areas outside of primary subject expertise. Exhibit a firm understanding of risk assessment methodologies and leverage data across the organization to strengthen risk identification, process design, outcomes, and reporting. The Compliance Risk Manager must be an initiative-taker who is flexible, innovative, adaptive, analytical, and able to communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.

What you will do:

• Provide end-to-end ownership of the Bank’s Compliance Risk Assessment processes, including the design, management, and coordination of annual and quarterly assessment cycles, while contributing original ideas, critical thinking, and strategic perspective to continually strengthen processes, methodologies, and overall program efficiency.
• Lead and oversee assigned risk assessment activities in partnership with first line business risk owners, ensuring consistent execution, high-quality documentation, and alignment with regulatory expectations and internal standards, while maintaining accountability for information accuracy and performing quality control reviews of source materials and assessment documents.
• Produce clear, accurate, and concise written reports summarizing risk assessment results for examiners and senior audiences, including executive leadership, governance committees, senior management, and the Board, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and a coherent risk-focused narrative that supports informed decision-making.
• Develop data-driven insights to enhance risk identification, measurement, and assessment processes. Utilize data analysis tools and techniques to aggregate, quantify, and synthesize large datasets to identify patterns, trends, and potential risks related to money laundering, suspicious transactions, and/or applicable consumer protection and/or fair lending laws/regulations.
• Proactively identify potential risks, emerging issues, and areas where the Bank may be operating outside its Compliance Risk Appetite, and keep management informed of material findings, control weaknesses, trends, and systemic issues identified through the risk assessment process.
• Build, develop, and foster relationships with all lines of business and internal control partners (i.e., Audit, Risk, Compliance, and Legal) to support comprehensive risk assessment activities.
• Maintain awareness of regulatory changes, emerging risks, bank-wide initiatives, and industry trends to ensure forward-looking, innovative, and adaptive risk assessment design and execution.
• Perform all other job duties as assigned by the Director of Compliance Risk Management, including administrative responsibilities such as file maintenance and organization, document publication and version control, results tracking and reporting, meeting scheduling and coordination, note-taking, maintaining internal records and databases, and supporting general departmental operations.

Travel required: 20-30 %

Who you are:

• 4 Year / Bachelor's Degree required. Additional experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Minimum 5 years of banking or prudential regulatory agency compliance experience, preferably in a role with significant responsibility for managing, governing, overseeing, or evaluating enterprise-level compliance processes, including the identification, assessment, measurement, and monitoring of regulatory compliance risks and controls; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Professional certifications such as ACAMS (Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists), ABA CRCM (Certified Regulatory Compliance Officer), and/or CERP (Certified Enterprise Risk Professional) are preferred, reflecting a commitment to subject matter mastery and ongoing professional development.
• Experience with compliance management system software and related governance tools used to support enterprise compliance programs.
• Deep knowledge of Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) and/or a broad range of banking laws/regulations, including, consumer protection and/or fair lending, with the demonstrated ability to rapidly acquire and apply knowledge across new or evolving regulatory domains.
• Advanced understanding of risk assessment frameworks and methodologies, with the ability to lead the design, enhancement, and execution of complex risk assessment processes and synthesize data-driven insights to inform strategic decision-making.
• Highly analytical and intellectually curious, with the ability to deconstruct complex issues; conduct rigorous research; evaluate multiple solution paths; and transform disparate, noisy, or inconsistent data into clear, actionable, and strategically meaningful insights.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence, advise, and communicate effectively with senior leaders, cross-functional partners, and subject matter experts.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with the ability to design, manage, and optimize complex, process-driven workflows outside of dedicated compliance solutions/systems, including expertise in formulas, data validation, pivot tables, lookups, conditional logic, and building structured, repeatable templates to support risk assessment activities.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain strict confidentiality, and uphold the highest standards of integrity when managing sensitive information and critical compliance processes.

ADA Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Pay Range:

$83,290 - $149,910 annually

AIP/Bonus:

up to 10%

Benefits:

Our comprehensive employee benefits program is designed for you to live your best life at work, home, and everywhere in between. Employees working 25 hours or more per week are eligible for health benefits effective the first day of the month following or coinciding with their date of hire.

Benefits package includes:

• Medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their eligible family members
• Employer paid Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, AD&D, and Disability benefits
• Health Savings Account with employer contribution
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and Commuter/Parking Benefit
• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) with company contribution
• 529 Education Savings plan, Tuition Reimbursement Program and Student Loan Assistance Program
• Supplemental Health plans, Voluntary Legal and Identity Theft Services
• 11 paid holidays, paid Sick days (accrual of one hour for every 30 hours worked), up to 25 paid vacation days, and 16 hours of paid volunteer time throughout the calendar year
• Free personal checking and savings account; Discounted rates on primary residence loan with $0 origination fees (restrictions apply)

Final compensation package will be determined by the work experience, education, and/or skill level of the applicant along with internal equity and alignment with geographic market data.

Mechanics Bank is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, or on the basis of disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or other bases prohibited by applicable law. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here. To learn more about Mechanics Bank’s California privacy and security policies, including your right to a Notice At Collection as a California Resident, please visit California Privacy Policy for Prospective Employees | Mechanics Bank

Key skills/competency

• Compliance Risk Management
• BSA/AML
• Regulatory Compliance
• Risk Assessment
• Data Analysis
• Banking Regulations
• Financial Services
• Problem-Solving
• Communication
• Microsoft Excel