Compliance & Risk Analyst

Ascend • San Francisco, CA

2h

About The Position

Ascend is transforming the $10T global insurance industry by combining AI automation with embedded fintech.
While insurance represents 7.2% of global GDP, outdated financial infrastructure like PDFs, emails, and manual reconciliation continues to slow the industry down. Ascend is the first and market-leading finance automation platform built specifically for insurance, driving the industry’s rapid digital transformation.
In just five years:
Trusted by thousands of insurance businesses nationwide
Processes billions in transactions annually, growing 200%+ YoY
Built a world-class team of 70+ across San Francisco and Columbus
Ascend automates the insurance financial lifecycle, from collections to disbursements. We streamline operations and drive real profitability.
AI is rapidly driving the cost of software down, opening the door to faster innovation and broader access. At the same time, it is shifting where value is created. The strongest companies embed directly into financial workflows, capturing value at the point where money moves.
Ascend brings AI and fintech together to automate financial operations inside the transaction itself. Customers do not just adopt software. They unlock powerful financial efficiency with a proven 5-7x return on investment.
Insurance is a $10T+ industry running on legacy systems. AI alone won’t fix it, but AI-powered automation embedded into payments and transactions will.
Ascend’s mission is to become the leading financial automation platform for insurance by 2030—powering the entire industry’s financial operations while transforming the way trillions of dollars move.
We are looking for a detail-oriented, execution-driven Compliance & Risk Analyst to help maintain and scale Ascend’s compliance program. This role will own critical compliance reporting, documentation, training, and employee support while partnering closely with Operations, Legal, Product, Engineering, and external auditors. You will also play a foundational role in Ascend’s risk operations, supporting AML/BSA processes, transaction monitoring, and customer escalations across our ecosystem.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in fintech or insurtech compliance operations (Series A/B preferred)
• Direct experience with BSA/AML, transaction monitoring, and KYC/KYB workflows
• Familiarity with frameworks and partners such as FFIEC, FDIC, NACHA, and FinCEN
• Ability to audit processes and translate findings into clear recommendations
• Comfort operating independently in a fast-moving startup environment
• Strong written communication and comfort challenging the status quo constructively

Nice To Haves

• CAMS or similar certification is a plus
• Experience with Stripe, Middesk, or similar fintech tooling is a plus

Responsibilities

• Review core compliance policies and procedures (AML/CFT, Transaction Monitoring, Complaints, Red Flags)
• Shadow the Compliance team to learn daily workflows and escalation paths
• Get access to all compliance systems, tools, and reporting infrastructure
• Review the last 3 months of compliance reporting (Board decks, UAR logs, quarterly reports)
• Meet key stakeholders across Sales, Operations, Product Support, and Engineering
• Identify documentation gaps and quick wins for self-serve compliance resources
• Take ownership of recurring compliance reporting (complaints, monitoring, issues, fraud, AML)
• Lead weekly Red Flags reviews independently
• Execute end-to-end KYC/KYB reviews using third-party compliance tools
• Manage escalations for flagged customers, transactions, or accounts
• Begin tracking compliance metrics (review volumes, turnaround times, alert trends)
• Document and standardize SOPs to ensure clear audit trails
• Build the foundation of Ascend’s compliance wiki with initial articles and templates
• Fully own Ascend’s monthly transaction monitoring and compliance reporting cycle
• Lead periodic customer and partner risk reviews, including EDD and risk tiering
• Manage vendor relationships tied to transaction monitoring and risk tooling
• Implement AI-assisted systems to support regulatory change tracking
• Support audit preparation, evidence compilation, and exam readiness
• Propose operational improvements that strengthen risk mitigation while staying pragmatic

Benefits

• Competitive base salary and meaningful equity
• 100% health premiums covered for you and your dependents
• 401k with employer matching options
• A fast growing team with an emphasis on promoting from within 80% of all hires in the last 12 months have already been promoted!
• Unlimited PTO
• Monthly company-paid commuter benefit options
• Parental and family leave
• Lunch provided when in office
• Dog-friendly office!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed