Cathay Bank

SVP, Chief Compliance Officer

Cathay Bank$164K — $200K *
Finance & Insurance
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (J.D., MBA) or compliance certification preferred.
  • 10-15+ years of progressive banking compliance experience, with 7-10+ years in management roles.
  • Experience as Compliance Manager,Director of Compliance, Deputy CCO, or CCO in regulated institutions.
  • Deep understanding of U.S. banking laws and compliance regulations.
  • Exceptional communication skills to influence senior executives and Board members.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the development and maintenance of the Compliance Management System (CMS).
  • Establish the annual Compliance Risk Management Plan and execute risk-based strategies.
  • Administer the CMS, ensuring appropriate policies and procedures are implemented.
  • Evaluate and report on the Bank's compliance risk exposure to Senior Management and the Board.
  • Monitor regulatory changes and provide impact assessments and compliance guidance.
  • Oversee compliance monitoring and testing, ensuring findings are tracked and remediated.
  • Foster a culture of compliance and proactively challenge business leaders about risks.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Life insurance and long-term disability insurance coverage.
  • Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings account (HSA) with company contributions.
  • Voluntary coverage options available.
  • 401(k) retirement savings plan.
Full Job Description
GENERAL SUMMARY

Cathay Bank is seeking an accomplished, strategic banking executive to serve as its Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). This executive will lead the design, implementation, governance, and continuous enhancement of the Bank's enterprise-wide Compliance Management System (CMS), serving as the primary leader for regulatory compliance risk.

The CCO is accountable for ensuring the Bank operates in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, supervisory guidance, and industry standards. The role provides independent second-line oversight across all lines of business and ensures compliance risk is effectively identified, measured, monitored, managed, and reported.

Key areas of oversight include consumer protection, fair lending, the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), privacy, regulatory change management, compliance monitoring and testing, and compliance training. The CCO regularly engages with executive management, regulators, and the Board of Directors, providing independent assessments of the Bank's compliance risk profile and the effectiveness of compliance controls.

DIRECT REPORTS

The CCO will manage a team of 20+ professionals with six direct reports.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Lead and maintain an enterprise-wide Compliance Management System (CMS) aligned with the Bank's size, complexity, and strategic objectives. Establish and execute the annual Compliance Risk Management Plan, and develop risk-based compliance strategies, priorities, and oversight programs.
  • Lead and develop the Compliance Department, with oversight of Deposit Compliance, Fair Lending and Credit Compliance, Non-Traditional Banking Products Compliance, Monitoring and Testing, Training, Privacy, and Vendor Compliance Due Diligence (new and annual reviews).
  • Administer and maintain the CMS, including the development and implementation of appropriate policies, standards, and procedures.
  • Assess the Bank's compliance risk exposure and provide ongoing reporting to Senior Management and the Board on the level, direction, significant issues, and emerging trends of compliance risk.
  • Provide oversight and subject matter expertise on applicable regulatory requirements, including federal, state, and local laws governing Consumer and Retail Banking, Deposit and Operations, Lending and Commercial Banking, Safety and Soundness, the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), and Privacy.
  • Participate in regulatory change management by monitoring regulatory developments, supporting impact assessments, providing compliance guidance on policy and procedure updates, and assisting in keeping Executive Management and the Board informed of significant regulatory changes.
  • Oversee a risk-based compliance monitoring and testing program, including transactional testing, control reviews, thematic reviews, and compliance assessments. Evaluate the effectiveness of first-line controls; ensure findings are documented, tracked, remediated, and validated; monitor corrective action plans; and develop meaningful compliance metrics and reporting.
  • Foster a proactive culture of compliance and ethical conduct throughout the organization. Provide advisory support and effective challenge to business leaders regarding regulatory obligations and compliance risks; identify emerging compliance risks; adjust compliance strategies as needed; and promote early detection and efficient mitigation of compliance risk issues.
  • Provide regular reporting to Executive Management, Risk Committees, and the Board of Directors. Present compliance risk assessments, emerging issues, examination results, compliance metrics, and regulatory developments; promptly escalate significant compliance risks and violations; and support Board oversight of compliance risk management.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's degree required, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Advanced degree such as a J.D. or MBA, CRCM, or other compliance-related certification strongly preferred.


  • Experience: Minimum 10-15+ years of progressive banking compliance experience. 7-10+ years managing compliance teams. Experience as Compliance Manager, Director of Compliance, Deputy CCO, or CCO. Experience at FDIC, OCC, Federal Reserve, or CFPB regulated institutions. Experience in international environments, plus.


  • Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Knowledgeable in bank services, operations, policies, and procedures.
  • Deep expertise in U.S. banking laws and regulations.
  • Strong understanding of Compliance Management Systems and regulatory expectations.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of CRA, Fair Lending, Privacy, and Consumer Compliance requirements.
  • Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives and Board members.
  • Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
  • Proven leadership and talent development capabilities.
  • Strong analytical, strategic, and risk management skills.
  • Ability to balance regulatory requirements with business objectives while maintaining independent oversight.


Pay Range: $164,000 - $200,000

ON-GOING TRAINING

  • Each team member is required to complete all required training including Compliance and Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering training suitable to his or her position within the Bank.


Cathay Bank offers its full-time employees a competitive benefits package which is a significant part of their total compensation. It is our goal to provide employees with a comprehensive benefits package to fit their needs which includes, coverage for medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health saving account (HSA) with company contributions, voluntary coverages, and 401(k).

About Cathay Bank

Cathay Bank is a regional bank that provides personal and commercial banking services. The bank offers checking and savings accounts, loans, credit cards, and other financial services. Cathay Bank serves customers in California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington. The bank was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in El Monte, California.
Learn more about Cathay Bank
Size
1,156 employees
Market Cap
$3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$228.8 million
5 Year Trend
+6%
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Cathay Bank

More Finance & Insurance Jobs

Find similar SVP, Chief Compliance Officer jobs: