Head of Risk and Compliance

Zepz; Brussel; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited annual leave

Healthcare benefits

Employee discounts

Job summary

Zepz seeks a Head of Risk & Compliance to lead the local second line of defense in Belgium. You will transition risk oversight from a centralized model to a locally tailored framework, overseeing AML/CFT, regulatory compliance, and robust governance across Belgian operations.

We require deep familiarity with Belgian regulators, EU regs (DORA, PSD2/PSD3), and hands-on testing to challenge risk assessments. AI-aware leadership and remote-first culture are valued assets.

Qualifications

• Experience adapting group-wide Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks into local hub structures.
• Extensive familiarity with Belgium regulators (NBB), Belgian financial law, and EU regulations (DORA, PSD2/PSD3).
• Hands-on control-testing capability to challenge first-line risk assessments independently.

Responsibilities

• Local Autonomy & Risk Framework: maintain Belgian license, transition risk frameworks to autonomous local second line.
• Compliance Oversight: monitor EU/Belgian regulations and lead AML/CFT policies with local AMLCO.
• ICT, Operational & Outsourcing Risk: oversee ICT/operational risk, outsourcing agreements, and safeguarding client funds.
• Governance & Board Reporting: provide risk and compliance reporting to the board and audit committee.

Skills

ERM adaptation

Regulatory familiarity

Independent testing

Tools

Claude (Anthropic)

Job description

Join Zepz: Breaking Down Borders, Together

Our Meaningful Mission

At Zepz, we're all about breaking down barriers for our customers and our teammates. Our purpose is deeply personal, we provide a lifeline and deliver opportunities to cross-border communities that need it most through cutting edge finance and tech. Zepz is the power behind WorldRemit and Sendwave, driven by the mission to celebrate the incredible impact migrants have, both at home and abroad. We're not just moving money; we're building a world that truly recognizes and supports global connections.

Who You'll Be Joining

We look for mission-driven builders who thrive in a fast-paced environment connected to a true purpose. We’re an always developing team of experts that enjoy problem solving and bring clarity to tough challenges. At Zepz, we are Relentless Learners, always seeking feedback, and Responsible Owners, treating company resources like your own. We depend on Transparent Communicators who keep the team aligned through open, honest talk.

Our Core Commitments — What We Live By

Our vibrant and truly diverse culture is built on three core commitments, that guide how we work and interact:

Integrity: We always do the right thing. It’s simple, but it’s the foundation of everything we build for our customers and each other.

Outcomes: We work for our customers. Their success and prosperity are the results we focus on delivering.

Velocity: We are fast! We maintain high energy levels and make smart decisions quickly, keeping us nimble and ahead of the curve.

Perks of Joining Our Team

We believe in empowering colleagues because we genuinely trust our team. Our culture is founded on this high trust, which naturally encourages the high ownership that drives us to meet our shared high expectations and deliver high performanceOur remote-first culture means you have the flexibility to work in your employing country wherever you feel the most focused and productive. This freedom comes with wonderful tailored, location‑specific perks designed to support your whole life, not just your work. Think unlimited annual leave , great healthcare benefits, and employee discounts. We want you to thrive and focus entirely on making your biggest impact! In turn, we expect you to bring high ownership and commitment to your work. This is a place where we value trust and high performance, and we'll provide the environment and support needed for you to excel.

About the Role

The Head of Risk & Compliance serves as an NBB-approved "Fit and Proper" executive leading the local second line of defense. This hands‑on role transitions risk oversight and compliance management from a centralized group model into an empowered, locally tailored framework. Providing executive management over general compliance and a dedicated AMLCO, this position ensures full operational autonomy, robust risk governance, and regulatory compliance across all Belgian operations.

Responsibilities:

Local Autonomy & Risk Framework

• Licensing & Regulatory Oversight: Maintain the Belgian payment institution license, manage official regulatory correspondence, and maintain local registers and compliance records.
• Transition group-level risk and compliance frameworks into an autonomous local second line of defense tailored to Belgian regulatory expectations.
• Design, implement, and maintain the local Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, establishing independent risk appetite statements, tolerance limits, and Key Risk Indicators (KRIs).

Compliance Oversight

• Monitor, interpret, and implement relevant European and Belgian financial regulations (e.g., PSD2/PSD3, EBA guidelines, DORA, Belgian AML legislation).
• Exercise executive oversight over the local AML/CFT framework, serving as the direct line manager for the dedicated local AMLCO (Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer).
• Hold ultimate executive-level accountability for financial crime compliance, ensuring the AMLCO has appropriate local resources, independent tools, and operational backing.
• Review and validate localized AML/CFT policies, complex customer escalations, and strategic financial crime risk assessments prepared by the AMLCO prior to Board submission.

ICT, Operational, & Outsourcing Risk

• Exercise second‑line oversight over operational, ICT, and cyber risks in compliance with DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) standards.
• Perform independent risk assessments (RCSA) on all intra‑group and third‑party outsourcing agreements, verifying exit strategies and concentration risk.
• Provide independent compliance oversight, monitoring, and regular testing of client fund safeguarding mechanisms (PSD2/NBB compliance).
• Conduct independent risk assessments of safeguarding partner banks and credit institutions, validating that client funds remain legally insulated, correctly segregated, and compliant with NBB capital/liquidity expectations.

Governance & Board Reporting

• Provide independent risk and compliance reporting directly to the Effective Management, Audit & Risk Committee, and Board of Directors.
• Foster a strong risk and compliance culture locally through tailored training, advisory support, and continuous monitoring.

Skills

• Track record of adapting group-wide Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks into functional local hub structures.
• Extensive familiarity with Belgium-based regulators (NBB), Belgian financial law, and EU regulations (DORA, PSD2/PSD3).
• Hands‑on control‑testing capability with the analytical depth to challenge first‑line operational risk assessments independently.

AI Literacy & Tools

As Zepz continues to build AI into how we work, we expect everyone to engage with it as a core part of their role. For this position we are looking for:

• A genuine curiosity about AI and how it can be applied in your area of work — from accelerating analysis and insight generation, to improving how we design and deliver processes and communications.
• Practical experience using AI tools in a professional context — whether to connect information, draft content, build frameworks, or create insights from data. We want people who actively use AI to increase productivity, not those who are waiting to be told to.
• Strong AI literacy — an understanding of what AI assistants can and cannot do, how to prompt effectively, and how to critically evaluate AI-generated output before using it.
• Awareness of the ethical considerations and responsible use of AI in the workplace, particularly in the context of sensitive data, customer experience, and compliance.
• Prior experience using Claude (Anthropic) is a nice-to-have but not essential — what matters most is that you are genuinely engaged with AI as a tool, comfortable experimenting, and eager to share what works with your wider team

If you want to join us in our journey to help break barriers in financial access and improve lives globally, there's no better place or time to join.

Our global team of 800+ people is spread across six continents. We aspire to hire the best mix of people from former Olympians to YouTube influencers and we speak over twenty languages. This incredible diversity isn't a bonus; it's the engine that lets us serve the world.