Risk Strategist, Financial Crimes at Stripe · Toronto

Who we are About Stripe Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies—from the world’s largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups—use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Our mission is to increase the GDP of the internet, and we have a staggering amount of work ahead. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to put the global economy within everyone’s reach while doing the most important work of your career. About the team As Stripe continues to expand globally and launch innovative products, the complexity and scale of financial crime risk grows in tandem. The Risk Strategy team is a global team of strategists and program managers who operate at the intersection of Product, Engineering, Data, and Operations as trusted advisors. Our mandate is to ensure risk strategies are proactive, scalable, and seamlessly integrated into Stripe’s products and operations. The Financial Crimes Risk Strategy team, part of Stripe’s first line of defense, ensures that our AML, Sanctions, and related financial crime programs are coherent, defensible, and effective across all products. We design and operationalize policies, standards, and frameworks that allow Stripe to grow responsibly while meeting regulatory expectations and maintaining user trust. What you’ll do As a Risk Strategist on the Risk Strategy, Financial Crimes team, you will serve as a key advisor shaping Stripe’s global approach to AML and Sanctions risk management. You will translate policies and high-level requirements into practical standards, guide the design of controls, and embed financial crime risk management into products and market strategies spanning both traditional currencies and digital assets. This role balances risk mitigation with business enablement, ensuring that Stripe’s products can scale safely while fostering trust with regulators, partners, and users. You will influence at the highest levels—partnering with Product, Engineering, Data Science & Analytics, Compliance, Legal, and Operations—to ensure financial crime considerations are central to decision-making. Beyond protecting against risk, you will drive innovation in how Stripe manages financial crime, helping the company stay ahead of industry expectations and regulatory change. Responsibilities Support Stripe’s global FC strategy by translating AML and Sanctions policies into standards, frameworks, and first-line programs that enable product expansion while ensuring compliance Contribute to the design and ongoing improvement of financial crime controls, including transaction monitoring, screening, onboarding/re-onboarding, and digital asset-related safeguards Partner cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Compliance, Legal, Operations, and Data Science to align on priorities and address emerging challenges Assist in strengthening FC infrastructure by gathering requirements and supporting execution for investigative tools, monitoring systems, and control effectiveness metrics Act as a trusted partner to business, product, and engineering teams, embedding financial crime considerations into product and market launches in a balanced way Review and assess existing processes, recommend enhancements that strengthen effectiveness, improve user experience, and anticipate regulatory or ecosystem changes Stay informed on industry practices and contribute insights that help Stripe evolve its financial crime risk management approach Who you are We're looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role. If you meet these requirements, you are encouraged to apply. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement. Minimum requirements 7+ years of professional experience in Financial Services, Payments, or Fintech, with at least 5 years in a related role (risk, compliance, or product enablement) Deep subject matter expertise in AML, sanctions screening, and transaction monitoring, including regulatory compliance requirements and practical program execution Proven ability to design, implement, and operationalize financial crime standards and controls in complex, global organizations Familiarity with crypto, digital assets, or other emerging technologies and their evolving regulatory landscape Demonstrated experience developing risk solutions and strategies and working closely with Product, Engineering, and Operations to translate them into enforcement Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to challenge existing processes and propose pragmatic, innovative alternatives Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders across functions and geographies A results-oriented, accountable mindset, capable of driving ambitious goals while motivating and leading others Comfort operating in a dynamic, high-growth environment with shifting priorities and limited precedent A Bachelor's Degree Preferred qualifications Experience leading transformative AML, Sanctions, or Transaction Monitoring initiatives, including advanced analytics, model development and validation, or global screening transformations Proven track record overseeing the execution and delivery of programs or projects, with the ability to translate complex issues into actionable next steps Comfort working with data-driven approaches to risk, including proficiency with SQL Advanced degree or professional certifications (e.g., CAMS, CFCS) considered a plus