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Financial Crime Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Financial Crime Analyst

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$80 - $120/hr

The Role Financial crime is one of the largest hidden problems in the global economy. Money ... Document your findings in the case management system to a high standard * Partner directly with ...

Financial Crime Analyst

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$60 - $80/hr

Maintain accurate, complete records in our case management system * Assist with periodic quality ... or a related financial crimes role (internship or coโ€‘op experience considered) * Working ...

Director, Financial Crimes Compliance

San Mateo, CA ยท On-site

$201.20 - $278.50/hr

... financial crime risks, and the company's risk appetite. * Lead enterprise-wide BSA/AML and ... Manage a comprehensive Customer Identification Program (CIP), Know Your Customer (KYC), Customer ...

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Financial Crime Manager information

See California salary details

$41.5K

$122.7K

$166.8K

How much do financial crime manager jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for financial crime manager in California is $122,698.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,300.00 and $165,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by a financial crime manager, and how can they effectively address them?

Financial Crime Managers often encounter challenges such as staying updated with rapidly evolving regulations, managing complex investigations, and balancing regulatory compliance with business needs. Effective approaches include continuous professional development, implementing robust internal controls, and fostering cross-department collaboration to share insights and ensure comprehensive risk management. Proactively using advanced analytics and technology also helps in detecting and preventing financial crimes more efficiently.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a financial crime manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Financial Crime Manager, you need expertise in risk assessment, compliance regulations, and investigative procedures, often supported by a degree in finance, law, or a related field. Familiarity with anti-money laundering (AML) software, transaction monitoring systems, and certifications like CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication are essential soft skills for identifying suspicious activity and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders. These skills and qualifications are critical for protecting organizations from financial crime, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining institutional integrity.

What is the difference between Financial Crime Manager vs Compliance Officer?

AspectFinancial Crime ManagerCompliance Officer
CertificationsACAMS, CFA, or similarCAMs, ICA certifications, or similar
Work EnvironmentFinancial institutions, banks, or fintechsRegulatory agencies, financial firms, or corporations
Employer & IndustryFinancial services, banking, fintechFinancial institutions, corporations, regulatory bodies
Primary FocusDetecting and preventing financial crimes like money laundering and fraudEnsuring organizational compliance with laws and regulations

While both roles involve regulatory knowledge and risk management, the Financial Crime Manager primarily focuses on identifying and mitigating financial crimes, whereas the Compliance Officer ensures overall adherence to legal standards. Both roles often collaborate but serve distinct functions within financial organizations.

Is AML a good career path?

A career as a Financial Crime Manager specializing in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) offers opportunities in compliance, risk management, and financial regulation. It requires strong analytical skills, knowledge of AML laws, and often involves working with monitoring tools and conducting investigations. The field is growing due to increasing regulatory requirements and financial crime concerns.

What degree do you need for a financial crime manager?

A financial crime manager typically needs a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, criminal justice, or a related field. Relevant certifications such as ACAMS or CFA can enhance qualifications, and strong knowledge of AML regulations and investigative skills are also important.

What does a financial crime manager do?

A financial crime manager oversees the detection and prevention of financial crimes such as money laundering, fraud, and terrorist financing within an organization. They develop and implement compliance programs, monitor transactions using tools like AML software, and ensure adherence to relevant regulations and policies. Strong analytical skills, knowledge of financial regulations, and certifications like CAMS are often required in this role.

What is financial crime management?

Financial crime management involves identifying, preventing, and investigating illegal activities such as money laundering, fraud, and terrorist financing within financial institutions. A Financial Crime Manager oversees compliance programs, uses tools like transaction monitoring systems, and ensures adherence to regulations like AML and KYC requirements.

What are the most commonly searched types of Financial Crime jobs in California?

The most popular types of Financial Crime jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Financial Crime Manager jobs?

Cities in California with the most Financial Crime Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Financial Crime Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 17% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $122,698 per year, or $59 per hour.

Financial Crime Analyst

Bretton AI Inc

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$80 - $120/hr

Other

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

About Bretton AI

Bretton AI is the leading AI agent platform for financial services. Companies like Robinhood, Mercury, and Gusto trust us to automate missionโ€‘critical work, starting with antiโ€‘money laundering (AML) and counterโ€‘terrorist financing investigations.

We've raised over $95M from Greylock, Yโ€ฏCombinator, Thomson Reuters Ventures, and other topโ€‘tier investors. We're based in downtown San Francisco and our team comes from worldโ€‘class organizations like SpaceX, Google, Netflix, Stripe, Plaid, and more.

The Role

Financial crime is one of the largest hidden problems in the global economy. Money laundering alone moves an estimated $2โ€ฏtrillion through the financial system every year, funding everything from sanctions evasion to human trafficking to terrorism.

We're hiring investigators to catch it. You'll dig into transaction patterns, trace money across counterparties, and decide whether what you're looking at is a false alarm or something worth escalating. You'll also work with the most advanced AI tooling in the industry. Bretton's AI does the routine work, such as pulling data, surfacing red flags, and drafting firstโ€‘pass narratives, so you can spend your time doing what investigators do best: noticing what doesn't add up, asking the next question, and making the call.

You'll also be the closest connection our Product and Engineering teams have to realโ€‘world investigations. What you notice in the work directly shapes what gets built next. Edge cases you flag become new AI capabilities. Patterns you surface drive the product roadmap. You won't just be using the most sophisticated AI tooling in financial crime, you'll be the reason it gets better.

This is real investigative work, on real cases, with real stakes. If you want a frontโ€‘row seat to the most consequential AI work happening in financial crime, this is it.

What You'll Do
  • Investigate transactions, counterparties, and customer activity to figure out what's really going on
  • Work alerts using established AML procedures, separating false positives from genuine red flags
  • Use Bretton's AI agents to accelerate research, transaction analysis, and narrative drafting, then bring your own judgment to what the AI surfaces
  • Write clear, defensible narratives that hold up to quality assurance and regulatory scrutiny
  • Document your findings in the case management system to a high standard
  • Partner directly with Product and Engineering, surfacing edge cases, gaps, and opportunities that shape Bretton's roadmap
What Success Looks Like

Month 1: Onboard, learn the relevant procedures, and start working live cases with structured support. Build deep familiarity with the work you'll do at Bretton.

Month 2: Hit steadyโ€‘state production with strong quality scores. Handle routine work independently and bring sharp questions to complex cases. Start contributing to procedural calibration discussions and product feedback loops.

Month 3: Become a trusted contributor on the team. Your handsโ€‘on insights shape how our AI evolves. Strong performers are positioned for extended engagements and expanded scope as our financial crime team grows.

What Weโ€™re Looking For

We're hiring at multiple levels. Whether you're early in your career or bring years of investigative experience, we want to hear from you.

  • A degree in finance, accounting, criminology, economics, business, law, political science, or a related analytical field, or equivalent professional experience
  • Strong written analysis skills. Your writing is clear, structured, and stands up to scrutiny
  • Sharp attention to detail and the instinct to notice when something doesn't add up
  • Sharp judgment under ambiguity. You know when to dig deeper, when to elevate, and when to close
  • Comfort working independently in structured procedural environments. You can follow detailed instructions without losing the bigger picture
  • Genuine curiosity about how financial crime actually works and how to stop it
  • Comfort working alongside AI tools. You understand both their power and their limits, and you naturally verify outputs rather than accepting them on faith
  • Legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship
Bonus Points
  • CAMS certification (Certified Antiโ€‘Money Laundering Specialist) or equivalent
  • Handsโ€‘on AML case investigation experience, including SAR drafting
  • Working knowledge of money laundering typologies, red flag indicators, and US Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) requirements
  • Experience training, calibrating, or onboarding analyst teams
  • Perspective from working across multiple institution types: bank, fintech, consultancy, BPO, or regulator
  • Familiarity with SQL or basic data analysis
  • Coursework or internship experience in financial regulation or banking
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