Director,Governance & Policy

The role

You will shape and scale the global financial crime policy and risk based program. You will establish risk appetite, design risk assessment processes, and define governance frameworks.

What you will do

• Lead the evolution and maintenance of the Global Core FCC Policy Framework.
• Lead the definition and oversight of the FCC governance model and risk management framework.
• Define methodology, thresholds, and data-scoring models to mitigate financial crime risks.
• Translate compliance data and audit findings into reporting for executive leadership and the Board.
• Oversee the strategy for regulatory examination defense and disclosure governance.
• Drive a unified, risk-aware compliance culture across the organization.
• Support the Global Head of FCC and Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer in setting strategic priorities.
• Build and lead a high-performing global second line team.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Criminology, Public Policy, Finance, Business Administration, International Relations, or a related analytical field.
• CAMS certification or an equivalent globally recognized compliance credential (e.g., ICA International Diploma in AML).
• 12 to 15+ years of experience in AML, Sanctions, and Financial Crime Compliance within financial services, fintech, payments, or banking.
• At least 5+ years leading a global or multi-jurisdictional compliance policy, governance, or risk methodology function at a senior level.
• Proven experience designing enterprise-wide risk assessment frameworks and maintaining highly centralized global policies with localized regional addenda.
• Demonstrated experience preparing risk papers and leading the defense during high-stakes regulatory examinations and internal or external audits.
• High-ownership, pragmatic approach, with excellent written communication and stakeholder management skills.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree such as a Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), or a Master’s degree in Regulatory Compliance or Financial Crime.
• Advanced professional designations such as CAMS-Audit, CGSS (Certified Global Sanctions Specialist), or CAMS-RM (Risk Management).
• Deep fintech and payments experience, including a strong understanding of cross-border payment mechanisms, virtual accounts, multi-currency wallets, or multi-entity regulated groups.
• Experience partnering directly with Product, Data Science, and Engineering teams to hardcode policy thresholds into automated workflows.
• Strong data literacy and a clear bias toward digital modernization, including the use of automated GRC systems, dashboards, and technology-enabled tools.

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.