Senior Manager, Trader Onboarding & Identity Operations
The Senior Manager, Trader Onboarding & Identity Operations at Topstep is a strategic leader within the Trust & Resilience department, overseeing the comprehensive strategy, performance, regulatory compliance, and user conversion across all trader onboarding, identity verification, sanctions screening, KYC/EDD, and quality management functions. This role is pivotal in managing the end-to-end operational execution of the Trader Identity Onboarding program, encompassing Sanctions screening, Identity Verification (IDV), Customer Identification Programs (CIP), Know Your Customer (KYC), and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD). The position involves direct supervision of a specialized team responsible for key functions within Identity Operations. Collaboration with Legal, Compliance, Product, and Engineering teams is essential to develop low-friction, highly automated verification systems that mitigate regulatory exposure and prevent platform abuse.
Key responsibilities include recruiting, hiring, training, and developing a high-performing team, fostering an accountability-driven culture with ongoing feedback. The role requires strategic planning and staffing to align operational capacity with company growth goals, defining objectives, setting team KPIs, and tracking performance metrics to drive operational results. Evaluating fraud risk systems, policies, and operational procedures to identify vulnerabilities and mitigate platform abuse is crucial. The manager will analyze identity alerts, fraud data, and transactional signals to identify emerging risk patterns and systemic weaknesses, translating findings into actionable mitigation strategies. Ensuring strict adherence to financial and industry compliance standards, such as AML/KYC, CIP, and OFAC Sanctions, is essential, with close partnership with Legal Counsel and Compliance to ensure all processes comply with evolving legal mandates. Cross-functional collaboration with Trader Research & Analytics, Product Management, and Engineering is necessary to drive continuous process improvements, optimize verification workflows, and resolve complex fraud issues. The role also involves directing the lifecycle execution for trader verifications across various stages, including Registration (Sanctions screening), Second Purchase (IDV/Persona), Payout Readiness (CIP/Tax W-8/W-9), and Regulated Entity Onboarding (KYC/EDD).
Candidates should have over seven years of progressive leadership experience in fintech, proprietary trading, digital brokerage, or regulated financial services operations, with deep hands-on expertise in Identity Operations, IDV, CIP, KYC/AML, and Sanctions frameworks. A minimum of three years of direct experience in hiring, building, and managing teams in high-volume, regulated operational environments is required. Demonstrated experience in evaluating fraud risk systems, analyzing complex fraud data for trend identification, and enhancing organizational KYC and identity detection capabilities is essential. In-depth working knowledge of global compliance standards, including AML/BSA regulations and OFAC sanctions frameworks, is necessary. Proven ability to collaborate effectively with Product & Engineering, Trader Research & Analytics, Legal Counsel, and external payment processors/issuers is important. Expertise in capacity planning, setting operational KPIs, conducting QA reviews, and leveraging operational data to optimize technology budgets and workforce forecasting is expected. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of motivating distributed teams asynchronously and navigating fast-paced, high-growth startup environments, are crucial.
The compensation for this role ranges from $155,000 to $185,000 annually. The offered compensation will consider the internal compensation structure and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents. Topstep offers a comprehensive benefits package, including seven company-paid holidays, generous family leave, paid time off, competitive 401(k) matching, and health, dental, and vision insurance for full-time employees. Additional perks include a food and groceries budget, contributions towards health and wellness, and encouragement of vacations with a bonus for taking five consecutive days off.
Topstep is an engaging working environment that ranges from fully remote to hybrid. The company fosters a culture of collaboration by keeping cameras on during meetings and maintaining a robust Slack environment for communication. Employees are encouraged to take vacations, with a bonus provided for taking five consecutive days off. Topstep offers a food and groceries budget and contributes towards health and wellness. The company is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees and applicants are valued.
Topstep is a financial technology company specializing in evaluating and funding traders through real-time simulated trading accounts. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Topstep offers aspiring futures traders a structured, risk-managed environment to develop trading skills, qualify for funding, and trade with the firm's capital. The program combines educational resources and community features to build discipline and ability, enabling participants to trade without using their own capital. Topstep has been recognized on Inc. 5000’s list of America’s fastest-growing private companies and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list.