Compliance Manager, MLRO

About the role

You will own the end-to-end financial crime compliance program for Airwallex's Spanish Branch Office, acting as the critical bridge between local Spanish regulators and global governance frameworks. You will interpret and implement Spain's anti‑money laundering legislation, specifically Ley 10/2010 and Real Decreto 304/2014, ensuring all branch activities meet the rigorous standards of the Spanish regulator SEPBLAC. You will serve as the designated MLRO and Representante ante el SEPBLAC, owning all local regulatory interactions and acting as the primary escalation point for financial crime risk matters. You will partner with commercial and product teams to enable responsible growth, ensuring that compliance controls are embedded into market entry strategies from the outset rather than applied as a retrofit. You will lead the development of risk-based policies and procedures tailored to the Spanish branch, translating global standards into locally executable processes. You will manage investigations and suspicious activity reporting with a high standard of accuracy, confidentiality, and regulatory timeliness. You will build trusted relationships with external stakeholders, including law enforcement and regulatory bodies, to ensure transparent and effective communication during examinations or inquiries.

Key facts

What you'll do

Drive the regulatory notification and ongoing approval process for the Spanish Branch Office with the Spanish authorities, ensuring all submissions to SEPBLAC and Banco de Spain are accurate, complete, and timely.

Act as the designated MLRO and Representante ante el SEPBLAC for the Spanish Branch, serving as the main point of contact for all local Anti‑Money Laundering/Counter‑Terrorist Financing supervision and inspections.

Own the implementation of Spain-specific AML/CFT controls under Ley 10/2010 and RD 304/2014, aligning branch operations with both local legal obligations and Airwallex NL's global financial crime standards.

Maintain the Spanish branch risk assessment and oversight framework, continuously monitoring the perimeter to confirm that activities remain within approved boundaries and risk appetite.

Lead the development and maintenance of branch-level policies, procedures, and local governance documentation to ensure a strong control environment and consistent regulatory interpretation.

Serve as the primary escalation contact for SEPBLAC and Banco de España, managing all regulatory inquiries, examinations, and information requests related to the branch.

Partner with Product, Commercial, Operations, Data, and Legal teams to embed compliance controls into new product launches, onboarding flows, and market entry strategies for Southern Europe.

Investigate suspicious activity, escalate high-risk findings, and ensure the accurate and timely filing of Suspicious Activity Reports in coordination with Airwallex NL and local authorities.

Leverage data and technology to enhance monitoring effectiveness, utilizing tools and AI to improve detection accuracy and operational efficiency within the branch.

Champion a risk-based approach to compliance, balancing the need for speed in commercial initiatives with the necessity of robust oversight and regulatory adherence.

Develop and deliver training for branch staff on local AML/CFT obligations, fostering a strong compliance culture across the Spanish operations.

Collaborate with the EMEA Regulatory and Compliance leadership to ensure alignment between branch-level execution and group-wide regulatory strategy and reporting.

Requirements

You are eligible to work in Spain without sponsorship and must be legally authorized to work in the country for the full duration of employment.

You hold the right to work in Spain and possess a valid national identity document or equivalent proof as required under Spanish law.

You reside in Spain and are able to perform the role primarily from the Barcelona office location.

You hold a Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience that demonstrates a comparable level of knowledge and capability.

You bring at least five years of progressively responsible experience in compliance, financial crime, or a related regulatory field.

You have demonstrable experience with Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorist Financing regulations, including risk assessments, policy development, and supervisory interactions.

You have specific experience acting as a Money Laundering Reporting Officer or in a comparable senior compliance oversight capacity.

You have experience navigating a regulated financial environment and interacting with national authorities such as SEPBLAC or equivalent regulators.

You are fluent in Spanish, both written and verbal, and possess strong professional English communication skills.

Nice to have

Experience in a fintech, payments, or financial services environment.

Familiarity with EU-wide AML/CTF frameworks and the application of cross-border regulatory expectations.

Practical notes

Hours: full_time

Travel: not_required

Visa: not_required

Deadline: None