Executive Director, Global Sanctions Strategy

Airwallex; London (KY); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 253,000; Full time

Job summary

Airwallex, a global AI-native financial platform, seeks a senior sanctions leader to scale and govern a multi-jurisdictional program. You will drive the strategy, governance, and second-line oversight across regions, partnering with Data, Product, and Engineering to implement AI-assisted screening and robust risk controls.

You will lead regulatory examinations, engage with regulators, and mentor a high-performing team, delivering a defensible, scalable sanctions architecture for cross-border

Qualifications

• 12+ years of dedicated experience in sanctions compliance and financial crime risk management.
• Executive leadership experience managing cross-regional teams in a second-line or global policy capacity.
• Deep expertise in global cross-border payments, multi-currency accounts, foreign exchange, platform or embedded finance.
• Expert knowledge of OFAC, EU, UK OFSI, UN, MAS, HKMA, AUSTRAC, and trade restrictions and evasion techniques.
• Experience providing independent oversight of customer, payment, and counterparty screening operations.
• Hands-on experience leading regulatory examinations and presenting screening architectures to regulators.
• Bachelor's degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead the sanctions program governance across jurisdictions.
• Partner with Data, Product, and Engineering to design AI-assisted screening and risk controls.
• Monitor regulatory developments and translate them into platform requirements.
• Report program health, residual risk, and KPIs to executive leadership and risk committees.
• Lead, inspire, and scale a high-performing team of sanctions managers across regions.
• Prepare for regulatory examinations and manage disclosures with regulators and partners.

Skills

Sanctions compliance

Executive leadership

Cross-border payments

Regulatory knowledge

AI/NLP screening

Regulatory exams

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Graph databases

AI/NLP screening

Job description

Airwallex, a global AI-native financial platform, seeks a senior sanctions leader to scale and govern a multi-jurisdictional program. You will drive the strategy, governance, and second-line oversight across regions, partnering with Data, Product, and Engineering to implement AI-assisted screening and robust risk controls.

You will lead regulatory examinations, engage with regulators, and mentor a high-performing team, delivering a defensible, scalable sanctions architecture for cross-border