Head of Compliance

Frequently lauded as the “best-kept secret,” Grameen America Inc. (GAI) is the fastest-growing and largest microfinance organization in the United States. A 501(c)(3) certified CDFI institution, the organization is dedicated to helping low-income entrepreneurial women build businesses to enable financial mobility by offering microloans starting at $500-$2,500, assisting members with obtaining or improving their credit scores, and providing financial, health education, and other services.

Founded in 2007 by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, with one branch in Jackson Heights, New York, Grameen today is a national organization with 37 branches in 14 states and 27 cities throughout the entire United States, with a total investment of $4.3B in 202,000 women as of April 2024. Continuing these efforts, Grameen has launched a “Women are Limitless” campaign, scaling the program to cumulatively reach over 750,000 members in 73 branches, disbursing over $40B.

The Role

Grameen America seeks a pragmatic, hands-on Head of Compliance to strengthen its regulatory infrastructure and support the continued growth of one of the country's leading microfinance organizations. Reporting to the General Counsel, this leader will combine technical regulatory expertise with the judgment and collaborative approach needed to build a scalable compliance function in a mission-driven environment.

The Head of Compliance will lead the development, implementation, and oversight of Grameen America’s comprehensive compliance program. This leader will assess the current compliance organization and infrastructure, strengthen existing processes and controls, and introduce best practices that enable the function to scale with Grameen America’s continued growth. The mandate is one of evolution rather than revolution: building on what is working while identifying gaps, improving processes, and elevating the capabilities of the compliance organization and team.

The Head will ensure the organization’s adherence to relevant federal and state financial regulations and ethical standards, with particular emphasis on KYC, BSA/AML, and multi-state consumer lending requirements. KYC will be a critical area of responsibility, including establishing effective processes and controls, training employees, overseeing adherence across the organization, identifying and correcting inaccurate reporting, and supporting regulatory examinations.

The Head will provide guidance to the General Counsel and senior management, serve as a trusted and pragmatic partner to the business, address regulatory examinations and inquiries, conduct and oversee compliance risk assessments and internal reviews, and maintain a robust compliance infrastructure that aligns with Grameen America’s mission. The successful candidate will bring

experience from a larger, sophisticated financial institution or similarly complex regulated environment and be able to apply those best practices pragmatically within Grameen America.

Essential Responsibilities

Compliance Program Management

• Assess, strengthen, and maintain a comprehensive, risk-based compliance program, bringing best practices from sophisticated regulated financial institutions to Grameen America’s growing and complex operating environment.
• Oversee the continuous refinement of compliance policies, procedures, and internal controls for consumer lending, KYC/BSA/AML, savings, credit reporting, and other regulated activities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal and multi-state consumer lending requirements, including BSA/AML, KYC, ECOA, fair lending, relevant sections of TILA, state-specific lending laws, and licensing requirements.
• Oversee compliance with NMLS directives and filings, and other applicable state licensing and reporting requirements.
• Establish clear, scalable processes and best practices across the compliance function, identifying gaps and implementing practical improvements to controls, documentation, reporting, and accountability.

Regulatory Oversight and Risk Assessment

• Monitor emerging regulatory and legal changes affecting the financial services and nonprofit sectors, communicating risks and necessary changes to leadership.
• Identify and remediate inaccurate or incomplete compliance reporting, determine root causes, and establish processes and controls to improve accuracy going forward.
• Serve as the primary liaison with regulators and external auditors, leading regulatory examinations, inquiries and remediation efforts to ensure effective resolution of findings.
• Maintain current knowledge of multi-state lending requirements and demonstrate the resourcefulness to identify, interpret, and obtain appropriate guidance when requirements vary by jurisdiction.

Training and Education

• Build and deliver a comprehensive compliance training program for new and existing employees, partnering with operational leaders to reinforce KYC, BSA/AML, consumer lending and other regulatory requirements in day-to-day execution.

Reporting and Collaboration

• Prepare and present regular, comprehensive compliance reports to the General Counsel.
• Build trusted relationships across Operations and other functions, using influence rather than authority alone to embed strong compliance practices throughout the organization.
• Investigate potential compliance incidents and breaches and coordinate with internal and external counsel on resolution.
• Provide pragmatic, solutions-oriented guidance that enables the business to achieve its objectives while operating within an appropriate compliance and risk framework.

Mission Integration

• Ensure that compliance initiatives support, rather than hinder, Grameen America’s mission to serve low-income women entrepreneurs, balancing regulatory rigor with practical, member-centered solutions.
• Work with program teams to ensure that program design, including savings programs and loan disbursement, adheres to all regulations while remaining accessible and affordable for members.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required. A J.D. or other relevant advanced degree is welcome but not required.
• Experience: Significant compliance leadership experience within consumer banking, consumer lending, or another complex, regulated financial-services environment. Experience within a larger, sophisticated financial institution is strongly preferred, bringing exposure to established compliance programs, processes, and industry best practices. Experience in fintech may also be relevant, particularly where it demonstrates the ability to build, operate resourcefully, and work effectively in a fast-moving environment.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Strong knowledge of BSA/AML, KYC, and consumer lending regulation, with meaningful experience navigating multi-state lending requirements. Candidates do not need expertise in every jurisdiction but must demonstrate the judgment and resourcefulness to identify regulatory requirements, obtain the appropriate expertise, and translate requirements into practical policies and processes.
• Program Leadership: Demonstrated experience assessing and strengthening compliance programs, establishing scalable processes and controls, preparing for and ideally leading regulatory examinations, addressing findings, and improving the quality and accuracy of regulatory reporting.
• Team Leadership: Proven ability to develop and elevate compliance teams, establish clear accountability, and introduce best practices while building on existing strengths.
• Analytical Skills: Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities to identify potential risks and develop effective solutions.
• Leadership & Influence: A hands-on, low-ego leader with strong judgment, humility, and the ability to influence effectively across functions and levels. Able to drive meaningful change through partnership and credibility rather than authority alone.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, practical guidance for employees, operational leaders, the General Counsel, and senior leadership.
• Mission Alignment: Strong alignment with Grameen America’s mission and an appreciation for the populations it serves. Prior CDFI or nonprofit experience is welcome but not required.

In-Person Requirements

• Attend required in-person quarterly staff meetings in New York City.
• Hybrid remote/onsite schedule with travel to NYC offices and other branches outside of NYC, based on business needs.

What Grameen America Offers:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Paid Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time
• 401(k) retirement savings plans
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Wellness program with two free coaching sessions per month
• Opportunity for advancement
• And more!

Grameen America is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) committed to diversity and inclusion in its workplace. Grameen America employment decisions are based on job requirements and individual skills and qualifications without regard to the applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Grameen America, Inc. participates in the E-Verify program.

Must be able to legally work in the U.S.

Visa sponsorship is not provided.