---
title: 'Compliance Senior Lead - Sanctions Operations at Kraken'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/compliance-senior-lead-sanctions-operations-kraken-united-states-9crtjvc37s1g'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-23'
---

# Compliance Senior Lead - Sanctions Operations at Kraken

- **Company:** [Kraken](https://feeny.ai/companies/kraken)
- **Location:** United States
- **Compensation:** $73k–$145k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-23
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/kraken.com/0ffad629-4b04-4121-b43a-f9ae9ce50b3d

## Job description

Building the Future of Open Finance

Payward - the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services and CF Benchmarks - has spent the last 15 years building one of the most modern and globally accessible financial infrastructure platforms in the industry, built to advance an open, global financial system.

The team Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions across the globe. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, with products built for both individual investors and institutional clients. At Kraken, compliance is not a checkbox. It's a core expression of who we are and how we operate. Our Global Sanctions Compliance function sits at the intersection of regulatory accountability and technology, building processes that don't just meet the standard but set it. We're looking for people who bring both sharp regulatory judgment and a builder's mindset to the table. We're looking for a Sr. Compliance Associate Lead, Sanctions Operations to join us fully remote. This role reports directly to Kraken's Chief Sanctions Officer and sits at the heart of how we review, escalate and resolve sanctions risk across Kraken's global footprint. You'll work the escalations generated by our sanctions controls and by our first line of defence, focusing on the complex sanctions risks that matter most, and you'll help us make the operation faster and more scalable as volumes grow.

The opportunity

- Perform sanctions reviews in response to escalations generated across Kraken, from blockchain monitoring, name screening and transaction screening to anti-circumvention controls and account sign-up and maintenance rules
- Review name screening alerts and transaction screening alerts escalated to the Sanctions team, applying sound judgment to resolve them accurately and on time
- Review blockchain monitoring alerts for direct and indirect sanctions exposure.
- Analyse Kraken accounts for potential sanctions circumvention risk
- Review account opening documentation escalated by Kraken's first line of defence (1LOD).
- Review large data sets to support proactive and ad-hoc risk analyses
- Communicate with Regional Compliance Officers and other Compliance teams, ensuring regional perspectives are reflected while maintaining sanctions programme integrity
- Coordinate with teammates to establish streamlined processes, using automation and AI-assisted tools where they make the work faster and better, with appropriate human oversight
- Prepare regulatory reports in response to investigations as needed
- Prepare and deliver presentations as needed

## What you bring

- 5+ years of experience in compliance, sanctions or financial crime compliance, including hands-on sanctions investigations, ideally gained within financial services such as banking, crypto or fintech
- Working knowledge of the major sanctions regimes: US OFAC, EU, UK and UN programmes.
- Experience writing sanctions reviews or investigation narratives
- Strong analytical and writing skills, sound judgment, and a detail-oriented, problem-solving approach
- Knowledge of crypto, banking or payment processes, procedures and systems
- Experience working with case management systems such as Hummingbird, Zendesk or equivalent
- Hands-on experience using automation and AI tools, such as Claude or ChatGPT, to make the team faster and the work better
- Effective verbal and written communication, with the ability to convey complex issues and manage stakeholders across global and regional compliance partners
- Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across functions
- Ownership of your work product, and a record of delivering results in a fast-paced environment
- High degree of integrity, discretion and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information
- A bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Nice to haves

- ACAMS (CAMS) or ACSS sanctions certification
- Prior regulatory experience or blockchain analytics vendor experience, such as attributing sanctions risk
- Experience supporting regulatory exams, audits or enforcement-related inquiries

Unless a specific application deadline is stated in the job posting, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Please note, applicants are permitted to redact or remove information on their resume that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Our commitment Payward is powered by people from around the world and we celebrate the diverse talents, backgrounds, contributions, and unique perspectives that everyone brings to the table. We hire based on merit, seeking out people with the right abilities, knowledge, and skills for the job. We encourage you to apply for roles where you don't fully meet the listed requirements, especially if you're passionate or knowledgeable about crypto.

We may ask candidates to complete job-related skills or work-style assessments as part of our hiring process. These assessments evaluate competencies relevant to the role and are applied consistently across candidates for similar positions. Results are considered alongside experience and interviews, and are not the sole basis for any employment decision.

As an equal opportunity employer, we don't tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, whether based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

Stay connected [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/krakenfx) [Learn on the Kraken Blog](https://blog.kraken.com/#:~:text=Enter%20your%20email%20address) [Connect on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kraken-exchange/)

[Candidate Privacy Notice](https://www.kraken.com/legal/candidate-privacy-notice)

## About Kraken

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Kraken is a global cryptocurrency exchange and technology platform that provides secure trading, custody, and financial services for retail and institutional clients.
- **Entity Type**: Private (last known valuation ~$10B as of 2023; multiple funding rounds from investors including Tribe Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, and others)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA (operates as a fully remote-first organization)
- **Founded**: 2011
- **Founders**: Jesse Powell (CEO)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Cryptocurrency exchange, digital asset custody, and financial technology.
- Target customers: B2C (retail investors, professional traders) and B2B (institutions, family offices, hedge funds).
- Mission: "Accelerate the global adoption of crypto, so that everyone can achieve financial freedom and inclusion."

## Products & Services
- **Spot & Margin Trading**: Buy/sell 200+ cryptocurrencies with advanced order types and leverage.
- **Kraken Pro**: Professional-grade trading interface for active traders with low fees and deep liquidity.
- **Futures & Derivatives**: Regulated crypto derivatives trading (Kraken Futures) for institutional and qualified retail clients.
- **Kraken Staking**: Earn rewards by staking supported assets directly on the platform.
- **Kraken NFT Marketplace**: Buy, sell, and mint NFTs across multiple blockchains.
- **Kraken Bank (US)**: Wyoming-chartered Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI) offering custody and banking services for digital assets.
- **Kraken Wallet**: Self-custodial mobile wallet for managing crypto and NFTs.
- **Kraken Institutional**: Dedicated suite for institutions including OTC trading, custody, and prime brokerage.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed; last reported private valuation of approximately $10 billion in a 2023 secondary transaction (conflicting reports suggest a lower valuation in 2024 due to market conditions).
- **Key Metrics**: Over 10 million users globally; one of the longest-operating exchanges (since 2011); industry-first Proof of Reserves audit; $50+ billion in quarterly trading volume (estimated).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Tribe Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Blockchain Capital, Fidelity, Human Capital, and others.
- **Growth Signals**: Grew from ~3,000 to over 4,000+ employees since 2020; entered new markets (e.g., stock and ETF trading in 2024); expanded into NFT marketplace and bank charter; consistently ranked among top trusted exchanges by security and transparency.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Security & Transparency**: Longest-running Proof of Reserves program; never suffered a major security breach; regulated in multiple jurisdictions (US, UK, EU, Canada).
- **Global Remote Culture**: Fully remote-first since inception, hiring top talent from 70+ countries without location constraints.
- **Crypto-Native**: Leadership deeply embedded in crypto ethos; products built for both beginners and advanced traders.
- **Regulatory Compliance**: Licensed in key markets and operates a US bank, giving it an edge as regulatory scrutiny increases.

## Strategic Focus
- **Expand Product Suite**: Moving beyond pure crypto into stocks, ETFs, and traditional finance integration (via Kraken Bank).
- **Institutional Growth**: Doubling down on prime brokerage, custody, and OTC services to capture institutional flows.
- **Global Licensing**: Securing regulatory approvals in more jurisdictions (e.g., EU MiCA, UK FCA) to serve local markets.
- **Self-Custody & DeFi**: Investing in wallet infrastructure and decentralized finance capabilities for user sovereignty.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Kraken describes itself as "remote-first, not remote-friendly." Asynchronous communication, radical transparency, and extreme ownership are core. Team members from 70+ countries.
- **Work Arrangement**: Fully remote globally; no headquarters attendance required. Flexible schedule with async workflows.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Competitive salary regardless of location; option to be paid in crypto; equity grants; flexible PTO; wellness program (fitness coach, wellbeing apps); mental health coaching for employees and dependents; remote workstation setup bonus.
- **Hiring Process**: Structured, fully virtual process including CV screen, talent screen, role-specific interviews, and a practical case study. Emphasis on crypto conviction, self-starters, and collaborative humility.
- **Engineering Culture**: High ownership, autonomy, and impact. Decisions documented in writing; performance evaluated on output rather than hours. "Dogfooding" the product is encouraged.

## Sources
1. [Kraken Careers](https://www.kraken.com/careers)
2. [Kraken Job Listings (Ashby)](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/kraken.com)
3. [Kraken Culture Page](https://www.kraken.com/culture)
4. [The Kraken Employee Value Proposition - Kraken Blog](https://blog.kraken.com/news/the-kraken-employee-value-proposition)
5. [Remote isn’t a perk. It’s how Kraken operates. - Kraken Blog](https://blog.kraken.com/news/industry-news/remote-is-how-kraken-operates)

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