Regulatory Compliance Director

Aspire; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Aspire is seeking a Head of Compliance for Hong Kong to lead regulatory programs, maintain MSO and SFC licenses, and design policies, SOPs and controls. You will act as MLRO, oversee risk governance and ensure ongoing license obligations as the business scales in HK and across SEA.

You will work with FinCrime, legal and product teams to implement KYC/Transaction Monitoring, train staff, support audits, and provide regulatory guidance on product development and partnerships in a fast-growing

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in a compliance leadership role within the financial industry with HK regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with HK MSO regulations/licensing and SFC licensing.
• Proven track record with regulatory authorities and license compliance for MSO/SFC.
• Strong understanding of HK AML frameworks and risk governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead regulatory programs as Head of Compliance for Hong Kong; maintain MSO and SFC licenses.
• Design and implement policies, SOPs, systems and internal controls for compliance.
• Act as MLRO, oversee KYC and AML/CTF processes and monitoring.
• Ensure ongoing license obligations and regulatory reporting to HKCE/SFC as required.
• Collaborate with FinCrime, legal, product and partnerships teams on regulatory matters.
• Train staff on regulatory requirements and compliance framework.
• Support internal and external audits of compliance processes.
• Provide regulatory guidance on product development and business initiatives.

Skills

Regulatory compliance leadership

AML/CTF expertise

MLRO oversight

MSO/SFC licensing

Hong Kong regulatory knowledge

Education

CAMS/ACAMS certification

Job description

About The CompanyFounders today are building global companies from day one — but the systems that manage their money were built for a different era. Aspire exists to change that!

About The CompanyFounders today are building global companies from day one — but the systems that manage their money were built for a different era. Aspire exists to change that!We’re building the financial operating system for global founders, bringing banking, software, and automation into a single platform so businesses can move faster across borders and stay focused on building.Aspire is built by people who think from first principles, care deeply about solving hard problems, and take real ownership of their work. Our team brings global experience from leading fintech and technology companies, and many of us are former founders and operators who understand what it takes to build thoughtfully, make trade-offs, and deliver at scale in a global environment.Backed by leading global investors including Y Combinator, Peak XV, and Lightspeed, Aspire has been trusted by more than 50,000 startups and growing businesses worldwide to manage their finances since 2018. Together with partners like J.P. Morgan, Visa, and Wise, we’re building for the next generation of global companies.About The RoleYou are a senior compliance professional with experience in the payment services, fintech, banking or financial services industries in Hong Kong, and a strong track record of execution of compliance programs. As Head of Compliance for Hong Kong, you will play a critical role in maintaining Aspire’s MSO and SFC licenses, ensuring robust compliance programs are in place for its payment and investment products and services as the business scales its offerings in HK and other SEA countries. You will lead all regulatory and compliance matters, including designing compliance strategies in line with legal requirements and guidelines, acting as MLRO, developing and implementing policies, SOPs, systems, governance frameworks and internal controls, as well as ensuring Aspire continues to meet its ongoing license obligations and reporting requirements.What will you be doing?

• Appointed as Head of Compliance / MLRO in Hongkong for Money Service Operators License (MSO), reporting to the Group Head of Compliance. Other countries and markets can be covered in the region as we are expanding fast.
• Attending and passing the MSO Competence Assessment as a licensed director.
• Maintaining the company’s adherence to the compliance framework under the Money Service Operators License (MSO) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) regulations and licensing requirements.
• Reviewing and maintaing policies, SOPs, and internal controls for regulatory compliance with the MSO and SFC regulations, as well as bank partner expectations
• Monitoring and testing the operational execution of the compliance policies.
• Working with the FinCrime Operations team to train them on the KYC and Transaction Monitoring requirements as per the regulations, bank partner expectations and company policy
• Assisting in internal and external audits of compliance and regulatory processes and procedures.
• Developing content for internal training sessions on the regulatory and compliance framework for the business and compliance teams.
• Providing regulatory advice and review on product development, network partnerships and business initiatives
• Providing support and guidance to Deputy MLRO on AML/CTF matters
• Maintaining a thorough working knowledge of current regulatory requirements, familiarity with company processes, policies, and products.
• Preparing and submitting regulatory reports to HKCE/SFC as and when due.

Minimum Qualifications

• Extensive experience in a compliance leadership role within the financial industry, with a focus on Hong Kong regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (HKCE) Money Service Operators License (MSO) regulations and licensing requirements.
• Proven track record of successful interactions with regulatory authorities and experience in license compliance for MSO and/or SFC
• Strong understanding of Hong Kong regulatory compliance and AML frameworks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) regulations and licensing requirements
• In-depth knowledge of international AML standards and best practices.
• Professional certifications in compliance and AML (e.g., CAMS, ACAMS)
• Familiarity with technology solutions for AML and compliance monitoring.
• Knowledge of Web 3/Crypto regulatory environment