FinCrime Operations Team Lead

Wise•Austin, TX

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Wise is a global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world’s money. Min fees. Max ease. Full speed. Whether people and businesses are sending money to another country, spending abroad, or making and receiving international payments, Wise is on a mission to make their lives easier and save them money. As part of our team, you will be helping us create an entirely new network for the world's money. For everyone, everywhere. More about our mission and what we offer . Are you a decisive, hands-on leader ready to make a real impact in the fight against financial crime? Wise is seeking a dynamic and experienced Team Lead to join our Financial Crime operations team (focused on suspicious activity reporting) in Austin, Texas. We are looking for an individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is passionate about mitigating financial crime risk, and excels at building and driving high-performing operational teams. This is not a "floor manager" role; we need a leader who takes charge, coaches effectively, and champions a culture of excellence and accountability. Your Mission: As the Team Lead, your mission is to lead, develop, and inspire a team of specialists dedicated to identifying and reporting activities to financial intelligence units. You will be instrumental in building an efficient, compliant, and high-quality operational unit. This involves making data-driven decisions, proactively identifying and implementing process improvements, rigorously managing performance, mitigating operational risks, and ensuring adherence to regulatory obligations. You will be the driving force ensuring your team is not just managed, but truly led.

Requirements

Proven Leadership Experience: Demonstrable experience in leading, motivating, and developing operational teams, preferably in a fast-paced, regulated environment (e.g., financial services, fintech).
Decisive and Action-Oriented: A proactive, results-driven leader who is not afraid to take charge, make tough decisions, and hold themselves and their team accountable.
Exceptional Performance Management Skills: Proven ability to set clear expectations, manage performance rigorously, coach for improvement, and address underperformance effectively.
Confident and Articulate Communicator: Communicate effectively with your team to drive individual and group performance. Strong English language verbal and written communication skills. Ability to articulate complex issues clearly, present confidently, speak persuasively, and build strong working relationships with diverse stakeholders. Not shy and comfortable being visible. Other languages are a plus.
Analytical and Data-Driven: Strong understanding of operational metrics with the ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make informed decisions to drive team performance.
Problem-Solving and Prioritization: Ability to multitask effectively, prioritize decisively under pressure, and take full ownership in challenging situations.
Adaptable and Resilient: A willingness to learn, adapt to change, and champion change management within your team. Demonstrates resilience, not easily swayed by external pressures.
Ownership and Accountability: A proven track record of taking individual ownership, driving initiatives to completion, and being a strong team player. Comfortable making decisions independently and taking ownership of those decisions.
Process Improvement Mindset: A natural inclination to identify inefficiencies and drive improvements. Ability to coordinate with senior leadership and provide insights for process improvements.

Nice To Haves

Financial Crime Expertise (Preferred): Strong knowledge or experience in AML, fraud detection, internal controls, or financial crime reviews will be highly beneficial.

Responsibilities

Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team: Directly lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of specialists, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Drive Performance and Quality: Own and actively manage your team's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), service delivery goals, and quality standards, implementing strategies to consistently meet and exceed targets.
Champion Operational Excellence : Design, implement, and oversee operational processes and task allocation, focusing on tactical execution to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient case resolution.
Uphold Rigorous Standards : Be accountable for the quality of your team's output, ensuring strict adherence to internal policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
Decisive Performance Management: Proactively manage individual and team performance, providing clear, constructive feedback, and taking swift, decisive action to address underperformance or behavioral concerns.
Stakeholder Engagement and Representation: Confidently represent the team's operations, policies, and processes to different stakeholders upon need.
Complex Case and Escalation Management: Serve as the primary escalation point for complex cases, collaborating with other functions to ensure effective resolution while maintaining strong customer empathy and clear communication.
Regulatory Adherence and Change Management : Ensure ongoing compliance with relevant regulations and manage the operational impact of regulatory changes without sacrificing efficiency or customer experience. Foster a proactive “culture of compliance” across your team, underpinned by strong, independent judgment and sound decision-making.
Risk Identification and Mitigation: Proactively identify operational risks and vulnerabilities, contributing to the design and implementation of effective controls and mitigation strategies.
Continuous Improvement: Actively seek and drive opportunities for process adherence, automation, and tooling enhancements to improve efficiency and quality.
Capacity Planning and Resource Management: Contribute to effective capacity planning to ensure the team can meet fluctuating demands and SLAs.
Role Model Leadership: Set the highest standards for performance, diligence, and professional conduct, acting as a role model for your team and peers.