Director of Compliance (Cross border Payments business)
Our client is a fast emerging regional payments company and is looking for a dynamic compliance head to report into the CEO.
About the Role
We are seeking a seasoned, strategic, and regulator-facing compliance leader to head our Singapore compliance function. In this critical role, you will act as the primary custodian of our regulatory integrity, licensing obligations, and financial crime controls. You will ensure our local and cross-border payment operations remain fully aligned with the requirements set by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) under the Payment Services Act (PSA).
Key Responsibilities
Regulatory & Licensing Oversight
- Regulatory Liaison: Act as the primary point of contact and lead engagement with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for supervisory reviews, inspections, regulatory queries, and reporting obligations.
- License Maintenance: Safeguard existing Major Payment Institution (MPI) or Standard Payment Institution (SPI) licenses, and drive strategic license variations or expansions.
- Advisory: Advise the Board of Directors and senior management on local and regional regulatory changes, assessing commercial product impacts and new payment flows. Financial Crime & Risk Management (AML/CFT)
- MLRO Function: Serve as the appointed Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and Compliance Officer for Singapore, taking accountability for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks.
- Program Management: Oversee KYC/KYB onboarding, transaction monitoring, merchant risk assessments, and sanctions screening frameworks.
- Audits & Remediation: Coordinate internal and external compliance audits, driving corrective action plans and remediation programs to closure.
Stakeholder & Partner Engagement
- Banking Partnerships: Serve as the primary compliance counterpart for partner banks and financial institutions, handling corporate account due diligence and safeguarding queries.
- Commercial Enablement: Work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Operations teams to bake compliance checkpoints into new product deployments without compromising business velocity.
- Culture & Training: Deliver robust compliance training and foster a strong risk-aware culture across the Singapore and regional teams.
Key Requirements & Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's Degree in Law, Finance, Business, Economics, or a related discipline (Advanced degree or legal qualification is a strong plus).
- Experience: Minimum 8–12 years of relevant regulatory compliance, risk management, or legal experience within the payments, fintech, or banking sector.
- Regulatory Expertise: Deep, hands-on understanding of the Singapore Payment Services Act (PSA) and MAS notices/guidelines. Experience with MPI licensing processes is highly preferred.
- Certifications: Professional certifications such as CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist), ICA International Diploma in Compliance, or equivalent are advantageous.
- Leadership Traits: Commercial mindset with a pragmatic approach to balancing regulatory rigor against rapid business growth; independent judgment and the courage to challenge stakeholders when compliance requires it.
- Communication: Exceptional stakeholder management and written/verbal communication skills; bilingual proficiency (e.g., English and Mandarin) may be required depending on regional counterpart interactions.
