Senior Compliance Manager - Sanctions

Do you want to work on complex and pressing challenges—the kind that bring together curious, ambitious, and determined leaders who strive to become better every day?

If this sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place.

Your Impact

You will be based in the United States of America, Canada, or Europe as part of our Ethics & Compliance (E&C) team. The E&C function’s mission is to manage risks to our firm, our clients, and our people, while also enabling our firm’s client impact and innovation. The E&C function is a globally integrated team within the second line of defense of our firm. McKinsey has an E&C program that is structured in a way that ensures that it is well designed, empowered to function effectively, and works in practice. Our E&C program includes a clear message that misconduct is not tolerated as well as policies, procedures, training, monitoring and consequence management to ensure the program is well-integrated into our firm’s operations and workforce. This opportunity works in the Global Firm Practices pillar, which is responsible for instilling trust that our firm serves clients and communities with integrity and adheres to regulatory requirements.

As a Senior Compliance Manager, Sanctions, you will lead and oversee the sanctions compliance framework within our Sanctions & Trade Compliance team to ensure our firm adheres to all relevant regulatory requirements. You will be responsible for building, shaping, and driving a robust and comprehensive sanctions compliance program within E&C, partnering closely with senior leaders, legal, and risk functions.

You will drive the sanctions compliance agenda including the continuous evolution of the program based on our firm’s risk profile. You will also provide internal visibility to the ever-changing nature of the sanctions regulatory landscape and ensure appropriate enhancements to our ongoing program and activities as needed.

You will support our firm’s sanctions compliance risk assessment, drive the enhancement of sanctions controls (e.g., sanctions screening), improve sanctions standards, develop metrics on sanctions compliance matters (e.g., key risk indicator dashboards, systems, testing) and deliver sanctions-specific expertise and guidance as needed to key support functions (e.g., Human Resources, Supplier Risk, Talent Attraction, Product, etc.).

You will collaborate with a cross-functional and senior stakeholder group (e.g. Legal, Risk, etc.) across our firm in a timely and efficient manner. You will articulate our regulatory compliance obligations to internal and external stakeholders, serving as an expert advisor to the broader E&C community and other stakeholders. Finally, you will play a critical role in sustaining and evolving our E&C program and upholding our commitment to integrity and lawful practices.

Your work will strengthen our firm’s global sanctions compliance framework by advancing its design, oversight, and continuous improvement. Your contributions will ensure that evolving geopolitical and regulatory developments are translated into actionable risk management practices.

Your Growth

You are someone who thrives in a high-performance environment, bringing a growth mindset and entrepreneurial spirit to tackle meaningful challenges that have a real impact.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities to help you quickly broaden your expertise, grow into a well-rounded professional, and contribute to work that truly makes a difference.

• Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.

• A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.

• Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Exceptional benefits: In addition to a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, mental health, and vision coverage for you, your spouse/partner, and children.

Your qualifications and skills

• 5+ years in Risk and/or Compliance, with a focus on international trade controls (e.g., sanctions, export controls).
• Strong knowledge of US, UK, EU, UN, and other global economic sanctions; experience with risk-related databases and technology solutions (e.g., screening tools).
• Specialized compliance training or certifications (e.g., CAMS, CGSS, CSS) are a strong plus.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and issue-spotting abilities.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle complex, sensitive issues in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to tailor messaging for different audiences.
• Proven experience leading global, multi-disciplinary teams and fostering a collaborative, inclusive environment.
• Builds trust-based relationships with leaders and colleagues; acts as a key thought partner and cultivates a respectful, team-oriented culture.
• Demonstrates discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential materials.
• Proactively addresses ambiguous problems and drives them to resolution.
• Knowledge of research techniques, databases, and accessing regionally relevant public records and archives.

Our unwavering commitment to integrity drives everything we do, guiding us to always act in the best interests of our clients, our people, and the communities we serve.

Risk & Resilience