Airwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses. Powered by our unique combination of proprietary infrastructure and software, we empower over 200,000 businesses worldwide â including Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more â with fully integrated solutions to manage everything from business accounts, payments, spend management and treasury, to embedded finance at a global scale.
Proudly founded in Melbourne, we have a team of over 2,000 of the brightest and most innovative people in tech across 26 offices around the globe. Valued at US$8 billion and backed by world-leading investors including T. Rowe Price, Visa, Mastercard, Robinhood Ventures, Sequoia, Salesforce Ventures, DST Global, and Lone Pine Capital, Airwallex is leading the charge in building the global payments and financial platform of the future. If youâre ready to do the most ambitious work of your career, join us.
We hire successful builders with founder-like energy who want real impact, accelerated learning, and true ownership. You bring strong role-related expertise and sharp thinking, and youâre motivated by our mission and operating principles. You move fast with good judgment, dig deep with curiosity, and make decisions from first principles, balancing speed and rigor.
You're humble and collaborative; turn zeroâtoâone ideas into real products, and you âget stuff doneâ end-to-end. You use AI to work smarter and solve problems faster. Here, youâll tackle complex, highâvisibility problems with exceptional teammates and grow your career as we build the future of global banking. If that sounds like you, letâs build whatâs next.
About the team
The Legal, Risk & Compliance (LRC) team at Airwallex is a collaborative group of legal minds and risk management experts. Weâre passionate about safeguarding Airwallexâs operations, fostering a culture of compliance and ethical conduct, and ensuring we navigate the global financial landscape with integrity. We provide expert guidance and support to all areas of the business, proactively identifying, mitigating, and managing legal and financial risks.
As Senior Compliance Manager & MLRO, you will be Airwallexâs key FCC lead for New Zealand, responsible for owning and uplifting our AML/CFT and broader Financial Crime Compliance framework in line with New Zealand regulation and Airwallexâs global standards. You will act as the primary liaison with New Zealand regulators (in particular the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA)) and other key external stakeholders, while leading dayâtoâday financial crime advisory, investigations and reporting activities. Youâll partner closely with Product, Commercial, Operations, Legal and global FCC teams to ensure our controls are robust, scalable and enable sustainable growth. This role is based in Auckland.
Responsibilities:
Program leadership: Own and continuously develop the Financial Crime Compliance (FCC) framework for Airwallexâs New Zealand business, aligning it with the Airwallex global compliance framework and the requirements of the AntiâMoney Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act) and related regulations.
Regulatory liaison: Lead day-to-day management and execution of Airwallexâs AML/CFT regulatory interactions, examinations and adâhoc requests in New Zealand, including managing relationships with the DIA and any other relevant local authorities and industry bodies.
STR/PTR oversight and BAU casework: Oversee and, where required, execute BAU financial crime activities, including enhanced due diligence (EDD) reviews, transaction monitoring escalations, nameâscreening alert escalations, and the investigation and filing of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and Prescribed Transaction Reports (PTRs) in accordance with New Zealand requirements.
Stakeholder management: Represent Airwallex with critical external stakeholders, including regulators, banking and payment partners, and other counterparties, ensuring consistent, transparent and wellâgoverned engagement on FCC matters.
Advisory to the business: Provide clear, pragmatic FCC and AML/CFT advice to Commercial, Product, Operations, Legal and other teams on customers, products, features and goâtoâmarket initiatives, helping to balance growth and risk in line with our global and local risk appetite.
Reporting and governance: Develop and maintain regular FCC reporting to senior management and relevant governance bodies (e.g. local leadership, audit/risk committees and the Board as appropriate), including key risk indicators, incident updates, remediation status and thematic insights.
Audit, reviews and remediation: Coordinate responses to internal audits, independent reviews, regulatory inspections and selfâassessments related to AML/CFT and sanctions, ensuring issues are clearly owned, tracked and remediated within agreed timeframes.
Internal controls and procedures: Lead the design, implementation and ongoing monitoring of internal FCC controls, including policies, standards, procedures and quality assurance over FCC Operations and Hub teams supporting New Zealand activity.
Governance and oversight of operations: Provide robust oversight and challenge over the FCC Hub and Operations teams that support New Zealand (e.g. KYC, screening, transaction monitoring), ensuring procedures are fitâforâpurpose for the New Zealand risk profile and regulatory obligations.
Training and culture: Champion a strong compliance and conduct culture in New Zealand by driving targeted AML/CFT training, coaching and awareness initiatives for relevant teams, and by embedding FCC considerations into key business processes and decisions.
Weâre looking for people who meet the minimum requirements for this role. The preferred qualifications are great to have, but are not mandatory.
Bachelorâs Degree in Law, Finance, Business or a related field.
8+ years of financial crime compliance experience in a financial institution or payment services / fintech environment.
Demonstrated auditing or assurance background and prior experience interacting with regulators, ideally including the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) or another New Zealand AML/CFT supervisor.
Inâdepth familiarity with New Zealand laws and regulations, particularly the AntiâMoney Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 and associated regulations and guidance.
Handsâon experience with STR and PTR investigation and filing, and with managing transaction monitoring and nameâscreening escalations endâtoâend.
Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to credibly engage and challenge senior internal stakeholders and external partners while roleâmodelling Airwallex values and behaviours.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to draft clear regulatory submissions, boardâlevel materials and investigation narratives.
Previous experience acting as MLRO, Deputy MLRO or equivalent accountable individual under AML/CFT legislation.
Experience working in the payments, fintech or eâcommerce sectors, ideally supporting crossâborder or digital products and platforms.
Recognised professional certification in a compliance or financial crime discipline (e.g. CAMS, ICA, ACAMS, AICD governance training).
Experience operating in a global or regional FCC function, partnering across multiple jurisdictions and time zones.
To protect you from recruitment scams, please be aware that Airwallex will not ask for bank details, sensitive ID numbers (i.e. passport), or any form of payment during the application or interview process. All official communication will come from an @airwallex.com email address. Please apply only through careers.airwallex.com or our official LinkedIn page.
Airwallex
airwallex