About You:
You are a high achiever looking to thrive in a fast-paced environment. You take pride in your own work but are comfortable collaborating with a team of highly motivated individuals. You can communicate clearly and concisely with teammates and clients, and you enjoy strong company culture and camaraderie. You can navigate multiple corporate functions, including global lines of service and corporate centers of excellence. You possess strong interpersonal skills and are willing to take on diverse tasks to achieve the team’s common goal. You value personal and professional growth and are ready to take the next step in advancing your career.
If this sounds like you, well, then you will love the culture at Avison Young!
About Us:
Avison Young is a global commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm, offering transaction, management, financial and consulting services. We’ve designed our corporate structure to best serve our clients by enhancing collaboration across our organization.
Real estate can have an enormous positive impact on people’s lives – and we’re in the business of making spaces and places work better for people. Our purpose is to create real economic, social and environmental value as a global real estate advisor, powered by people.
We care about each other and we have each other’s backs. This makes Avison Young a great place to be a client, and a great place to work. We support the whole person and their complete wellness – economic, mental and physical – because what’s best for our business comes from our people bringing their whole selves to work.
Of course we love it here, but outsiders think we’re pretty great too! Avison Young has been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for the 15th year in a row, with a Platinum Club designation!
Overview
To support Avison Young’s Canadian business by completing Know Your Client (KYC) verifications for new and existing clients and maintaining accurate, organized AML/KYC records. The role provides essential administrative and analytical support to help the business meet its Canadian anti-money laundering and terrorist financing obligations, including FINTRAC-related requirements, while improving consistency across a centralized national process. The primary focus of the role is to understand and verify who the client is before a business relationship is established or maintained. The Analyst’s work is an important input into AML risk assessments and supports timely, well-documented decision-making by the Compliance team and business stakeholders.
Canada - hybrid or remote, with availability during Canadian business hours. Preference may be given to candidates based in or near the Montreal office, where applicable.
Responsibilities
AML / KYC support
- Complete KYC verification checks for clients and unrepresented counterparties involved in applicable Canadian commercial real estate transactions, in accordance with internal AMLTF policies, procedures, and FINTRAC-related requirements.
- Collect, review, and validate client identity documents, client identification information, and supporting documentation for individuals, corporations, trusts, partnerships, and other entities, as applicable.
- Verify beneficial ownership information and confirm ownership and control structures by reviewing corporate documentation, organizational charts, registers, agreements, or other supporting records, as applicable.
- Review client and corporate information for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and potential red flags.
- Assess customer risk factors using approved internal processes and tools, including verifications related to politically exposed persons (PEP), heads of international organizations (HIO), sanctions, adverse media, transaction context, geography, entity type, or other risk indicators, where applicable.
- Maintain accurate, organized and complete KYC and AML records.
- Update approved systems, trackers, or workflow tools, including Salesforce or other client relationship management platforms, with the status of KYC verifications and supporting notes.
- Manage basic workflow tasks by gathering information from internal teams and external parties, tracking outstanding verification requests, following up on delayed responses, and documenting file status in a clear, concise, and factual manner.
- Escalate incomplete files, unusual information, potential red flags, higher-risk matters, or process exceptions to the appropriate Compliance team member for review.
- Refresh KYC information periodically where required and support ongoing monitoring based on risk level.
- Support reporting, management information, metrics, and status updates on AML verification volumes, turnaround times, outstanding items, escalations, recurring process issues, and common gaps.
- Help identify recurring process issues, gaps, or control weaknesses where applicable and support practical improvements to AML/KYC procedures, forms, checklists, and guidance materials.
- Provide routine guidance to the business on KYC requirements, using plain language and escalating complex or higher-risk questions to senior Compliance team members.
- Assist with internal reviews, quarterly checks, audits, regulatory inquiries, or information requests by gathering, organizing, and maintaining supporting documentation where required.
- Handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and in accordance with internal privacy, records management, and information security expectations.
- Collaborate with Canadian Operations, brokerage teams, transaction support teams, Legal, Finance, IT/CRM, and other business stakeholders involved in the client onboarding and transaction process.
GRC and admin support
- Provide general administrative support to the Global Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team.
- Support the creation, update, and maintenance of Canadian AML risk assessments or related compliance records, as required.
- Assist with periodic checks, quality reviews, or control testing related to AML/KYC files and supporting records, as required.
- Undertake other compliance-related administrative tasks to support the effective operation of the Canadian AMLTF Compliance Program.
- Maintain strict confidentiality when handling client, employee, regulatory, or transaction-related information.
- Carry out other duties appropriate to the role, as required.
Qualifications
- College diploma, university degree, or equivalent post-secondary education in business, finance, legal studies, criminology, risk management, compliance, real estate, or a related field.
- 0- 2 years of relevant experience in Compliance, AML, KYC, client onboarding, document review, real estate administration, financial services, legal support, risk management, regulated environments, or another similar function.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to follow defined policies, procedures, checklists, and workflows.
- Good organizational skills, with the ability to work independently, prioritize workload, manage multiple files and tight deadlines, and follow up on outstanding items.
- Clear communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain complex KYC requirements in plain language and positively influence practices.
- Thorough, professional, determined, analytical, and intellectually curious individual, with an approachable manner and ability to work well as part of a team.
- Comfortable working with IT systems, including Microsoft Office; experience with Salesforce, client onboarding tools, compliance screening tools, or other workflow systems would be an asset.
- Ability to apply sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and know when to escalate higher-risk or sensitive matters.
- AML or compliance training, including ACAMS, ICA, or similar, is beneficial but not essential.
- Knowledge or awareness of commercial real estate operations and company ownership structures would be an asset.
- Bilingual communication skills in English and French are preferred for supporting stakeholders across Canada.
