Compliance Risk Manager

Mechanics Bank is currently searching for a Compliance Risk Manager to join our team. Here at Mechanics Bank, we value connection, partnership, long term relationships and working together in person. This role may be performed on-site at one of our local offices or remotely from California, Oregon, or Washington, with occasional travel for in‑person meetings or professional development.

As part of Mechanics Bank’s second line of defense Compliance Risk Management function, the Compliance Risk Manager will report to the Director of Compliance Risk and will be responsible for owning, managing, and continuously improving key compliance risk assessment processes. This role serves as a primary process owner and plays a critical part in the development, execution, governance, and enhancement of the Bank’s regulatory compliance risk assessment framework. The position requires a strong foundational understanding of Risk and the ability to contribute quickly with minimal onboarding. Demonstrate deep knowledge of Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) and/or a broad range of banking laws/regulations, including consumer protection and/or fair lending, with the willingness and fortitude to acquire and digest knowledge from areas outside of primary subject expertise. Exhibit a firm understanding of risk assessment methodologies and leverage data across the organization to strengthen risk identification, process design, outcomes, and reporting. The Compliance Risk Manager must be an initiative‑taker who is flexible, innovative, adaptive, analytical, and able to communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.

What you will do:

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Provide end‑to‑end ownership of the Bank’s Compliance Risk Assessment processes, including the design, management, and coordination of annual and quarterly assessment cycles, while contributing original ideas, critical thinking, and strategic perspective to continually strengthen processes, methodologies, and overall program efficiency.

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Lead and oversee assigned risk assessment activities in partnership with first line business risk owners, ensuring consistent execution, high‑quality documentation, and alignment with regulatory expectations and internal standards, while maintaining accountability for information accuracy and performing quality control reviews of source materials and assessment documents.

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Produce clear, accurate, and concise written reports summarizing risk assessment results for examiners and senior audiences, including executive leadership, governance committees, senior management, and the Board, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and a coherent risk‑focused narrative that supports informed decision‑making.

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Develop data-driven insights to enhance risk identification, measurement, and assessment processes. Utilize data analysis tools and techniques to aggregate, quantify, and synthesize large datasets to identify patterns, trends, and potential risks related to money laundering, suspicious transactions, and/or applicable consumer protection and/or fair lending laws/regulations.

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Proactively identify potential risks, emerging issues, and areas where the Bank may be operating outside its Compliance Risk Appetite, and keep management informed of material findings, control weaknesses, trends, and systemic issues identified through the risk assessment process.

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Build, develop, and foster relationships with all lines of business and internal control partners (i.e., Audit, Risk, Compliance, and Legal) to support comprehensive risk assessment activities.

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Maintain awareness of regulatory changes, emerging risks, bank-wide initiatives, and industry trends to ensure forward-looking, innovative, and adaptive risk assessment design and execution.

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Perform all other job duties as assigned by the Director of Compliance Risk Management, including administrative responsibilities such as file maintenance and organization, document publication and version control, results tracking and reporting, meeting scheduling and coordination, note‑taking, maintaining internal records and databases, and supporting general departmental operations.

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Travel required: 20-30 %

Who you are:

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4 Year / Bachelor's Degree required. Additional experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

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Minimum 5 years of banking or prudential regulatory agency compliance experience, preferably in a role with significant responsibility for managing, governing, overseeing, or evaluating enterprise-level compliance processes, including the identification, assessment, measurement, and monitoring of regulatory compliance risks and controls; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

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Professional certifications such as ACAMS (Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists), ABA CRCM (Certified Regulatory Compliance Officer), and/or CERP (Certified Enterprise Risk Professional) are preferred, reflecting a commitment to subject matter mastery and ongoin