Team Lead, AML (Crypto)

About the role

Join Wealthsimple's Anti-Money Laundering (AML) team to lead a group of analysts focused on monitoring and investigating financial transactions in both traditional and cryptocurrency. You will guide your team in detecting and responding to money laundering and terrorist financing risks, while also improving workflows and adapting to new financial crime patterns. This role is key to establishing strong digital asset financial crime controls in Canada.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Guide and develop a team of AML analysts through coaching, regular one-on-one meetings, feedback, and career discussions.
• Define expectations and priorities, helping analysts manage their workload and adjust to changing company objectives.
• Review and approve complex or high-priority investigations, ensuring compliance with internal AML policies and regulatory standards.
• Improve operational efficiency by tracking team metrics like case turnaround and quality assurance scores, identifying trends, and resolving process gaps.
• Train the team on blockchain analytics tools and assist analysts with escalations and technical issues.
• Serve as an expert in financial crime, including fiat and cryptocurrency, by staying informed on new typologies, regulatory changes, and emerging risks.
• Drive innovation by proposing and testing improvements to alerts, casework, and the overall risk strategy for both fiat and crypto activities.
• Ensure clear communication with stakeholders, providing proactive updates, escalating problems, and seeing issues through to resolution.
• Cultivate a learning environment by leading knowledge-sharing sessions, supporting ongoing training, and highlighting development opportunities.

Requirements

• 4+ years of experience in AML/CTF, with 2+ years specifically in crypto AML at a crypto exchange, blockchain analytics provider, or fintech offering digital assets.
• 1-2+ years in a leadership role, coaching or managing direct reports in an operational setting.
• Deep knowledge of AML controls, typologies, and compliance frameworks such as FATF and FINTRAC.
• Direct experience conducting investigations and preparing, filing, and reviewing Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), Large Virtual Currency Transaction Reports (LVCTR), Electronic Funds Transfer Reports (EFTR), and other regulatory reports.
• Strong operational discipline, demonstrated by meeting SLAs, overseeing QA, and implementing process improvements.
• Proficiency with crypto on-chain analytics tools like Chainalysis, TRM Labs, or Elliptic.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice to have

• Certifications in Chainalysis, TRM Labs, or Elliptic, or financial crime designations such as CAMS, CFE, or CFCS.
• Previous experience at a regulated crypto exchange or a blockchain analytics firm.

Skills & tools

• Chainalysis
• TRM Labs
• Elliptic

Practical notes

Wealthsimple offers comprehensive health benefits, life insurance, and long-term group savings with employer matching. Employees receive 20 vacation days, 4 wellness days, and unlimited sick and mental health days annually. You can work outside Canada for up to 90 days per year. The company supports various employee resource groups. Wealthsimple operates as a hybrid team across North America. The hiring process may use AI tools for application review and assessment, but all final decisions are made by people. Accommodations for accessibility needs during the interview process are available upon request.