Chief Compliance Officer

ANNA Money; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ANNA Money is seeking a Chief Compliance Officer & MLRO to lead compliance strategy across UK and Australia. This role involves ensuring regulatory compliance, managing relationships with regulators, and integrating compliance into operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong fintech background and a client-first mindset.

Benefits

Competitive compensation and equity

Focus on technology and AI

Remote-first culture

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a regulated fintech, ideally focused on SME customers.
• In-depth knowledge of UK and Australian financial regulation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute UK EMI license application and AFSL process in Australia.
• Maintain relationships with FCA, AUSTRAC, and other regulators.
• Design and own compliance documentation and frameworks.

Skills

Communication

Relationship Management

Crisis Management

Operational Discipline

Pattern Recognition

Job description

Job Title: Chief Compliance Officer & MLRO

Location: London, UK (Hybrid)

About ANNA:

ANNA Money is a business account and tax assistant for small businesses, combining cutting-edge technology with no-nonsense support. We are on a mission to simplify business finance, and we believe compliance is a powerful enabler for sustainable, customer-centric innovation.

About the Role:

We're hiring a Chief Compliance Officer & MLRO who can design and lead a world-class compliance function fit for scale. This is a foundational leadership role, owning compliance strategy across our operations in the UK and Australia, and ensuring the highest standards in customer protection, financial crime prevention, and regulatory engagement. You'll work closely with product, operations, and leadership to embed compliance into everything we do - not as a blocker, but as a catalyst for responsible growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and execute our UK Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license application and AFSL process in Australia
• Maintain strong, collaborative relationships with FCA, AUSTRAC, and other regulators
• Act as named MLRO for our UK entity; ensure full AML/CTF compliance
• Own and continuously improve compliance and risk frameworks across jurisdictions
• Ensure the scalability and tech-enablement of compliance systems (e.g., monitoring, onboarding, KYC/KYB, SARs)
• Design, update and own all compliance documentation (policies, control matrices, risk registers, monitoring plans)
• Work cross-functionally to integrate compliance into customer journeys and backend operations
• Monitor and advise on changes in regulation, translating them into actionable guidance
• Represent ANNA in regulatory audits

Why ANNA?

• Work with a bold and experienced founding team on a mission to change finance for small businesses
• Shape the compliance function in a company that takes it seriously - and creatively
• Build systems and teams that scale with us across borders
• Competitive compensation and equity
• Serious focus on technology and unlocking the power of AI in daily operations
• A remote-first culture that respects focus, autonomy, and life outside work

To Apply:

Send us your CV, a short note on why this role is for you, and anything else you think we should see.

Note: This is a high-autonomy, high-impact role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, leads with clarity, and believes compliance can be creative, not bureaucratic.

Requirements

What We're Looking For:

• Proven experience in a regulated fintech, ideally focused on SME customers
• Successful track record of leading EMI or AFSL license applications
• In-depth knowledge of UK and Australian financial regulation (EMD2, PSD2, AMLD, FCA Handbook)
• Experience building or overseeing tech-first compliance and risk operations
• Comfortable balancing regulatory rigor with commercial pragmatism
• Demonstrated ability to manage crises - when things go wrong, you act fast, lead clearly, and solve effectively
• Excellent communication, documentation, and relationship management skills
• Well-connected within regulatory and fintech communities

What You Bring:

• Client-first and commercially-minded: You understand how compliance can enable growth
• Operational discipline: You're systematic, structured, and allergic to vague processes
• Pattern recognition: You've seen enough to know what works and what doesn't
• Calm in chaos: You jump in when there's fire - and know when to hold the line
• Independent and flexible: You know when to push back, when to adapt, and when to act
• Paperwork power: You understand policy structure, control matrices, audit frameworks
• Regulatory credibility: Regulators know you, trust you, and listen to you