Senior Strategic Program Lead, Coinbase
GFCO
$130.9-154k
More information about location
Digital currency exchange
Be an early applicant
Digital currency exchange
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
$130.9-154k
More information about location
1001+ employees
Company mission
To increase economic freedom for more than 1 billion people.
Role
Who you are
- 6+ years of program or project management experience, with 3+ years in financial crimes compliance, AML, BSA/AML operations, or a related regulatory domain
- Demonstrated ability to independently drive large-scale, multi-stakeholder programs in a regulated environment with minimal guidance
- Deep understanding of AML/CFT program operations, including SAM/TMS, EDD, Screening, and SAR filing workflows, and the technology landscape that supports them (e.g., TMS, CMS)
- Experience navigating Known Problem / Unknown Solution environments with many constraints (critical resource gaps, external regulatory commitments)
- Strong strategy and storytelling skills, ability to create clarity through well-crafted charters, roadmaps, and decision documents for Director+ audiences
- Track record of driving operational efficiency and cost savings through automation programs, with rigorous measurement and WFM-validated outcomes
- Proficiency in program management tools (Asana, Jira, Smartsheet) and data tools (Looker, Snowflake, Google Sheets)
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; comfortable influencing at the Director and VP level
- Bachelor's degree required; fields of study in Business, Technology, Operations, Finance, Law, or a related discipline preferred
- References required (mandatory for L5+ roles)
What the job involves
- The GFCO Programs team is the end-to-end DRI for the financial crimes compliance operations experience and automation across Coinbase's global product and entity footprint
- We design, govern, and continuously improve compliance operations through AI-first principles, ensuring regulatory soundness, protecting Coinbase, and delivering a better experience for our customers
- We partner deeply with Central Compliance, Compliance Technology, Engineering & Architecture (EAA), GFCO Operations, Analytics, Workforce Management (WFM), Financial Crimes Data Intelligence (FCDI), and Legal to translate regulatory obligations and operational opportunities into scalable, durable programs across all compliance workstreams, products, and jurisdictions — including Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Screening, and Complaints
- As a Senior Strategic Program Lead, GFCO (L5), you will serve as a independent program owner within GFCO Programs — owning one or more complex compliance program verticals end-to-end
- You will operate with a high degree of autonomy, drive alignment with Director+ stakeholders, and lead programs that span several cross-functional teams, including external parties
- You will act as a thought partner to GFCO leadership and be the connective tissue between Compliance Technology, EAA, Operations, WFM, and Central Compliance
- Own end-to-end program strategy, planning, and execution for one or more complex GFCO compliance program areas (e.g., SAM/CAR automation, EDD volume reduction, Complaints, Operations, New Jurisdictions & Launches)
- Develop and drive program charters, roadmaps, and governance frameworks for long-tail, multi-constraint programs, including those with external regulatory commitments
- Lead cross-functional delivery across XFN teams (Compliance Tech, EAA, Ops, WFM, Legal, Analytics) and drive alignment at the Director+ level
- Translate regulatory obligations, operational gaps, and model performance signals into actionable, prioritized program strategies using an Eliminate → Optimize → Automate framework
- Support launch readiness for new products, jurisdictions, and entity expansions, ensuring AML obligation mapping, tooling updates, procedural guidance, volume sizing, and training content are completed before go-live
- Proactively identify and resolve program risks, manage competing priorities with transparent trade-off recommendations to GFCO leadership, and ensure no surprises at regulatory examinations
- Drive WFM-vetted cost savings projections across automation and operational efficiency initiatives, and maintain accountability for reporting only confirmed actuals
- Own intake discipline for your program area — ensuring all automation requests, tooling changes, and resource asks enter through formal intake channels with documented requirements and testing plans
- Author and maintain high-quality strategy and decision documents (P/PSs, RAPIDs, charters) that inform Director/VP-level decision-making
- Manage the feedback loop between automation outputs, QC findings, alert productivity data, and investigator feedback, driving continuous improvement in both the automation model and upstream alerting systems
- Lead Code Yellow-equivalent responses within GFCO (e.g., major lookback events, regulatory deadline responses, Sev2 volume surges)
Our take
Coinbase has built a reputation as one of the most accessible entry points into the world of cryptocurrency. With features like crypto wallets, direct bank account linking, and merchant payment tools, it's helping bring crypto into the mainstream. But the company isn't just relying on its early success, it's evolving fast to stay relevant in a rapidly changing market.
For example, its doubled down on institutional clients, now serving as the custodian for the majority of approved Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. Its Prime platform also offers a full suite of services for hedge funds, asset managers, and financial institutions. As demand for regulated crypto products rise globally (particularly in Asia), Coinbase is ready to expand.
Its also making moves to engage with younger audiences, by partnering with Riot Games to sponsor global eSports events for League of Legends and Valorant. This partnership highlights Coinbase's strategy to integrate Web 3.0 technologies into mainstream entertainment, aiming to bridge the gap between gaming and cryptocurrency for a new generation of users.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
-24% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 9 rounds)
Oct 2018
$300m
GROWTH EQUITY VC
Aug 2017
$108.1m
SERIES D
Total funding: $528.5m
Leadership
Brian Armstrong
(Co-Founder & CEO)Previously founded UniversityTutor.com, also worked as a Software Engineer at AirBnb
Alessia Haas
(CFO)Previously held various head positions, including VP at GE Healthcare, Director at Merrill Lynch and CFO at CIT Bank and Oz Management
Share this job
View 131 more jobs at Coinbase