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Head of Compliance and MLRO Designate, Cross-Border Payments & FX UK, remote-friendly | Confidential search
Own compliance end to end at a fast-growing, VC-backed cross-border payments and FX business. You join as Deputy MLRO and step up to MLRO as the firm's UK regulatory footprint expands. This is a build-and-lead mandate with true FCA ownership, not a maintain-what-exists seat.
READ THIS BEFORE APPLYING
We will only consider candidates who have worked directly with the FCA and taken a remittance or FX business through an EMI or e-money licence application from the ground up. If your experience is running licences and processes that were already in place, rather than securing one from scratch, this is not the right role and the application will be declined.
THE BUSINESS AND THE ROLE
Our client moves money across borders: payments, FX and international money movement between the UK and high-growth markets. You'll take full ownership of compliance, reporting to executive leadership, with a mandate to build a modern, AI-forward function where smart tooling does the analytical heavy lifting and people make the decisions, balancing FCA and commercial needs. You'll be the firm's primary point of contact with the FCA.
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WHAT YOU'LL OWN
- The end-to-end compliance and regulatory framework for cross-border payments, FX and international money movement, which is the heart of the role
- Deputy MLRO on joining, progressing to MLRO, with a central seat in the firm's UK licensing roadmap
- AML, CFT, sanctions screening, KYC and transaction monitoring across payment flows, payouts and merchant activity
- Regulator engagement, licensing and reporting across the FCA, central banks and payment authorities
- Embedding AI and RegTech tooling into operations, so the team decides on top of first-class automated analysis
- Compliant operating models for collections, payouts, FX and cross-border flows in each market
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- Deep, hands-on cross-border payments and FX compliance experience, the core of this role. A background solely in open banking, card processing or crypto custody will not fit
- MLRO or Deputy MLRO experience at an FCA-authorised firm, with current or recent FCA approval (SMF17 and/or SMF16), or immediate eligibility
- Proven experience taking a firm through FCA authorisation or registration (essential, see the note above)
- 8+ years in compliance, regulatory or risk roles across payments, fintech or financial services
- A strong command of UK payments regulation (PSRs, EMRs, PSD2) and hands-on AML/CTF operations
- A risk-based, commercial mindset: you frame risks with pragmatic options and help the business decide, acting as a partner to growth inside a well-controlled environment
- Hands-on AI curiosity: you already use AI tools, automations or agents in your day-to-day (years of AI experience are not expected, active use is)
- UK-based and eligible to work in the UK
- Available to start within 90 days
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NICE TO HAVE
- Stablecoin payments exposure
- Emerging-markets exposure
- ICA Diploma, CCEP or equivalent certification
PACKAGE AND BENEFITS
- Base £110,000 to £130,000, depending on experience
- Equity grant, as everyone in the business holds ownership
- Remote-friendly working and generous leave, including paid parental, study and long-tenure sabbatical options
- Annual personal learning and development budget
- Health insurance contribution
- Full equipment setup
This is a confidential search. Full client details are shared with shortlisted candidates.
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