At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the governance infrastructure for regulatory and financial partner requirements globally.
- Company: Join Airwallex, a leading global payments platform valued at US$11 billion.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team dedicated to building the future of global banking.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced, innovative environment while tackling complex compliance challenges.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in regulatory compliance or internal audit, with strong problem-solving skills.
The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.
About Airwallex
Airwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses. Powered by our unique combination of proprietary infrastructure and software, we empower over 250,000 businesses worldwide with fully integrated solutions to manage everything from business accounts, payments, spend management and treasury, to embedded finance at a global scale.
Proudly founded in Melbourne, we have a team of over 2,300 of the brightest and most innovative people in tech across 27 offices around the globe. Valued at US$11 billion and backed by world-leading investors, Airwallex is leading the charge in building the global payments and financial platform of the future.
Attributes We Value
We hire successful builders with founder-like energy who want real impact, accelerated learning, and true ownership. You bring strong role-related expertise and sharp thinking, and you’re motivated by our mission and operating principles. You move fast with good judgment, dig deep with curiosity, and make decisions from first principles, balancing speed and rigor. You're humble and collaborative; turn zero‑to‑one ideas into real products, and you “get stuff done” end-to-end. You use AI to work smarter and solve problems faster. Here, you’ll tackle complex, high‑visibility problems with exceptional teammates and grow your career as we build the future of global banking.
About the team
The Regulatory & Compliance team helps Airwallex grow responsibly as a global financial platform. We work at the intersection of law, regulation, risk, and business execution, partnering closely with teams across the company to navigate complexity, enable growth, and protect the trust our customers, partners, and regulators place in us. It’s a team for people who are thoughtful, practical, and energized by solving hard problems in a fast-moving, highly regulated environment.
What you'll do
As the Associate Director, Obligations Management, you will own the central governance infrastructure that identifies, catalogs, and tracks regulatory and financial partner requirements across Airwallex’s footprint. Sitting as a global central team, you will lead the architecture and maintenance of the global obligations register, mapping complex statutory and clearing-partner mandates directly to internal compliance controls.
You will also oversee the institutional RFI knowledge base and the central global audit register, ensuring traceability of control performance and tracking issue lifecycles through to verified closure. You will partner extensively with Regional Regulatory Legal, Local Regulatory Compliance, Internal Audit, and Second-Line Risk teams to transform abstract legal mandates into a structured, data-driven, and audit-ready compliance inventory. This role holds a global mandate and can be based in the US or EMEA.
Responsibilities
- Architect, scale, and maintain the central Global Obligations Register, comprehensively cataloging all international regulatory rules, statutory laws, and Tier-1 financial partner requirements alongside their respective compliance controls.
- Collaborate closely with the Risk team to ensure all mapped compliance controls and reporting obligations within the registry are structured effectively for independent monitoring, validation, and testing.
- Manage and continuously evolve the centralized global RFI knowledge base, synthesizing data and insights from local Regulatory Compliance teams to curate uniform, legally defensible evidence portfolios for banking partners and regulatory bodies.
- Own the global central audit register, tracking internal audit findings, external examination gaps, and material regulatory issues to drive accountability and verify robust root-cause remediation before deadlines.
- Partner with Regional Regulatory Legal teams to ingest ongoing legal interpretations and horizon scanning data, ensuring the global obligations registry is dynamically updated to prevent compliance gaps or control drift.
- Direct and scale a high-performing obligations management team, replacing manual trackers and spreadsheet dependencies with advanced, scalable GRC tooling and automated compliance dashboards.
Who you are
We're looking for people who meet the minimum requirements for this role. The preferred qualifications are great to have, but are not mandatory.
Minimum qualifications
- 10 to 12+ years of experience within corporate governance, regulatory compliance, internal audit, or operational risk management inside a highly regulated financial services, fintech, or banking environment.
- At least 3 to 5+ years of experience managing a compliance inventory, regulatory obligations framework, or GRC program at a senior level within a multi-jurisdictional environment.
- Proven track record of constructing complex compliance matrices, mapping internal controls to international laws, supervising audit registers, and managing institutional RFI mechanisms.
- A high-ownership, systematic approach to problem-solving, with exceptional corporate drafting skills and the cross-functional agility to align decentralized regional teams with central hub standards.
Preferred qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Law, Public Policy, Risk Management, Business Administration, or a related structured analytical discipline.
- Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), or a Master's degree in Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, or Business Administration.
- Professional designations such as Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), or equivalent GRC-related credentials.
- Deep experience working within a high-growth cross-border payments company, top-tier neobank, or API-driven digital platform handling high volumes of regulated transactions.
- Direct experience selecting, deploying, or configuring institutional Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) software systems to automate policy mapping and issue remediation workflows.
Applicant Safety Policy: Fraud and Third-Party Recruiters
To protect you from recruitment scams, please be aware that Airwallex will not ask for bank details, sensitive ID numbers, or any form of payment during the application or interview process. All official communication will come from an @airwallex.com email address. Please apply only through careers.airwallex.com or our official LinkedIn page.
Airwallex does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Airwallex will not pay any fees to search firms/recruiters if a candidate is submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless an agreement has been entered into with respect to specific open position(s). Search firms/recruiters submitting resumes to Airwallex on an unsolicited basis shall be deemed to accept this condition, regardless of any other provision to the contrary.
Equal opportunity
Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We don’t regard color, religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, sex, marital or family status, disability, gender, or any other legally protected status when making our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
Location: NL - Amsterdam; UK - London
Employment Type: Full time
Location Type: Hybrid
Department: Regulatory & Compliance
Regulatory Compliance
Associate Director, Obligations Management in London employer: Airwallex
Airwallex is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, empowering employees to tackle complex challenges in the dynamic fintech landscape. With a strong focus on professional growth, employees benefit from opportunities to lead impactful projects while working alongside diverse teams across the globe. The company's commitment to a risk-aware culture and its emphasis on employee well-being make it an attractive place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in the US and EMEA.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director, Obligations Management in London
✨Join Compliance Communities
Get involved in compliance and risk communities — both online and offline. Look for forums, LinkedIn groups, or even local meetups where compliance pros hang out. You never know who might drop a job opportunity your way!
✨Attend Industry Conferences
Keep an eye out for compliance and risk management conferences and workshops in your area. These events are a goldmine for networking, and they often have job boards or recruiters on-site looking for new talent. Plus, it’s a chance to learn what's trending in the field.
✨Leverage Your University Career Services
If you’ve recently graduated or are still studying, head over to your university's career services. Many companies, including those in compliance, actively recruit fresh talent through these services, so make sure you tap into that resource.
✨Showcase Your Knowledge Online
Start writing articles or blog posts about compliance topics that interest you. Share them on platforms like LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge and passion. This not only builds your presence in the field but can also catch the attention of companies like Airwallex looking for candidates who are engaged and informed.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director, Obligations Management in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Understanding of Compliance:In the compliance-risk field, it's super important to showcase your understanding of regulations and risk management frameworks. Highlight any relevant coursework, certifications (like ICA or AML), or even projects that demonstrate your knowledge and commitment to this area. We want to see how you can navigate this complex landscape!
Quantify Your Achievements:When detailing your experience, try to quantify your achievements. For example, if you've previously worked on a project that improved compliance metrics or reduced risk exposure, give us the numbers! This data-driven approach really stands out to hiring managers in compliance-risk roles.
Tailor Your CV to Reflect Relevant Skills:Make sure your CV highlights skills that are particularly relevant to compliance, like attention to detail, analytical thinking, and report writing. Ensure these are easy to spot – consider using bullet points to break down your responsibilities and achievements for maximum impact!
Craft a Motivating Cover Letter:In your cover letter, let us know why you’re excited about the compliance-risk role at Airwallex. Share what motivates you about compliance, and how you believe you can contribute to our mission. This is your chance to showcase not only your skills but also your passion for this important field!
How to prepare for a job interview at Airwallex
✨Master the Regulations
Brush up on key compliance regulations relevant to the industry you're applying to. Familiarising yourself with specific laws and frameworks used in your field will give you an edge during technical questions. Show that you’re not just aware of them but can also apply them—think real-life scenarios!
✨Show Your Analytical Skills
Compliance roles really focus on analytical skills, so be prepared for case studies or situational questions during the interview. We've got to demonstrate how we approach risk assessments or compliance audits, possibly drawing on examples from past experiences or university projects. Bring some thoughtful case scenarios to discuss!
✨Know Your Tools
Get comfortable with commonly used compliance software and tools. Familiarity with platforms like RSA or MetricStream can really impress during your interview, as it shows you're ready to hit the ground running. If you’ve had any experience with them, make sure to highlight that!
✨Align with Company Culture
Since it's a full-time position, show your long-term commitment and interest in the company’s mission and values. Dive into how your ethics and professional philosophy align with Airwallex’s stance on compliance. A shared vision can really resonate with interviewers looking for fit as much as skill!
