Step into a leadership role within our Client Operations team and help drive continuous improvement and operational excellence. You will partner with front office and control partners to deliver impactful onboarding solutions for clients, while supporting a culture that values collaboration and innovation.
As a Head of Client Onboarding within the Wealth Management Operations team, you will provide expert advisory services to onboard entity clients in the Asia region, ensuring compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Client (KYC) regulations. You will collaborate with front office and control partners to deliver an exceptional onboarding experience, act as a subject matter expert for complex cases, and drive operational excellence. Over time, this role may expand to include team leadership responsibilities, developing and managing a high-performing onboarding team.
Job Responsibilities
- Advise clients and internal stakeholders on onboarding requirements, documentation, and regulatory standards.
- Oversee delivery of an excellent client onboarding experience by team members.
- Serve as a point of escalation for complex onboarding cases, providing expert guidance and solutions.
- Meet regularly with Business Managers and Client Onboarding Team Leads to ensure onboarding expectations are met.
- Provide guidance on AML/KYC policies and procedures and present solutions to enhance controls across the KYC review process.
- Lead preparedness for audits and regulatory exams, acting as key contact for discussions and file reviews, and ensure adherence to firm-wide control policies and regulatory requirements.
- Collaborate with global AML/KYC colleagues to maintain a robust monitoring framework.
- Manage the end-to-end onboarding process, including account opening and maintenance in various systems, ensuring accurate and efficient execution.
- Review and manage daily work volumes to meet deadlines and policies; track and report performance against key metrics to meet KYC service level agreements (SLAs).
- Coordinate and report on internal initiatives and project plans; investigate, follow up, and resolve escalated client issues through collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
- Evaluate staff performance, provide feedback, and support recruitment, training, development, and knowledge sharing; model and drive creative problem-solving and decision-making within the team.
Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in the financial industry, with a focus on client-facing experience.
- Fluency in Chinese (Mandarin and/or Cantonese) to engage with the local clients.
- Excellent time management, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
- Strong risk mindset and attention to detail.
- Ability to operate effectively in a team setting and as a self-starter with minimal oversight.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred qualifications, capabilities, and skills
- Professional certifications in AML/KYC (e.g., CAMS, ICA) preferred.