Director of Compliance and Risk (MLRO) Central · London · Hybrid
Shieldpay
Director of Compliance and Risk (MLRO)
Safeguard the business while accelerating growth. You’ll evolve our compliance and risk function—acting as a commercial partner who uses frameworks to fuel fintech innovation
We usually respond within two weeks
Impact and Responsibilities
We are seeking a Director of Compliance and Risk and MLRO to serve as the ultimate guardian of our regulatory integrity and a strategic architect of our growth. This is a high-stakes role designed for a leader who is equally comfortable filing a SAR today as they are presenting a multi-year risk strategy to the Board tomorrow.
Your mandate is to keep the business safe while it moves fast. You will lead the transition from foundational compliance to a sophisticated, enterprise-grade operation that can support the next phase of our global scale. You are more than a gatekeeper; you are a commercial partner who understands that in a scaling Fintech, the most effective compliance frameworks act as accelerators for innovation rather than obstacles to it.
Strategic Governance: Act as the ultimate authority for the Board/ExCo, aligning strategy and appetite with commercial goals and ensuring effective oversight. Lead high-level engagement with the FCA, SRA, and PSR, managing all regulatory filings, permissions, and institutional relationships.
Risk Strategy: Design and implement a comprehensive risk framework, driving continuous improvement through scenario analysis and predictive trend reporting. Partner across the business to embed risk control assessments that balance technical rigor with commercial agility. Act as a "disruptor" to streamline policies and remove operational friction without compromising regulatory integrity.
Regulatory Accountability and MLRO Oversight: Serve as MLRO, overseeing all investigations, remedial actions, and responses to potential regulatory or conduct breaches. Evolve AML/KYC frameworks for complex B2B2C models and lead all internal/external audit engagements and banking partner reviews. Drive firm-wide accountability through strategic training and mentorship, shifting compliance from a "blocker" to a business enabler.
Expectations
Recent experience as a MLRO within the UK FCA regulated sector.
Proven senior leadership in either Payments, Banking, or Fintech, with specific experience in scaling early-stage B2B2C organisations.
Comprehensive knowledge of FCA, GDPR, AML, and KYC regulations, and their impact on information security and wider business operations.
A commercially astute leader who can influence stakeholders at all levels, balancing a hunger for growth with a disciplined approach to risk.
You thrive in ambiguity and fast-paced scaling environments. You recognise that early-stage processes are iterative and possess the commercial maturity to calibrate regulatory guardrails against aggressive business growth.
You prioritise functional, scalable solutions over theoretical perfection, ensuring compliance supports rather than hinders organizational momentum.
You interpret market forces and economic shifts to provide the Senior Leadership team with actionable recommendations, leveraging technology and automation to manage high-volume workloads with precision.
Our Promise: Shieldpay is an equal opportunities employer. For Shieldpay building a fair and transparent workforce begins with the recruitment process that does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. We offer flexible working options, such as flexible hours and hybrid work, to support our employees' work-life balance
- Team
- Central
- Locations
- London
- Remote status
- Hybrid
- Employment type
- Full-time
- Employment level
- Executive/Senior Level
Workplace & culture
Our team is filled with ambitious, curious and entrepreneurial people. We hire and nurture inquisitive, creative minds looking to flourish in a supportive and collaborative environment, recognised by being placed within the top 100 startups to work for in 2022 by Tempo and Flexa certified in 2023
We don’t like old fashioned corporate hierarchy. Instead we like to empower our people to make a change and be autonomous in their role with all the support you need with the other teams around you.
About Shieldpay
Shieldpay Limited: Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (Reference number 770210) as an authorised payments institution. Shieldpay is a company providing simple and transparent payment solutions across the legal, financial, and professional services industries. The firm offers Third-Party Managed Accounts, Escrow facilities and payment agent services.
Shieldpay Trust Services Limited: Registered with HMRC as a trust service provider (Reference XPML00000158706) and provides the services as a corporate trustee to the beneficiaries of the trust, established by deed, in connection with escrow transactions.
Registered Address for our Group Companies is 3rd Floor, 1 Ashley Road, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2DT.
Director of Compliance and Risk (MLRO)
Safeguard the business while accelerating growth. You’ll evolve our compliance and risk function—acting as a commercial partner who uses frameworks to fuel fintech innovation
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