Compliance Manager, MLRO

The role

You will support the launch and ongoing compliance maintenance of the Spanish Branch Office from a financial crime, regulatory and governance perspective. You will act as the designated MLRO and Representante ante el SEPBLAC for the branch.

What you will do

• Serve as the designated MLRO and Representante ante el SEPBLAC for the Airwallex Spanish Branch.
• Act as the primary local contact for SEPBLAC and Banco de España.
• Support the EMEA Regulatory and Compliance team in managing the Spanish branch notification and approval process.
• Maintain ongoing FCC oversight of the Spanish Branch Office.
• Provide local compliance advice on Spain-based sales, marketing, and account management activity.
• Ensure Spanish-specific AML/CTF and sanctions requirements are reflected in local policies and procedures.
• Commission or facilitate periodic external expert reviews of the branch's AML programme.
• Oversee local processes for identifying, escalating, and reporting suspicious activity to SEPBLAC.
• Provide MLRO review and decision-making on suspicious activity, customer exits, and account restrictions.
• Serve as the embedded compliance partner for the Spanish commercial and sales team.

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in financial crime compliance with experience as an MLRO or Representante ante el SEPBLAC within a regulated financial institution, payment institution, or fintech operating in
• Sound knowledge of Spanish AML/CTF obligations under Ley 10/2010 and RD 304/2014, the role of SEPBLAC, the Órgano de Control Interno (OCI) framework, and Banco de España's oversight.
• Familiarity with how EU AML Directives (AMLD4/AMLD5/AMLD6) and the forthcoming EU AML Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 apply in Spain.
• Prior experience interacting with SEPBLAC and/or Banco de España.
• Demonstrated ability to manage suspicious activity escalations and STR filings via SEPBLAC's secure reporting platform.
• Ability to engage internal stakeholders and represent Airwallex before Spanish regulatory authorities.
• Business-level proficiency in both Spanish and English.
• Ability to conduct regulatory correspondence and draft compliance documentation in Spanish.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting a branch office or cross-border operation of a foreign-licensed financial institution or e-money institution in Spain
• Experience in payments, fintech, or e-commerce, supporting cross-border products, card issuing/acquiring, or embedded finance use cases
• Recognised professional certification in compliance or financial crime (e.g., CAMS, ICA Diploma, or CGSS)
• Experience operating within a regional or global FCC function
• Prior exposure to EU and UN sanctions compliance frameworks
• Familiarity with SEPBLAC's published sectoral guidance documents, typologies, and risk indicators
• Strong ability to build relationships and influence senior stakeholders

About the company

Airwallex is the AI-native financial operating system for a real-time, intelligent economy. It provides financial infrastructure for global commerce and is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore.