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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead compliance and AML functions, ensuring regulatory adherence and robust onboarding processes.
- Company: Fast-growing UK payments scale-up with a focus on innovation and compliance.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership role, and opportunities for long-term growth.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact in a key leadership position within a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in AML/Compliance, strong understanding of UK/EU regulations, and excellent communication skills.
- Other info: Collaborate closely with senior leadership and shape compliance frameworks from the ground up.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 Ā£ per year.
About The Client
Our client is a UKālicensed acquiring institution and a principal member of Visa and Mastercard. The company operates as a fastāgrowing payments scaleāup, providing cardāacquiring services to merchants across various risk tiers. As the business expands, the organisation is strengthening its compliance and AML framework in preparation for larger regulatory oversight and increased operational scale.
Role Overview
We are looking for a highly professional Head of Compliance / MLRO who will take ownership of the full AML/CTF and regulatory compliance function. The role is designed for a handsāon professional who can ensure flawless onboarding, robust oversight of merchant activity, clean regulatory reporting, and compliance with all FCA and cardāscheme requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Managing endātoāend AML/KYC/KYB onboarding for midārisk and highārisk merchants.
- Conducting and reviewing CDD/EDD, ownership structures, UBO analysis, sanctions and PEP results.
- Ensuring the onboarding journey remains compliant with Visa/Mastercard scheme standards.
- Acting as the primary approver (maker role) for complianceārelated onboarding decisions.
- Overseeing ongoing monitoring, including sanctions alerts, adverse media findings, suspicious behaviour indicators, and periodic merchant reviews aligned with risk tiers.
- SARs/STRs reporting.
- Maintaining AML, CDD, EDD, onboarding and monitoring policies, ensuring they remain up to date.
- Preparing regulatory, internal, and schemeārelated compliance reports.
- Ensuring full regulatory compliance to UK/EU AML rules and cardāscheme requirements.
- Monitoring merchant activity for fraud signals, unusual transactional patterns, or schemeārelated policy breaches.
- Collaborating with Risk and Underwriting team on appetite thresholds, merchant categorisation and escalations.
- Providing compliance guidance to operational, underwriting, and commercial teams.
- Delivering ongoing AML/CTF training programmes to internal staff.
- Preparing documentation and evidence for external and internal audits.
Requirements
- 5+ years of experience in AML/Compliance within payments, acquiring or fintech.
- Strong understanding of UK and EU AML legislation, Visa/Mastercard scheme rules and requirements.
- Handsāon experience with sanctions/PEP screening, UBO verification and enhanced due diligence.
- Ability to assess merchant business models and identify behavioural red flags.
- Excellent command of English; Russian language proficiency strongly preferred.
- High personal integrity, strong ethical standards and independent judgment.
- Strong communication skills, able to collaborate with technical and nonātechnical teams and stakeholders.
- Problemāsolving mindset and readiness to improve or rebuild processes with low initial maturity.
Nice to Have
- ACAMS, ICA or IMC or similar certifications.
- Previous experience with highārisk merchant payment processing.
- Understanding of fraud and chargeback flows.
- Knowledge of GDPR and dataāprotection principles.
What We Offer
- A key leadership role in a scaling UKāregulated acquirer with significant strategic impact.
- Close collaboration with senior leadership and ownership of the entire Compliance/AML function.
- Competitive compensation package and longāterm growth opportunities.
- A dynamic environment with the ability to shape processes and frameworks from the ground up.
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Head of Compliance/MLRO in London employer: Evotym
Contact Detail:
Evotym Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice š¤«
We think this is how you could land Head of Compliance/MLRO in London
āØTip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes itās not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
āØTip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their compliance framework and recent news. We want to show them that youāre not just another candidate, but someone who genuinely cares about their mission and values.
āØTip Number 3
Practice your answers to common interview questions, especially those related to AML and compliance. We canāt stress enough how important it is to articulate your experience clearly and confidently. Mock interviews with friends can really help!
āØTip Number 4
Donāt forget to follow up after your interview! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. We want to remind them why youāre the perfect fit for the Head of Compliance role.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Compliance/MLRO in London
Some tips for your application š«”
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Compliance/MLRO role. Highlight your experience in AML, KYC, and regulatory compliance, especially within payments or fintech. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past experiences that relate to the responsibilities listed in the job description. We love a good story!
Showcase Your Knowledge: Demonstrate your understanding of UK and EU AML legislation and Visa/Mastercard scheme rules in your application. Weāre looking for someone who knows their stuff, so donāt hold back on showcasing your expertise!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you donāt miss out on any important updates. Plus, itās super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Evotym
āØKnow Your AML/CTF Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AML and CTF regulations, especially those relevant to the UK and EU. Be prepared to discuss how these regulations apply to the payments industry and share examples from your past experience where you've successfully navigated compliance challenges.
āØShowcase Your Hands-On Experience
This role requires a hands-on approach, so be ready to talk about your direct involvement in AML/KYC onboarding processes. Highlight specific cases where youāve managed high-risk merchants or dealt with complex compliance issues, demonstrating your problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
āØCommunicate Clearly and Confidently
Strong communication skills are key for this position. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, especially when discussing technical compliance topics. Use examples that show how you've effectively collaborated with both technical and non-technical teams to achieve compliance goals.
āØPrepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that test your judgement and decision-making skills in compliance situations. Think through potential scenarios involving suspicious merchant activity or regulatory breaches, and be ready to explain how you would handle them while ensuring compliance with Visa/Mastercard standards.
