WKO Banking Middle Office - Associate

Help protect the firm and its clients by enabling compliant, timely onboarding and ongoing review of client relationships. You’ll be at the center of the onboarding journey—coordinating due diligence, removing blockers, and driving clear outcomes. This role offers strong stakeholder exposure and the opportunity to deepen your expertise in financial crime risk and client due diligence. If you enjoy problem-solving, ownership analysis, and working across teams, this role provides meaningful impact.

As an Associate, Client Onboarding (Know Your Customer) in the Banking Middle Office team, you will manage end-to-end client onboarding, remediation, and periodic renewals by coordinating due diligence documentation and partnering with control and business stakeholders. You will guide stakeholders through Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, help ensure complete and accurate documentation, and drive timely progression of onboarding and review requests. You will also support continuous improvement by identifying process gaps, escalating risks, and improving ways of working.

Job responsibilities

• Manage onboarding, remediation, and renewal requests from business stakeholders and drive completion end-to-end

• Coordinate the collection, validation, and delivery of due diligence documentation to the production/processing team for platform completion

• Explain KYC requirements clearly and provide practical guidance on acceptable document alternatives to meet due diligence standards

• Analyze client ownership structures using publicly available sources and client-provided documentation, and request additional evidence or approvals when needed

• Partner with stakeholders to obtain complete supporting evidence and resolve documentation gaps efficiently

• Track progress against agreed timelines and follow up to ensure requests are completed within expected service levels

• Prioritize open requests through regular workload planning and status reviews with stakeholders

• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Credit, and Operations partners to reduce blockers and maintain accurate information flow

• Escalate material risks, issues, or delays promptly and maintain clear documentation of decisions and next steps

• Stay current on process updates and regulatory developments relevant to client due diligence and onboarding

• Identify opportunities to improve processes, controls, and tooling, and support change initiatives through to implementation

Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills

• Working knowledge of client due diligence, KYC, anti-money laundering (AML), and compliance standards

• Experience supporting client onboarding and/or periodic review processes

• Ability to assess and document complex ownership structures using public sources and client documentation

• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English

• Strong organizational skills, time management, and attention to detail

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple requests, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines

• Strong risk and controls mindset, including experience operating in controlled processes

• Proven relationship-building skills and ability to work effectively across multiple stakeholder groups

• Ability to learn new concepts and procedures quickly and apply them consistently

• Understanding of regulatory requirements relevant to client onboarding in Japan

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

Preferred qualifications, capabilities and skills

• Experience specifically with KYC remediation and periodic renewal cycles

• Experience partnering closely with Legal and Compliance stakeholders on documentation and approvals

• Experience driving process improvements and implementing sustainable control enhancements

• Familiarity with onboarding/KYC workflow tooling and case management practices

• Experience supporting a variety of client/entity types (for example, corporates, special purpose vehicles, trusts, and financial institutions)