Compliance Officer, Registrations

BMO•Chicago, IL

17h

About The Position

The Compliance Officer supports the implementation, maintenance, and administration of the Compliance Program, with a specialized focus on regulatory registrations for employees engaging in activities requiring licensure with FINRA, NFA, and SEC. The role coordinates compliance monitoring, risk assessments, and control evaluations to ensure the business meets regulatory, corporate, and fiduciary obligations. This individual develops strong partnerships across the business, provides subject‑matter expertise on regulatory requirements, and supports the organization’s ability to operate within a sound, well‑controlled environment. Manages and oversees the complete employee registration lifecycle, including onboarding, amendments, terminations, transfers, and associated disclosures. Ensures timely and accurate completion of regulatory filings such as Form U4, U5, BR, and related submissions in FINRA Gateway, NFA ORS, and other applicable registration systems. Monitors registration and licensing requirements for covered employees, ensuring compliance with jurisdictional, product, and role-specific rules. Conducts regular reviews of employee registrations to confirm completeness, accuracy, and adherence to regulatory obligations. Oversees continuing education requirements, including FINRA Regulatory Element and Firm Element training. Serves as the primary point of contact for employees, managers, HR, and regulators regarding registration inquiries, licensing statuses, regulatory exams, and qualification pathways. Coordinates with internal partners to determine appropriate registration categories and manages prerequisite exams and training. Tracks regulatory changes related to registrations and proactively updates internal procedures, controls, and communications. Prepares and maintains documentation related to registration audits, exams, and regulatory reviews. Builds effective professional relationships with business line, other internal/external stakeholders and regulators. Conducts and/or effectively challenges risk assessments for business/group and assists to identify more effective compliance controls. Performs and/or effectively challenges monitoring and testing activities to ensure compliance regulatory compliance controls are operating and aligned to regulatory requirements. Analyses and reports compliance information to Compliance and business/group management. Performs and/or effectively challenges monitoring and testing activities to ensure regulatory compliance controls are operating and aligned to regulatory requirements. Supports root cause analysis in response to material control failures in business/group. Advises first line of defense management and employees on compliance matters. Ascertains training needs and helps develop training based on gaps identified through the compliance monitoring and testing. Identifies enhancements to business group compliance tools and processes and communicates to required stakeholders. Operates effectively within a high stress environment with constantly changing expectations and regulatory & audit scrutiny. Communicates the roles and importance of each of the three lines of defense, and proactively identifies regulatory risk. Works independently on a range of complex tasks, which may include unique situations. Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.

Requirements

Typically between 3 - 5 years of experience in regulatory compliance, preferably within a broker‑dealer or similar financial services environment.
Direct experience administering employee registrations with FINRA, NFA, and/or SEC, including completing and managing Form U4/U5 filings and registration amendments.
Strong understanding of U.S. securities and derivatives regulations, including FINRA rules and registration categories, NFA and CFTC registration requirements, and SEC regulatory framework for registered representatives
Experience with regulatory systems such as FINRA Gateway, NFA ORS, WebCRD, and CE systems.
Experience conducting compliance monitoring, testing, risk assessments, or controls evaluation.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and ability to learn specialized compliance systems.
Strong attention to detail in evaluating filings, controls, and compliance reporting.
Clear and concise communicator, able to explain regulatory concepts to business partners, management, and employees.
Builds effective partnerships with HR, Legal, Risk, Operations, and frontline management.
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple deadlines, particularly for time‑sensitive regulatory filings.
Takes ownership of tasks from initiation through completion with minimal supervision.
Operates effectively in high‑pressure, high‑scrutiny environments with changing priorities.
Proficient in communication, critical thinking, relationship management and project management skills.
Technical proficiency gained through education and/or business experience.
Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth.
Collaboration & team skills - In-depth.
Analytical and problem-solving skills - In-depth.
Influence skills - In-depth.
Data driven decision making - In-depth.

Responsibilities

Manages and oversees the complete employee registration lifecycle, including onboarding, amendments, terminations, transfers, and associated disclosures.
Ensures timely and accurate completion of regulatory filings such as Form U4, U5, BR, and related submissions in FINRA Gateway, NFA ORS, and other applicable registration systems.
Monitors registration and licensing requirements for covered employees, ensuring compliance with jurisdictional, product, and role-specific rules.
Conducts regular reviews of employee registrations to confirm completeness, accuracy, and adherence to regulatory obligations.
Oversees continuing education requirements, including FINRA Regulatory Element and Firm Element training.
Serves as the primary point of contact for employees, managers, HR, and regulators regarding registration inquiries, licensing statuses, regulatory exams, and qualification pathways.
Coordinates with internal partners to determine appropriate registration categories and manages prerequisite exams and training.
Tracks regulatory changes related to registrations and proactively updates internal procedures, controls, and communications.
Prepares and maintains documentation related to registration audits, exams, and regulatory reviews.
Builds effective professional relationships with business line, other internal/external stakeholders and regulators.
Conducts and/or effectively challenges risk assessments for business/group and assists to identify more effective compliance controls.
Performs and/or effectively challenges monitoring and testing activities to ensure compliance regulatory compliance controls are operating and aligned to regulatory requirements.
Analyses and reports compliance information to Compliance and business/group management.
Performs and/or effectively challenges monitoring and testing activities to ensure regulatory compliance controls are operating and aligned to regulatory requirements.
Supports root cause analysis in response to material control failures in business/group.
Advises first line of defense management and employees on compliance matters.
Ascertains training needs and helps develop training based on gaps identified through the compliance monitoring and testing.
Identifies enhancements to business group compliance tools and processes and communicates to required stakeholders.
Operates effectively within a high stress environment with constantly changing expectations and regulatory & audit scrutiny.
Communicates the roles and importance of each of the three lines of defense, and proactively identifies regulatory risk.
Works independently on a range of complex tasks, which may include unique situations.
Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.