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Bank of Montreal

Runs Canadian and US banks for people and firms

Enterprise Regulatory Compliance Testing - Business Program Specialist

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/24/2026Deadline 10/30/26
$75k - $160k+ Commission structure + Performance-based incentives + Discretionary bonuses
Senior
Bachelor's
Chicago, IL, USA+1 moreMore locations: Milwaukee, WI, USA
In Person
Risk & ComplianceRegulatory Compliance & Ethics

About the job

Requirements
  • Typically, at least 5–7 years of experience in regulatory compliance testing, compliance risk management, audit, quality assurance, risk management, governance, or a related discipline.
  • A post-secondary degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Strong knowledge of regulatory compliance frameworks, testing methodologies, risk assessment principles, issue management practices, and quality assurance concepts.
  • Experience supporting methodology development, quality assurance programs, annual planning, governance, reporting, training, or operational effectiveness initiatives.
  • Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and develop meaningful insights and recommendations.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills to prepare executive-ready reporting and presentations.
  • Strong collaboration, stakeholder management, influence, and relationship management skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic and evolving regulatory environment.
  • In-depth verbal and written communication skills.
  • In-depth collaboration and team skills.
  • In-depth analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • In-depth influence skills.
  • In-depth data-driven decision-making skills.
Responsibilities
  • Provide advice and guidance on Regulatory Compliance Testing methodology, standards, processes, and tools.
  • Support the development, implementation, maintenance, and governance of Regulatory Compliance Testing methodologies, procedures, templates, guidance, and playbooks.
  • Coordinate activities supporting the Regulatory Compliance Testing annual planning process, including risk assessments, coverage analysis, capacity planning, and reporting.
  • Support the design, implementation, and maintenance of the Regulatory Compliance Testing Quality Assurance and Improvement Program.
  • Perform quality reviews and thematic assessments to evaluate compliance with Regulatory Compliance Testing standards, methodologies, and reporting expectations.
  • Identify opportunities to improve testing methodologies, operating procedures, workflows, tools, and reporting practices to enhance quality, consistency, efficiency, and scalability.
  • Analyze testing results, issue trends, quality metrics, operational performance measures, and other data to identify insights, emerging risks, and continuous improvement opportunities.
  • Develop and maintain management reporting, dashboards, scorecards, and executive presentations related to Regulatory Compliance Testing activities.
  • Support governance processes related to methodology changes, issue management, quality assurance observations, strategic initiatives, and operational effectiveness.
  • Monitor emerging regulatory developments, industry trends, professional practices, and testing methodologies, and recommend enhancements to the Regulatory Compliance Testing framework.
  • Support regulatory examinations, internal reviews, quality assessments, management reviews, and other oversight activities involving the Regulatory Compliance Testing function.
  • Develop and deliver training, coaching, communications, and educational materials to promote consistent application of Regulatory Compliance Testing methodologies and standards.
  • Support strategic initiatives designed to enhance Regulatory Compliance Testing capabilities, effectiveness, maturity, and stakeholder value.
  • Prepare clear, concise, and well-supported communications, reports, presentations, and governance materials.
  • Break down complex problems, analyze information from multiple sources, and develop recommendations to improve Regulatory Compliance Testing processes and outcomes.
  • Use reporting tools, metrics, and analytics to monitor performance, identify trends, and support risk-informed decision-making.
  • Maintain independence, objectivity, and professional skepticism while supporting Regulatory Compliance Testing governance and quality initiatives.
  • Work independently and regularly handle non-routine situations requiring judgment, analytical thinking, and problem-solving.
  • Perform broader work or accountabilities as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
  • A professional certification such as CRCM, CAMS, CIA, CPA, CRMA, or an equivalent designation.

About the company

Bank of Montreal, known as BMO, runs a Canadian bank and a large American bank, serving households and businesses on both sides of the border. Until the Bank of Canada opened in 1935, it acted as the Canadian government's banker. People use its branches and apps for accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and investments, while companies borrow from it and turn to its BMO Capital Markets arm to raise money and trade securities. BMO makes money on the gap between the interest it charges on loans and pays on deposits, plus fees from managing wealth and advising on deals. Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817 as Canada's first bank, and it keeps its legal head office in Montreal and its executive offices in Toronto, Canada.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Toronto, Canada

Founded

1817

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Profits are climbing: before one-time items, BMO earned C$2.86 billion in the quarter ending July 2026, up 19%.
  • Expansion means jobs out West: in March 2026, BMO announced plans for 130-plus new California branches within five years.
  • Payouts are steady: BMO has paid a dividend every year since 1829, the longest record of any Canadian company.

What critics are saying

  • Cost cuts reach staff: BMO reported a C$202 million severance charge in February 2026 as headcount fell 678 to 53,035.
  • The U.S. arm earns less: its 8.6% return on equity trailed BMO's overall 13% in the quarter ending April 2026.
  • Compliance lapses draw fines: Canada's consumer watchdog fined BMO C$4 million in February 2026 for overcharging 101,091 customers.

What makes Bank of Montreal unique

  • Business lending comes first: 56% of BMO's loans in April 2026 went to companies and governments, 28% to mortgages.
  • It is a big American bank too: its U.S. arm ranked 16th in the country by assets in June 2026.
  • Chicago is its second hub: 81 of BMO's 926 job openings in October 2026 were there, behind only Toronto's 241.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Accident and Life Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Professional Development Budget
  • Hybrid Work Options

Company News

CodeGoTech
Oct 22nd, 2026
BMO names Tim Cox as US CEO as Darrel Hackett retires nov. 1.

BMO names Tim Cox as US CEO as Darrel Hackett retires nov. 1. BMO taps its U.S. general counsel and chief regulatory officer Tim Cox to lead its American operations as Darrel Hackett steps down November 1. BMO, the Chicago-anchored U.S. arm of Canada's Bank of Montreal, is preparing for a significant leadership transition at the top of its American operations. Tim Cox, the bank's U.S. general counsel and chief regulatory officer, has been named to succeed Darrel Hackett as U.S. chief executive officer, with the handover set to take effect November 1, when Hackett formally retires from the role. The appointment places a lawyer and regulatory specialist at the helm of one of North America's largest cross-border banking institutions at a moment when the regulatory environment for major banks in the United States is anything but settled. From the legal suite to the corner Office. Cox's ascension is notable precisely because of the path he has taken to reach it. Ascending from the dual role of general counsel and chief regulatory officer to the chief executive seat is a relatively uncommon trajectory in major banking, where the top position has historically been populated by career commercial bankers, capital markets veterans, or retail-focused operators. Cox's background positions him as an executive who has spent considerable time navigating the complex intersection of law, compliance, and institutional strategy - experience that carries heightened relevance as United States regulators continue to scrutinize large domestic and foreign-chartered banks on matters ranging from capital adequacy to consumer protection and anti-money-laundering frameworks. In an era when legal and regulatory risk has become as consequential to a bank's bottom line as credit risk or interest rate exposure, elevating a chief regulatory officer to the top post sends a deliberate signal about institutional priorities. BMO's board and senior leadership appear to be betting that deep regulatory fluency will be a strategic advantage as the bank seeks to deepen its U.S. footprint - a presence that expanded substantially following BMO's acquisition of Bank of the West in 2023, a deal that added hundreds of branches across the western United States and dramatically increased the institution's domestic asset base. Hackett's Legacy and the Timing of Departure. Darrel Hackett's retirement brings to a close a tenure that saw BMO's U.S. operations navigate the post-pandemic economic cycle, the integration of a landmark acquisition, and a markedly more volatile interest rate environment than any large bank had encountered in decades. His November 1 departure date provides a clean calendar transition, allowing Cox a full quarter to settle into the role before year-end planning cycles and the bank's fiscal reporting obligations come into focus. The orderly nature of the succession - an internal promotion rather than an external search - also reflects a degree of strategic continuity that investors and counterparties typically read favorably. The source reporting also references Aron Levine in the context of this leadership transition, suggesting that changes at the U.S. leadership level extend beyond the chief executive seat itself. While the precise scope of Levine's role in the reorganization has not been fully detailed in available reporting, his inclusion underscores that this is a broader recalibration of BMO's U.S. management structure rather than a simple one-for-one swap at the top. What the appointment signals for BMO's U.S. Strategy. BMO's U.S. ambitions have been among the most closely watched expansion stories in North American banking over the past several years. The Bank of the West integration placed BMO in direct competition with regional and super-regional banks across California and other high-growth western markets, while simultaneously increasing the complexity of its regulatory obligations under federal and state supervisory frameworks. Managing that complexity - maintaining strong relationships with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve, and state-level regulators - is precisely the domain in which Cox has built his career. The choice to promote from within the legal and compliance function also reflects a broader industry recognition that regulatory credibility is not a peripheral concern but a core competitive differentiator. Banks that can demonstrate proactive regulatory engagement, robust governance structures, and institutional transparency are increasingly better positioned to pursue acquisitions, expand product lines, and absorb supervisory scrutiny without operational disruption. Cox, having served in the dual capacity of general counsel and chief regulatory officer, is presumed to bring exactly that kind of institutional credibility to the chief executive role. What this means. BMO's decision to elevate Tim Cox from chief regulatory officer to U.S. chief executive officer is more than a routine succession announcement. It represents a considered institutional bet that regulatory expertise and legal acumen are now front-line strategic competencies for a major bank operating in the United States. As Darrel Hackett hands over the reins on November 1, the bank enters a new leadership chapter shaped by compliance-first thinking at the very top of its American hierarchy. For peer institutions watching closely, the message is clear: in the current environment, knowing how to navigate Washington may matter as much as knowing how to grow a loan book. Elena rosato. Italian fintech analyst. Covers EU payment regulation and the Mediterranean banking sector. § Comments Open discussion no account needed

Yahoo Finance
Oct 21st, 2026
BMO names Tim Cox US chief as Darrel Hackett retires, with $1.5T in assets

BMO has named Tim Cox as its next US chief executive, succeeding Darrel Hackett, who retires from the role on November 1. Cox is currently the bank's US general counsel and chief regulatory officer. Hackett, one of the most prominent Black US banking leaders, will become executive vice chair and senior adviser. Cox will join the bank's executive committee, chair the US management committee, and report to chief executive officer Darryl White. The change follows BMO's plan to open 130 branches in California and 15 in Arizona by 2031. The bank, which counts itself as the eighth-largest in North America with $1.5 trillion in assets, expanded on the West Coast by buying Bank of the West in 2023. Cox joined BMO in 2010 and became US general counsel in 2022.

ABF Journal
Oct 21st, 2026
FGI Finance Supports LTP Sports Group with $65MM ABL Facility

LTP Sports Group, a wholesale distributor of bikes, parts and accessories, sought a finance partner that shares its commitment to genuine partnerships and

Stockhouse
Oct 20th, 2026
Evolve Royalties secures $75M BMO credit facility to grow copper royalty portfolio

Evolve Royalties has arranged a revolving credit facility of up to $75 million with BMO. The company, which focuses only on copper royalties, plans to use the money to add royalty and streaming deals. Evolve provides capital to mining companies in exchange for a share of future revenues. This gives it exposure to copper production without mine operating and construction costs. Chief executive officer Joseph de la Plante expects supply to fall short of demand as electric vehicles, data centres and electrification lift consumption, while ageing mines and few new discoveries limit output. His team previously founded Nomad Royalties, which Sandstorm acquired in 2022. Evolve went public in December.

Compliance Week
Oct 15th, 2026
CFPB targets debanking practices after OCC report.

CFPB targets debanking practices after OCC report. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in August 2025 to deter debanking, but a recent report from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) found that the nine largest national banks maintained debanking policies. Now the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is taking action against those institutions in one of the few actions it has taken since the start of the current Trump administration. The CFPB announced a new initiative Wednesday to investigate debanking activities. The bureau says it will determine whether the nine banks named in the OCC report - JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo Bank, U.S. Bank, Capital One, PNC Bank, TD Bank, and BMO Bank - and other institutions violated federal consumer financial laws, and it will take enforcement action if the investigation establishes grounds to do so.