Global Sanctions Program Manager

Block•San Francisco Bay Area, CA

About The Position

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block. The Role The Global Sanctions Team ("GS") is part of the BSA/AML and Sanctions Team within Block Compliance. GS executes Block's Global Sanctions Program to effectively manage and mitigate economic sanctions risks across the organization. As a Global Sanctions Program Manager, you will play a critical role in ensuring the ongoing effectiveness, appropriateness, and regulatory alignment of Block's sanctions screening systems. You will be responsible for governance and oversight of sanctions list management, change management for sanctions systems, and the maintenance of supporting policies and procedures. You will partner closely with Compliance, Legal, Engineering, Product, and Operations teams to ensure sanctions systems operate as intended and in line with regulatory expectations across jurisdictions. Other responsibilities include:

Requirements

5+ years of experience in sanctions compliance, financial crimes compliance, or related risk management roles within FinTech, financial services, consulting, or government.
Experience with U.S. and non-U.S. sanctions regimes and how they are operationalized through screening systems and list management processes.
Hands-on experience with sanctions list management , including periodic reviews, governance documentation, and jurisdictional applicability assessments.
Experience working with sanctions screening systems and formal change management processes.
Review, challenge, and document system changes from a compliance and risk perspective.
Experience drafting, maintaining, and operationalizing compliance policies and procedures .
Partner with Product, Engineering, Legal, and Operations teams.
Ability to translate technical and regulatory concepts into clear documentation.

Nice To Haves

Relevant industry certifications (e.g., CAMS, CGSS, and CSS)
Experience supporting regulatory exams or internal audits related to sanctions systems
Familiarity with governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) tools or change management platforms.
Project management experience or related certifications.

Responsibilities

Own and execute annual and periodic sanctions list management reviews to ensure sanctions lists used for screening are appropriate, complete, and aligned with the jurisdictions, products, and customer populations Block supports.
Conduct and document sanctions list governance reviews , including rationale for inclusion/exclusion of lists, jurisdictional applicability, and alignment with regulatory guidance (e.g., OFAC, EU, UK, UN, and other relevant authorities).
Partner with Legal and Compliance stakeholders to assess regulatory changes and determine required updates to sanctions lists and screening logic.
Review and challenge sanctions-related risk assessments, rationales, and narratives to ensure alignment with regulatory expectations and industry standards.
Serve as a primary point of contact for sanctions systems change management , including intake, review, challenge, approval, and documentation of requested changes to sanctions screening tools.
Ensure all sanctions system changes are submitted, tracked, tested, and approved through established change management systems in accordance with enterprise governance standards.
Review and challenge system change requests to assess sanctions risk impact, downstream dependencies, and implementation readiness.
Maintain and update sanctions-related policies, procedures, and standards to reflect current systems, processes, and regulatory expectations.
Ensure policies and procedures clearly document sanctions list management, system governance, roles and responsibilities, and escalation pathways.
Coordinate with cross-functional partners to support audits, exams, and internal reviews related to sanctions systems governance and list management.
Identify, document, and track sanctions systems–related issues, gaps, and enhancement opportunities through established issue management processes.
Provide subject matter expertise on sanctions systems governance to internal stakeholders, contributing to a sustainable global sanctions compliance framework.

Benefits

Healthcare coverage (Medical, Vision and Dental insurance)
Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
Retirement Plans including company match
Employee Stock Purchase Program
Wellness programs, including access to mental health, 1:1 financial planners, and a monthly wellness allowance
Paid parental and caregiving leave
Paid time off (including 12 paid holidays)
Paid sick leave (1 hour per 26 hours worked (max 80 hours per calendar year to the extent legally permissible) for non-exempt employees and covered by our Flexible Time Off policy for exempt employees)
Learning and Development resources
Paid Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits
This role is also eligible to participate in Block's equity plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies, and may be eligible for a sign-on bonus.
Sales roles may be eligible to participate in a commission plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies.