Building the Future of Open Finance

Payward - the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services and CF Benchmarks - has spent the last 15 years building one of the most modern and globally accessible financial infrastructure platforms in the industry, built to advance an open, global financial system.

Before you apply, we encourage you to explore our culture page to understand what drives us and how we work.

The team

Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions across the globe. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, with products built for both individual investors and institutional clients.

Payward Europe Solutions Ltd (PESL), Payward Inc.’s EU based virtual asset service provider offering brokerage, transfer and custody services for EEA clients, is hiring a Head of Compliance. This person is the designated Pre-Approval Controlled Function (PCF-12) under the Central Bank of Ireland’s Fitness & Probity regime.

We are looking for a builder who continuously improves compliance programs to stay ahead of market growth and upcoming regulation. If you want to build the compliance infrastructure that defines what responsible crypto and regulated financial services look like in the EU, using the best technology available, at one of the most recognized names in the industry, during the most consequential regulatory moment in fintech history, this is the opportunity.

This role leads the firm's regulatory compliance framework, ensuring that the business maintains effective systems, controls, governance, and reporting to comply with all applicable Irish and EU regulatory obligations. You will support PESL’s Virtual Asset Services Provider license working closely with colleagues across our EEA and global businesses.

You will hold a senior control function with direct access to senior management and the board, and authority to escalate material issues independently. You will have significant influence in shaping compliance infrastructure for one of the EU’s largest crypto brokerages, part of the Payward group of companies rapidly expanding its products and services. You will be a commercially savvy leader who proactively helps the business to grow.

The ideal candidate should be “systems thinker” who deploys technology solutions including AI with the goal of automating everything possible consistent with regulatory requirements to scale the program as a risk based, operationally effective, data driven machine. This is the opportunity to build a compliance function that looks nothing like what you've been running - one where the answer to volume growth is never "hire more analysts." Our flat structure promotes autonomy, interacting with senior staff, and speed. We promote internal mobility to enhance career development.

Appointment is subject to approval by the CBI and PESL’s Board of Directors. The person will report to the Chief Compliance Officer and PESL’s CEO with accountability to the PESL Board, and manage a small team as our flat structure promotes autonomy, proximity to senior staff, and speed.

The opportunity

• Responsibility for PESL’s ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements including the VASP license

• Develop and maintain CBI relationships built on trust

• Oversee the implementation of new regulatory requirements as they arise including AMLR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1624), and manage horizon scanning

• Work closely with the CCO, the PESL CEO and colleagues on initiatives to ensure close alignment on products, services and risk management

• Partner with the business to bring to market products and services quickly

• Implement operational efficiencies deploying an automate everything mindset

• Provide compliance advisory support and guidance to the PESL Board on new and existing regulations, operational performance, and compliance with policies and procedures

• Oversee the Compliance Monitoring Programme

• Develop, implement and operationalise policies and procedures to comply with MiCA, AML and other relevant regulations

• Prepare license application documents to extend products and services

• Act as a trusted partner to Product, Design, Engineering and other teams to assist them to structure and launch products and services that advance Payward’s business in compliance with regulatory requirements

• Review product risk assessments, marketing materials, complaints and other matters for regulatory compliance

• Develop and deliver compliance training programs specific to Irish/EU and future regulatory requirements, ensuring employees are knowledgeable and aware of their obligations, while also monitoring their compliance

• Foster a culture of compliance awareness and accountability through regular communication and training initiatives

What you bring

• Significant senior Compliance experience in a previous managerial position at a regulated crypto exchange or payments firm, MiFiD investment firm, MTF or bank

• Demonstrated success in leveraging technology including automation to scale regulatory compliance

• Experience implementing markets and traditional finance rules in the EU

• Experience managing relationships with regulators

• Executive presence including the ability to exercise significant influence on PESL’s conduct, and confidence presenting to execs and BODs

• Experience in relation to VASP registrations

• Experience managing complex, global compliance projects

• Demonstrated ability to effectively analyze risk and apply sound judgment in a timely manner

• Practical knowledge of compliance risk management techniques

• Proactive, strategic, comfortable with navigating ambiguity

• Executive presence and compliance team leadership

• Strategic financial crimes and markets compliance experience

• Execution, bias for action mindset

Nice to haves

• Experience and/or passion for crypto

• Previous experience with MiFID II/Market Abuse Directive

Unless a specific application deadline is stated in the job posting, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Please note, applicants are permitted to redact or remove information on their resume that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Our commitment

Payward is powered by people from around the world and we celebrate the diverse talents, backgrounds, contributions, and unique perspectives that everyone brings to the table. We hire based on merit, seeking out people with the right abilities, knowledge, and skills for the job. We encourage you to apply for roles where you don't fully meet the listed requirements, especially if you're passionate or knowledgeable about crypto.

We may ask candidates to complete job-related skills or work-style assessments as part of our hiring process. These assessments evaluate competencies relevant to the role and are applied consistently across candidates for similar positions. Results are considered alongside experience and interviews, and are not the sole basis for any employment decision.

As an equal opportunity employer, we don't tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, whether based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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