Compliance Monitoring Officer

About the Company and Role

Payward, the parent organization behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services, and CF Benchmarks, is a seasoned leader in building modern, globally accessible financial infrastructure designed to support open global finance. Established in 2011, Kraken is a well-known cryptocurrency platform trusted by over 10 million users worldwide, offering a variety of trading, staking, futures, and OTC services tailored to individual and institutional clients. Payward Europe Solutions Ltd (PESL) is the EU-based crypto asset service provider catering to EEA clients with brokerage, transfer, and custody services.

The Compliance Monitoring Officer role at PESL is central to upholding the firm's Compliance and Monitoring Programme within an evolving regulatory landscape. Reporting to the Head of Compliance, PESL, this position is pivotal in managing compliance activities across European entities and ensuring operational and regulatory adherence in a fast-changing fintech environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute a thorough compliance monitoring and testing framework to verify adherence to internal policies and external regulatory obligations.
• Conduct routine evaluations to detect areas susceptible to non-compliance.
• Advise Regional Operations business leaders on regulatory requirements, operational best practices, and the application of internal compliance standards.
• Develop and operationalize policies and procedures to meet current regulatory mandates, including Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulations.
• Manage the incorporation of new regulatory requirements such as AMLR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1624), alongside ongoing horizon scanning for emerging regulations.
• Collaborate closely with executive leadership (COO, CEO) to align compliance strategies and operational efficiencies across regional entities.
• Support product teams with compliance guidance for launching new offerings in the region.
• Create and deliver targeted compliance training to ensure workforce awareness and understanding of applicable Irish and EU regulatory requirements.
• Oversee compliance-related regulatory reporting and ensure marketing materials meet local regulatory standards.
• Promote a culture of compliance awareness and accountability through ongoing communication and training initiatives.

Candidate Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrated experience in the cryptocurrency, fintech, or similarly regulated high-volume transaction sectors.
• Extensive second-line compliance experience at senior levels within regulated MiFID investment firms, MTFs, banks, crypto exchanges, or payments organizations.
• Familiarity with CJA and CASP regulatory registrations.
• Proven track record managing complex compliance projects on a global scale.
• Strong analytical skills for assessing risk and making prompt, sound judgments.
• Expertise in compliance risk management methodologies.
• A proactive, strategic mindset comfortable navigating complex, ambiguous regulatory environments.
• Specialized knowledge in financial crimes and market compliance.
• A decisive, action-oriented approach to compliance execution.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience successfully scaling operational processes through technology implementations.
• Interest or enthusiasm for the cryptocurrency sector.

Additional Information

Applications are accepted continuously unless a specific deadline is provided. Applicants may redact personal identifying details such as age, dates of education, or birth date in their resumes. The company considers applicants with criminal histories in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and is committed to equal opportunity employment practices, prohibiting discrimination or harassment on any legally protected grounds. The hiring process may involve job-related skills and work-style assessments to evaluate candidate competencies alongside interviews and experience.

Payward values diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging applications even from those who may not meet all listed requirements but possess a strong passion or knowledge of crypto.