Associate Director, KYC Operations

Passionate about strengthening control environments, leading at scale, and shaping the future of global KYC (Know Your customer) operations? 
WTW is looking for an experienced KYC(Know Your customer)/AML(Anti-Money Laundering) leader to drive operational excellence across AML(Anti-Money Laundering), Sanctions and Customer Due Diligence in a complex, global environment.
Based in Mumbai, this senior role leads large, multi‑layered operations teams and partners closely with stakeholders across Business, Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk and Technology to deliver high‑quality, well‑controlled KYC(Know Your customer) outcomes at scale.
This is not a policy‑setting role. Instead, you’ll act as a trusted advisor—influencing, upskilling and helping stakeholders translate regulatory expectations into practical, scalable operations.

Location: Mumbai, India
Function: Enterprise Operations / Financial Crime & Due Diligence
Role Type: Leadership – Operations & Advisory
Reports to: Global Head of KYC(Know Your customer) Operations

The Role

The Associate Director, KYC(Know Your customer) Operations is a senior operations and advisory leader responsible for driving operational excellence across AML(Anti-Money Laundering), Sanctions and Know Your Client (KYC) services for a globally diverse business. Based in Mumbai, the role leads high performing, multi layered operations teams and partners closely with senior stakeholders across Business, Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk and Technology to deliver robust customer due diligence outcomes.
This role is not a policy setting or regulatory ownership role. Instead, it plays a critical part in advising, influencing and upskilling stakeholders on global AML(Anti-Money Laundering), Sanctions and KYC(Know Your customer) requirements, and on how best to operationalise regulatory expectations at scale in a complex, multi jurisdictional environment.
The role combines deep domain expertise with strong operational leadership, AI literacy, data driven decision making, and change leadership to strengthen control environments, improve efficiency and quality, and embed a culture of continuous improvement.
 

Responsibilities

Operational Delivery & Control Environment

• Lead end‑to‑end operational delivery across KYC(Know Your customer) onboarding, periodic reviews, refresh, remediation and quality assurance, ensuring strong controls, timely execution and consistently high‑quality outcomes.
• Maintain a robust operational control environment, ensuring audit readiness and proactively identifying, assessing and remediating operational risks and control gaps.
• Ensure operational practices remain aligned to evolving global AML(Anti-Money Laundering), Sanctions and KYC(Know Your customer) regulatory expectations across multiple jurisdictions.

Leadership, Capability & Culture

• Lead large, multi‑layered AML(Anti-Money Laundering)/KYC(Know Your customer) operations teams, setting clear expectations, accountability and performance standards across all levels.
• Build and sustain a high‑performance culture grounded in domain expertise, continuous improvement, and operational discipline.
• Develop future leadership capability through coaching, succession planning, talent pipelines and strong people‑management practices.

Stakeholder Advisory & Partnership

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across Business, Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk and Technology, supporting understanding of regulatory requirements and how these translate into operational processes.
• Partner with stakeholders to shape pragmatic, scalable operational solutions that meet regulatory intent while supporting business outcomes.
• Support governance and oversight forums by providing operational insight, risk perspectives and clear articulation of delivery considerations.

Insights, MI & Executive Communication

• Translate operational and risk data into actionable insight by analysing trends, identifying operational and financial crime risks, and driving targeted interventions.
• Develop clear, concise executive narratives using metrics, dashboards and business insights to inform decision‑making and influence senior leadership.
• Promote consistent use of MI to improve transparency, prioritisation and performance management across KYC(Know Your Customer) operations.

Change, Transformation & AI Enablement

• Champion change initiatives including process redesign, workflow optimisation, automation enablement and institutionalising continuous improvement practices.
• Apply AI literacy to assess, explain and support the responsible use of AI‑enabled tools and analytics within AML(Anti-Money Laundering)/KYC(Know Your customer) operations, ensuring alignment with control, risk and governance expectations.
• Partner with Technology and Data teams to ensure new tools and capabilities are operationally viable, well‑controlled and effectively embedded.

Graduate/Post Graduate in any discipline

Requirement (Essential)

• Deep expertise in AML(Anti-Money Laundering), Sanctions, KYC(Know Your customer), Customer Due Diligence and Enhanced Due Diligence within complex, regulated environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading large teams and/or multi‑layered operational groups, ideally within global delivery models.
• Strong understanding of global regulatory expectations and the practical challenges of operationalising AML(Anti-Money Laundering)/KYC(Know Your customer) requirements across diverse geographies.
• Proven ability to advise and influence stakeholders, translating regulatory expectations into clear, workable operational approaches.
• Strong analytical capability with experience turning data and MI into operational decisions and measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to deliver clear executive‑level narratives.
• Proven people leader with a track record of developing talent and future leaders.
• Adaptable change leader, comfortable operating in dynamic, high‑volume environments.
• Strong prioritisation and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to operate independently and drive complex issues to closure.

Desirable

• Practical AI literacy, including awareness of how AI and advanced analytics can be applied responsibly within AML(Anti-Money Laundering)/KYC(Know Your customer) operations (e.g. screening, risk assessment, MI), and the associated risks and controls.
• Experience working within globally distributed operations supporting multiple legal entities and regulatory regimes.
• Exposure to operational governance forums or regulatory engagement support (in an advisory or operational capacity).
• Experience embedding automation or workflow tools within financial crime or due‑diligence operations.

The Application Process

• Stage 1: Online application and recruiter review
• Stage 2: Pre-recorded video interview
• Stage 3: Live video interview with hiring manager and team
• Stage 4: Offer and onboarding

We’re committed to equal employment opportunity and provide application, interview and workplace adjustments and accommodations to all applicants. If you foresee any barriers, from the application process through to joining WTW, please email candidatehelpdesk@wtwco.com.