Compliance Lead

Valarian Technologies is a dual-use technology company building critical tools to safeguard the future in an era of evolving global security challenges. We're rethinking security beyond traditional military domains, addressing asymmetric threats that impact our technological advantage, economic strength, and democratic institutions. We build Acra – the platform foundation for everything we do as a dual-use technology company. The platform’s name, rooted in the Greek word for citadel (or, fortress), reflects the design and purpose of our infrastructure-agnostic secure enclaves: protecting critical data.

Some of the government and commercial workflows include:

• increased operational resiliency for mission‑critical systems and functions;
• enabling organizations to more quickly and widely adopt emerging technologies while ensuring the integrity of their intellectual property;
• information flow during disaster response scenarios;
• zero‑trust / least‑privilege environments for M&A, attorney‑client privileged communications, etc.

At our core, we're driven by a shared mission and a belief in making a tangible impact on our world. Whether you join our London HQ or the wider global organisation, you’ll be a part of collaborative, high‑performing teams, creating cutting‑edge software, platforms, and infrastructure.

The Role

We’re looking for a Compliance Lead to take ownership of compliance at Valarian as we grow. This is a high‑impact, hands‑on role where you’ll be the go‑to person for all things compliance, building structure where needed while keeping things pragmatic and lightweight. You’ll manage and evolve our existing frameworks (e.g. Cyber Essentials, SOC 2), lead on planning and implementing our compliance roadmap, and help us meet the requirements needed to work with Enterprise and Government customers alike. You’ll work closely with leadership and product teams to ensure compliance supports how we build and inform secure development practices.

What you’ll do:

• Own day‑to‑day compliance across the business, ensuring our existing frameworks (CE/CE+, SOC 2) are maintained without adding unnecessary overhead.
• Lead the implementation of ISO 27001 from the ground up, shaping how it fits a small, fast‑moving team.
• Identify and implement additional frameworks and controls required for UK government work.
• Plan and run audits end‑to‑end, acting as the primary point of contact for external auditors.
• Build and maintain a clear, pragmatic compliance roadmap aligned with company goals and customer needs.
• Work directly with founders and leadership to prioritise compliance initiatives and manage risk.
• Partner with product and engineering to embed compliance and security into product design early, not retrofitted later.
• Create and maintain lean, effective policies and documentation that are actually used by the team.
• Stay on top of regulatory changes and translate them into simple, actionable steps for the business.
• Act as an internal advisor, helping the team understand what matters (and what doesn’t) when it comes to compliance.

What you’ll bring:

• Experience owning or leading compliance in a small company or early‑stage environment.
• Strong knowledge of SOC 2 and ISO 27001, with hands‑on implementation experience (especially building from scratch).
• Familiarity with compliance requirements for UK government or regulated industries.
• Experience running audits and working directly with auditors without heavy external support.
• Comfort operating as a leader, able to balance strategy with doing the work yourself.
• A pragmatic, low‑bureaucracy approach to compliance that fits a startup environment.
• Ability to work closely with technical teams and influence product decisions.
• Clear, concise communication, able to turn complex requirements into simple guidance.

Benefits:

• Equity – because you have the right to own what you’re building.
• A competitive salary – because we value your unique skills.
• Employer pension contributions – because you deserve a secure future.
• Hybrid work setup – because everyone has different needs.
• Rewarding company retreats and meetups that respect your work/life balance – because we love getting to know each other!

Life at Valarian

Our culture is built on inclusivity, compassion and flexibility – we want everyone to be empowered to achieve their goals at Valarian. The world is changing, and so is our way of working. If you want to join us in the London office – it’s quite nice! – you’re welcome to; and if you’d prefer to work remotely, that’s fine too. And as we build elegant solutions to simplify the complexities of business collaboration, we also simplify work life: contribute wherever and whenever allows you to be your best self. We trust each other to consistently raise the bar, and we challenge each other to continually reach new heights.

Valarian Technologies Limited is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran, amnesty, or any other legally protected characteristic. We are committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive recruitment process and providing employment opportunities to all applicants. Decision recruitment, hiring, and employment are based solely on qualifications, skills, and experience relevant to the job requirements.