Legal & Compliance Program Manager

NinjaHoldings

$90K — $120K *
Legal & Accounting
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in Program Management, Product Management, or Project Management
  • Experience in delivering complex, cross-team initiatives
  • Familiarity with regulated industries is strongly preferred
  • Proficient with Jira for managing cross-functional work
  • Ability to manage an initiative board that coordinates work among teams
  • Knowledge of software development lifecycles and change management
  • Strong organizational and prioritization skills

Responsibilities

  • Own and manage the Compliance Program Build Jira space for compliance and legal initiatives
  • Intake and prioritize initiatives from Compliance and Legal teams
  • Drive cross-functional Epics from definition to completion
  • Translate compliance and legal requirements into actionable plans
  • Coordinate execution across multiple teams including Compliance and Legal
  • Monitor project planning, scheduling, and delivery quality
  • Identify risks and recommend mitigation strategies early on

Benefits

  • Competitive salary and benefits package
  • Flexible, remote work opportunities
  • Fast-paced and enjoyable work environment
  • Dynamic start-up culture
  • Opportunity to make an immediate impact
  • Convenient downtown Chicago office location
Full Job Description
Job Summary

We are hiring a Compliance & Legal Program Manager to own and drive the execution of initiatives originating from two separate departments, Compliance and Legal. This role is designed for candidates with strong product or management backgrounds who are comfortable decomposing complex requirements, coordinating cross-functional work, and driving delivery in regulated environments.

The role will focus on program management and execution, not regulatory interpretation or legal decision-making. The goal is to ensure compliance and legal-driven work moves forward in a structured, visible way without placing execution burden on department leadership.

Location and Work Model

Compliance leadership is based in Sarasota. Legal leadership is based in Chicago. This role will report through Compliance, with a strong partnership to Legal regardless of the candidate's primary location. Preference for candidates based in Chicago, IL or Sarasota, FL.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Own and manage the Compliance Program Build Jira space, which serves as the central PM and coordination space for compliance and legal initiatives, ensuring work is routed to the correct Jira space and tracked appropriately
  • Intake and prioritize initiatives originating from Compliance and Legal
  • Own cross-functional Epics and drive them from definition through completion
  • Translate compliance and legal requirements into clear execution plans
  • Coordinate execution across Compliance, Legal, Product, Engineering, Operations, and external partners
  • Drive project planning, scheduling, and monitoring to ensure initiatives are delivered on time and with high quality
  • Ensure required legal and bank reviews and approvals are obtained, documented, and tracked
  • Identify risks, dependencies, and blockers early, recommend mitigation strategies, and escalate when needed
  • Provide clear status updates and delivery visibility to Compliance and Legal leadership and ensure initiatives close with proper validation, approvals, and evidence retained
  • Analyze complex business challenges and translate them into actionable solutions, utilizing advanced analytical tools and methodologies
  • Champion process improvements, organizational alignment, and strategic decision-making

Ideal Candidate Will Have:
  • 5+ years of experience as a Program Manager, Product Manager, Project Manager, or similar role
  • Demonstrated experience delivering complex, cross-team initiatives
  • Experience working in regulated industries strongly preferred
  • Comfort working closely with Engineering, Product, Compliance, and Legal teams
  • Strong experience using Jira to manage cross-functional work, including Epics, stories and linked workflows across multiple projects
  • Demonstrated ability to manage a program build or initiative board that coordinates work executed by other teams
  • Familiarity with software development lifecycles, releases processes, and change management protocols
  • Experience operating in controlled or regulated change environments
  • Strong organizational and prioritization skills

Additional Pluses:
  • Experience supporting Compliance, Legal, Audit, or Risk teams
  • Fintech, banking, payments, or consumer finance experience
  • Familiarity with data validation or reporting workflows, including the ability to interpret reports or query outputs
  • Experience coordinating work involving external partners or regulators

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary and benefits package
  • Flexible, remote work
  • Fun, fast-paced work environment
  • Dynamic start-up culture
  • Ability to make an immediate impact in a growth stage company
  • Convenient downtown Chicago office located in the heart of the city

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