Operational Risk Director -Banking in London

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.

Attributes We Value: We hire successful builders with founder-like energy who want real impact, accelerated learning, and true ownership. Here, you'll tackle complex, high‐visibility problems with exceptional teammates and grow your career as we build the future of global banking.

Risk Operations is a global 1LOD team responsible for the Acquiring, Issuing and Credit Risk domains. The team handles cases and investigations across product domains, working closely with 2LOD and Commercial teams to ensure that Airwallex operates within its risk appetite. As the Senior Director/Head of Risk Operations, you will lead a global team responsible for defining procedures and delivering operational excellence across new client onboarding, periodic review and in-life behaviour. You will ensure that Airwallex champions high standards for integrity, judgement and documentation in all aspects of risk operations.

• Own the vision, strategy and execution for Risk Operations
• Build, lead and develop a high-performing globally distributed team
• Own the location and resourcing strategy of the team, solving for 24/7 coverage, quality of customer experience and cost efficiency
• Create a repeatable & scalable operating rhythm, including clear OKRs
• Take a data-driven approach to performance management
• Strike the right balance between risk, customer experience and commercial impact, ensuring timely, high-quality decision making and communications
• Drive continuous improvement in the quality of procedures, playbooks and control frameworks, aligned to Airwallex financial crime and fraud policies defined by 2LOD and partnering closely with Risk Product and Engineering
• Ensure that Airwallex continues to improve the quality and consistency of documentation
• Lead AI transformation of the Risk Operations team

This role will be based in either London or Singapore.

Proven experience, including senior leadership in large-scale, multi-jurisdiction operations in a rapidly growing regulated financial-services or payments/fintech business. Proven track record of scaling Risk Operations (at least 2 of Payments, Issuing and Credit) across multiple geographies, and of building globally consistent performance. Background in Fraud Ops and ATO risk control. Strong commercial and analytical judgement — comfortable framing decisions in unit economics, scalability and return on investment. Track record of operating at the Operations–Product–Risk intersection and driving cross-functional outcomes without full reporting-line authority. Demonstrated delivery of automation/AI-led transformation in an operations setting. Evidence of big data/analytics (including SQL, DBX and BI tooling).

Preferred experience: multi-entity, multi-licence environments. Experience across Payments, Issuing and Credit Risk. Comfort with a highly technical, API-first product. Exposure to IPO readiness / public-company control environments. Top-tier consulting or operator-investor background (structured thinking under ambiguity).

Applicant Safety Policy: To protect you from recruitment scams, please be aware that Airwallex will not ask for bank details, sensitive ID numbers (i.e. passport), or any form of payment during the application or interview process.

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.