Senior Counsel, Sanctions & AML

The role

This attorney will act as the lead legal advisor on OFAC sanctions programs and advise on BSA/AML requirements. The role supports regulatory examinations and engagement with federal banking regulators and OFAC.

What you will do

• Act as the lead legal advisor on OFAC sanctions programs.
• Advise on sanctions screening, blocking, rejecting, and reporting obligations.
• Assess possible sanctions violations and lead internal investigations.
• Prepare and submit license requests and correspondence to OFAC.
• Advise on BSA/AML requirements including CDD, beneficial ownership, CIP, SAR, CTR, and FinCEN requirements.
• Review and advise on sanctions and AML policies, procedures, risk assessments, and screening methods.
• Give legal guidance on new products, features, partnerships, and markets.
• Support regulatory examinations, inquiries, and enforcement matters with agencies like the OCC, Federal Reserve, FinCEN, and OFAC.
• Review and negotiate sanctions and AML provisions in vendor, partner, and commercial agreements.
• Create and deliver training on sanctions and AML legal requirements for internal teams.

Required qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar
• 7 to 10 years of legal experience with substantial and direct focus on U.S. economic sanctions (OFAC) and BSA/AML regulation
• In-depth knowledge of OFAC regulations (31 C.F.R. Chapter V), sanctions programs, and enforcement practice
• Hands-on experience preparing license applications, voluntary self-disclosures, and responses to OFAC subpoenas or administrative inquiries
• Experience advising on screening, blocking and rejecting decisions, and sanctions compliance program design
• Strong working knowledge of the BSA, the USA PATRIOT Act, the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, and FinCEN regulations
• Experience advising banks, broker-dealers, money services businesses, fintech companies, or other regulated financial institutions
• Excellent judgment to turn complex legal requirements into clear, practical, risk-based advice
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently and handle several priorities in a fast-paced environment

Nice to have

• Prior work at OFAC or at the U.S. Department of the Treasury in a sanctions-focused role
• Experience in the sanctions, AML, or financial regulatory practice of a leading law firm
• Previous in-house experience at a bank, fintech, or other regulated financial services company
• Experience with digital assets, payments, or cross-border transaction sanctions issues
• Experience with the export control laws (EAR) and their overlap with sanctions compliance
• Familiarity with sanctions screening technology, transaction monitoring systems, and vendor management
• Experience supporting regulatory examinations by federal banking regulators

About the company

SoFi is a next-generation financial services company and national bank using innovative, mobile-first technology to help its members reach their goals.