Head of Risk & Fraud

Role overview

We are hiring on behalf of a partner company that handles the application review and next steps directly. The role is for a Head of Risk & Fraud in Ireland, focused on protecting trust within a large digital marketplace with millions of active users.

This is a senior leadership position where you will own the fraud and risk agenda from end to end. The goal is to support growth while putting strong safeguards in place against financial and behavioral abuse.

The function sits at the crossroads of data, product, operations, and compliance, so the role calls for sound judgment, decisive action, and complete accountability for fraud-related business results.

You will manage a specialist team that works on both immediate fraud prevention and long-range risk planning, including model development and partner oversight. Your work will influence core business outcomes such as chargeback levels, approval rates, and fraud-related losses across several product lines.

You will collaborate closely with leaders in Product, Engineering, Finance, and Legal so that risk controls are built into major initiatives from the start. This is a high-impact opportunity for a strategic operator who performs well in fast-moving, data-led environments.

Key accountabilities

• Take full ownership of the fraud and risk P&L, including chargeback performance, payout levels, approval rates, and false-positive measures across the business.
• Set and drive the global fraud and risk strategy so it supports growth, product expansion, and marketplace trust at the same time.
• Lead and grow the Risk & Fraud team, creating strong second-line leadership and a high-performing, metrics-driven culture.
• Shape and deliver the fraud prevention roadmap, covering build-versus-buy choices, platform enhancements, and the evolution of detection models.
• Manage strategic relationships with external fraud-prevention vendors, including service levels, RFPs, testing approaches, and commercial negotiations.
• Partner closely with Product, Engineering, Finance, and Legal to make sure risk considerations are embedded in new products and initiatives from day one.
• Oversee regulatory and compliance duties tied to KYC, PSP requirements, and law-enforcement requests across multiple markets.
• Act as the final decision-maker for complex fraud and risk issues and represent the function in executive and leadership discussions.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of experience in fraud, risk management, financial crime, or a closely related area within fast-growing digital businesses.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including building or managing high-performing teams with full ownership of risk outcomes.
• Clear evidence of lowering fraud, chargebacks, or losses through structured, data-backed interventions.
• Strong commercial judgment, with hands-on experience managing suppliers, negotiating SLAs, and owning external partnerships.
• A highly analytical approach, with the ability to read dashboards, identify root causes, and work independently; SQL or Databricks knowledge is an advantage.
• Background in marketplaces, fintech, payments, e-commerce, or gaming environments with heavy transaction volume and significant fraud exposure.
• Good understanding of fraud patterns such as account takeover, promo abuse, and reseller fraud.
• Solid knowledge of compliance structures, including KYC, PSP regulations, and risk governance practices.
• Excellent English communication skills and the ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional conversations.
• A strong coaching mindset, with a focus on team development and scalable organizational design.

Benefits

• Employee stock option plan.
• Performance-linked bonuses and referral rewards.
• Extra paid leave options.
• Budget for learning and professional development.
• Paid volunteering opportunities.
• Flexible working setup, including remote, office, or hybrid arrangements, with travel opportunities.
• Strong progression opportunities in a fast-growing global marketplace environment.
• Structured feedback and promotion processes designed to support rapid professional growth.

Additional information

This role is connected to a partner employer, and that company manages applications, interviews, and all later hiring steps.

Applications are reviewed through an AI-supported matching process that helps shortlist candidates against the role’s core requirements. The shortlist is then passed to the hiring company for the final decision and subsequent interview or assessment stages.

Data privacy notice

By applying, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed to evaluate your candidacy and shared with the hiring employer. This is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual steps under applicable data protection laws, including GDPR. You may exercise your rights to access, rectification, erasure, and objection at any time.

Artificial intelligence tools may be used to support parts of the hiring process, such as screening applications, reviewing resumes, or checking responses for possible inconsistencies or verification signals. These tools assist the recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you want more detail about how your data is handled, you can contact the team directly.