Director, International Expansion — CEO Office

Airwallex; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Airwallex is seeking a Director, International Expansion to lead its global market entry efforts, shaping regulatory, product, and operational foundations for growth. You will own market-entry initiatives end to end, from opportunity evaluation to licensing and launch, reporting to the CEO's Chief of Staff and guiding a lean, high-impact team.

You will collaborate with Legal, Product, and Engineering to tailor offerings to each market, build scalable frameworks, and influence long-term expansion

Qualifications

• Significant experience in strategy, international expansion, business operations, or related roles, ideally in fintech, payments, banking, or other high-growth technology businesses.
• Strong strategic and commercial judgment with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive execution.
• Proven ability to lead teams and cross-functional initiatives in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead global expansion strategy: Own strategy and execution of expansion into new markets globally.
• Own market entry end to end: From assessment through licensing, entity establishment, product readiness, and launch.
• Define regulatory and operating models: Determine licensing, entity structure, and operating models.
• Influence product and infrastructure strategy: Shape local product capabilities and market roadmaps.
• Lead a high-performing team: Manage a lean team and drive accountability across markets.
• Drive executive alignment and investment decisions: Present recommendations on opportunities and investments.
• Build external relationships: Engage regulators, financial institutions, and advisers.
• Build a scalable expansion engine: Create repeatable frameworks and processes; leverage AI for regulatory intelligence.

Skills

Strategy development

International expansion

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory & compliance

Job description

About Airwallex

Airwallex is the AI-native financial operating system for a real-time, intelligent economy. More than 675,000 businesses, including McLaren Racing, Qantas, SHEIN, and TikTok, use us, directly or through our platform partners, to run their financial operations or build and monetize financial products of their own.

We started in Melbourne in 2015 to build the infrastructure global commerce runs on. We're the regulated backbone behind global payments: not by accident, but by design. A decade plus, 85+ licenses, and a financial infrastructure spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

We're co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, with more than 2,700 people across 27 offices. We hire builders with founder-level energy, people who move fast with good judgment, dig in with real curiosity, and make calls from first principles rather than waiting to be told what to do. Read our operating principles to see it in full.

About the team

The CEO Office partners directly with Airwallex's executive leadership on the company's most important priorities. We work across regions and functions to shape the company's direction, solve complex problems, and turn ambitious ideas into reality.

International expansion is a core strategic priority for Airwallex. As we continue to build a truly global financial platform, we are expanding into new markets, securing regulatory licences, deepening our local financial infrastructure, and bringing new products to customers around the world.

We operate at the intersection of strategy, regulation, product, and execution, working closely with leaders across Product, Engineering, Legal, Risk, Finance, and Operations. The team combines strategic thinking with an entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to building and scaling our international presence.

What you'll do

As Director, International Expansion, you will lead Airwallex's expansion into new markets globally, shaping where and how we grow and building the regulatory, product, and operational foundations to succeed.

You will own a portfolio of market-entry initiatives end to end, from evaluating opportunities and defining entry strategies through licensing, product localisation, operational readiness, and commercial launch.

Reporting to the CEO's Chief of Staff, you will lead a lean team and work directly with senior executives to influence strategic decisions, mobilise cross-functional teams, and overcome the complex challenges of entering new markets.

This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who combines strategic judgment, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to translate ambitious plans into tangible outcomes. You will build and lead the expansion function while remaining directly involved in the most strategically important and complex market-entry initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead global expansion strategy: Own the strategy and execution of Airwallex's expansion into new markets globally. Evaluate and prioritise market opportunities, define entry strategies, and recommend where and how Airwallex should invest to establish and scale its presence.




• Own market entry end to end: Lead expansion initiatives from initial market assessment through regulatory authorisation, entity establishment, product readiness, and operational launch. Take accountability for delivering market entries and navigating the strategic and execution challenges along the way.




• Define regulatory and operating models: Work closely with Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Finance to determine the optimal licensing, legal entity, and operating structures for each market. Translate regulatory requirements into practical, scalable business models that support Airwallex's long-term ambitions.




• Influence product and infrastructure strategy: Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to shape local product capabilities, payment infrastructure, and market-specific roadmaps. Identify opportunities to deepen Airwallex's presence through new licences, direct payment-system access, and expanded product offerings.




• Lead a high-performing team: Manage and develop a lean team, setting clear priorities, providing strategic guidance, and driving accountability across multiple markets. Personally lead the highest-priority or most complex initiatives while building the team's capabilities.




• Drive executive alignment and investment decisions: Work directly with the CEO's Chief of Staff and senior executives to shape expansion priorities, resolve critical trade-offs, secure resources, and drive timely decisions. Present clear recommendations on market opportunities, regulatory strategy, investment requirements, and launch readiness.




• Build external relationships: Partner with local regulators, financial institutions, payment networks, advisers, and other strategic stakeholders to support regulatory approvals, establish local capabilities, and unlock new market opportunities.




• Build a scalable expansion engine: Develop repeatable frameworks, tools, and operating processes that enable Airwallex to expand faster and more efficiently. Leverage AI and automation to improve regulatory intelligence, market analysis, execution tracking, and cross-functional coordination.




• Drive broader CEO Office priorities: Support or lead high-impact strategic initiatives beyond international expansion, working across the business to solve complex problems, shape company-level decisions, and drive execution on critical priorities.

Who you are

Minimum qualifications:

• Intellectually curious, resilient, and hungry to win. You thrive on solving difficult problems, challenge conventional thinking, learn quickly, and have the drive and persistence to turn ambitious goals into results.




• Significant experience in strategy, international expansion, business operations, or related roles, ideally in fintech, payments, banking, or other high-growth technology businesses.




• Strong strategic and commercial judgment, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, evaluate complex trade-offs, and translate big-picture thinking into practical execution.




• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and complex cross-functional initiatives, influence senior stakeholders, and drive outcomes in fast-paced environments.




• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to simplify complexity, make sound decisions, and engage effectively with executive leadership.




• Entrepreneurial, hands-on mindset with a strong sense of ownership and willingness to get into the details to make things happen.

Preferred qualifications:

• Proven track record of leading international market entries, including regulatory licensing, market-entry strategy, and operational launches.




• Experience in fintech, payments, or financial services, with an understanding of regulatory frameworks, financial infrastructure, and the interplay between licensing, product, and commercial strategy.




• Experience building and leading high-performing teams in high-growth, cross-functional environments.

Applicant Safety Policy: Fraud and Third-Party Recruiters

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 does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Airwallex will not pay any fees to search firms/recruiters if a candidate is submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless an agreement has been entered into with respect to specific open position(s). Search firms/recruiters submitting resumes to Airwallex on an unsolicited basis shall be deemed to accept this condition, regardless of any other provision to the contrary.

Equal opportunity

Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We don’t regard color, religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, sex, marital or family status, disability, gender, or any other legally protected status when making our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.