Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) - Kenya
About this role
Founded in 2018, headquartered in Johannesburg, and backed by leading investors including Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures and Fidelity’s F-Prime Capital, VALR is a global crypto exchange offering a comprehensive suite of products—including Spot Trading, Spot Margin, Perpetual Futures, Staking, Lending, Borrowing, OTC services, VALR Invest, Crypto Bundles, and VALR Pay. Licensed by South Africa’s FSCA, with regulatory approval in Europe, VALR serves over 1.7 million registered users and 2,000 corporate and institutional clients worldwide. The exchange is dedicated to advancing a just financial future that upholds human dignity and the unity of mankind. For more information, visit valr.com.
Our Vision:
To establish VALR as a global institution that advances the economic life of human civilisation through a borderless, inclusive, and empowering financial ecosystem.
Our Mission:
To contribute towards a global financial system that upholds justice, fosters human dignity, and reflects the oneness of humanity, by serving the financial needs of individuals, communities, and institutions through innovative financial technologies.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience handling AML/CTF/CPF matters and MLRO experience is required, preferably within the financial services or cryptocurrency sectors.
- Familiarity with GoAML and Chainalysis (or similar cryptocurrency tracing software) is a plus.
- Experience in the Kenyan AML/CFT/CPF framework, including working with the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (POCAMLA), the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), relevant AML/CFT/CPF Regulations and Guidelines issued by the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), and sector-specific requirements issued by regulators such as the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). Experience with digital assets, virtual asset service providers (VASPs), and emerging regulatory frameworks for crypto-assets.
- Prior experience in a leading financial institution, crypto asset service provider or payment service provider is highly preferred.
- Kenyan citizenship, permanent residency, or the legal right to work in Kenya is required.
- Strong AML/CTF/CPF regulatory compliance focus, with the ability to manage complex financial crime issues effectively.
- Solid experience in financial crime compliance management, with a practical, solution-oriented approach.
- Passion for cryptocurrency and/or alternative financial systems, with up-to-date industry knowledge.
- Develop, implement, and maintain the company’s AML/CTF/CPF policies and procedures in accordance with the PMLA, the PMLR’s, as well as the FRC Implementing Procedures, and other relevant regulations.
- Submit Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and Cash Transaction Reports (CTRs) to the FRC within the required timelines.
- Work with management and staff to ensure the business implements and maintains appropriate systems and controls to meet AML/CTF/CPF requirements.
- Lead the preparation and coordination of responses to requests submitted by regulatory authorities.
- Maintain records of internal and external reports, take subsequent action and maintain records of reasons for submission / non-submission.
- Act as a central point of contact with the relevant AML regulators.
- Receive and investigate internal suspicious reports and report external suspicious activity.
- Liaise and collaborate with other teams to prepare the data required for the submission of reports requested by regulators.
- Ensure compliance with local AML/CTF/CPF laws and regulations.
- Maintain and implement an AML/CTF/CPF training programme and ensure that the relevant VALR employees are adequately trained.
- Periodic reporting to VALR Kenya’s Board, Chief Compliance Officer and Country Head, including status updates on the AML/CTF/CPF risks, controls, and any gaps to be addressed.
- Liaise with and respond to information requests from regulators, law enforcement agencies, and FRC.
- Collaborate with internal teams (legal, compliance, risk, and operations) to enhance AML/CTF/CPF controls.
- Advise senior management on AML and financial crime compliance risks and recommend mitigating measures.
- Perform any other duties and responsibilities required to ensure that VALR Europe is compliant with applicable AML/CTF/CPF regulations.
- Any other MLRO compliance-related duties as mandated by law or required by the business from time to time.
- Innovative Work Environment
- Engage with the latest blockchain technologies and tools in a rapidly evolving industry.
- Work from anywhere with secure, stable internet connectivity, allowing you to create your ideal workspace.
- Career Development
- Benefit from an annual professional development allowance alongside scheduled company training sessions to keep you at the forefront of the crypto industry.
- Competitive Compensation
- Competitive salaries that align with industry standards.
- When you contribute to our success, you’ll be rewarded with discretionary bonuses, recognising your impact on VALR’s growth.
- Receive preferential Tier 5 trading fees on VALR, with no monthly trading volume required.
- Diversity and Inclusion
- A commitment to fostering a diverse workforce with initiatives that promote equity and belonging.
- Wellness
- Employees are encouraged to strive for coherent and wholesome lives, fulfilling their work, personal, social, physical and spiritual goals to the best of their abilities.
- Compliance with statutory leave required by individual countries, in addition to flexible leave options.
- Enjoy lunch on us when working from our Johannesburg Head Office, one of the ways we support wellbeing and connection in the workplace.
- Impact and Contribution
- At VALR, we believe in a financial system that recognises the oneness of humanity. Our mission is to break down financial barriers and promote universal values of courage, ethical integrity, and the intrinsic worth of every individual.
- Engage in initiatives that promote education and awareness about cryptocurrencies, ensuring that everyone has the tools and knowledge to participate in the evolving financial landscape.
- Dynamic Team Culture
- Open communication and teamwork across departments, fostering innovation and creativity.
- Enjoy social gatherings outside of work to strengthen team bonds and boost morale.
- Global Exposure
- Work with colleagues from around the world.
- Exposure to diverse perspectives and practices in the crypto space.
- Recognition and Rewards
- Regular acknowledgement of employee accomplishments, fostering a culture of appreciation and motivation.
- Join us for retreats that blend professional development with team bonding in inspiring locations.
- Tools for Success
- Receive a Mac laptop and a discretionary allowance to purchase all the extras needed for a productive home office—yours to keep after three years (terms and conditions apply).
Company at a glance
VALR is a global crypto exchange offering a secure, high-performance, easy-to-use trading platform, enabling professional and retail traders to buy, sell, store, stake and transact cryptocurrencies including bitcoin, ethereum, solana and more. Available on Mobile App and Web (valr.com).
Headquartered and licensed in South Africa, with approval to offer services in Europe, VALR has secured $55 million in equity funding from reputable investors like Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures and F-Prime, affiliated with Fidelity Investments. We now proudly serve over 1100 corporate and institutional clients, and more than 990,000 users globally.
TRADING ON VALR
Efficient markets: Trade a wide variety of crypto assets across VALR’s deeply liquid spot, spot margin, and perpetual futures markets, equipped with a range of order types and trading tools.
Yield products: Generate yield on your savings with our liquid staking solutions.
World-class API: VALR’s institutional-grade API solution offers real-time and historical market data, extensive governance features such as shared accounts, and high rate limits.
Easy currency conversion: Simply convert USD and other fiat currencies, including ZAR, to cryptocurrency through VALR’s Simple Buy/Sell swap terminal, by bank transfer, or over-the-counter platform.
Quick onboarding: Fully KYC and AML compliant, VALR’s automated onboarding process can be completed in minutes.
Competitive fees: VALR rewards liquidity providers. Market makers get paid to trade, while market takers enjoy low fees, discounts and lifetime commissions on referrals.
Customer support: We tailor our service based on the needs of our clients, offering 18 hours a day of online customer support, as well as private technical support channels for our corporate partners.
Top Benefits
- Professional development allowance
- Discretionary bonuses
- Preferential trading fees
- Flexible leave options
- Wellness support
- Mac laptop
- Home office allowance
- Retreats
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