Compliance Officer, Europe

About the role

This position focuses on developing and implementing compliance strategies for MiCA and EMI regulations across various entities, products, and jurisdictions. The role involves advising the Board and Executive Committee on regulatory risks, licensing, and compliance priorities, ensuring the company adheres to all necessary standards. A key aspect of the work is managing ongoing interactions with the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), including responding to information requests, submitting regulatory reports, and fulfilling supervisory commitments.

The Compliance Officer will oversee a range of activities including compliance monitoring, control testing, and managing regulatory changes. This includes leading the company's DORA program, which involves gap analysis, maintaining documentation, tracking remediation efforts, and raising company-wide awareness. The role also supports MiCA and PSD/PSR license applications, working closely with legal and other internal teams to ensure successful outcomes.

Success in this role means effectively coordinating regulatory inspections, preparing for them, managing evidence, and responding to requests from authorities. The individual will also be responsible for building and developing a high-performing Compliance team, fostering independence and accountability. A critical part of the job is embedding compliance principles directly into product development, technology, and operational processes.

The salary for this role ranges from $150,000 to $250,000 USD.

Skills that matter here

• MiCA: This role requires leading compliance strategies related to the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation.
• EMI: The officer will be responsible for developing and implementing compliance models for Electronic Money Institutions.
• DORA: A key responsibility is leading the implementation of the Digital Operational Resilience Act program, including gap analysis and remediation.
• MFSA: Direct engagement with the Malta Financial Services Authority is central to this position, including reporting and managing inspections.
• regulatory compliance experience: The role demands extensive experience in regulatory compliance within fintech, payments, or digital assets to navigate complex requirements.
• leading multi-jurisdictional teams: This position involves leading and developing a compliance team, fostering independence and accountability across different regions.

Who this role suits

• A person with a strong background in regulatory compliance within financial services, particularly fintech or digital assets.
• Someone who thrives in a role that requires direct engagement with regulatory bodies and managing complex compliance programs.
• An individual capable of leading and developing a team, while also influencing senior stakeholders on regulatory matters.
• A professional with high integrity and independent judgment, confident in constructively challenging established practices.

From the employer

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the firm’s MiCA and EMI compliance strategies and operating model across relevant entities, products and jurisdictions.
• Advise the Board and Executive Committee on regulatory risk, remediation, resilience, licensing and compliance priorities.
• Manage ongoing engagement with the Malta Financial Services Authority, including weekly requests for information, regulatory reporting and supervisory commitments.
• Oversee compliance monitoring, control testing, regulatory changes, issue management, as well as marketing and outsourcing oversight.
• Lead the company’s DORA programme, including gap analysis, the register of information, supporting documentation, remediation tracking and company-wide awareness.
• Support MiCA and PSD/PSR licence applications in partnership with Legal and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Coordinate onsite and desk-based regulatory inspections, including preparation, evidence management, stakeholder coordination and responses to documentation requests from the Authority.
• Lead and develop a high-performing Compliance team, fostering independence, accountability and constructive challenge.
• Embed compliance by design across product, technology and operational processes.

Requirements

• 12+ years of regulatory compliance experience in fintech, payments, VASP/CASP, digital assets or comparable regulated financial services.
• Strong knowledge of MiCA, EMI, DORA and applicable MFSA requirements.
• Experience engaging with European regulators, preferably the MFSA, including RFIs, inspections, licensing or authorisation applications.
• Demonstrable experience leading a DORA implementation programme and coordinating regulatory inspections.
• Proven ability to lead multi-jurisdictional teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including regulator- and Board-facing documentation.
• High integrity, independent judgement and the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Eligibility to satisfy applicable MFSA fit-and-proper and Key Function Holder requirements.