Global Head of Compliance

ALG Executive Search; New York (NY); On-site; USD 250,000 - 425,000; Full time

Job summary

A global payments and fintech organization is seeking an experienced Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to lead its compliance and regulatory strategy in the United States. The CCO will oversee compliance across payments and digital assets, ensuring a robust compliance infrastructure. Ideal candidates will have 10-15+ years in compliance within financial services, a strong background in B2B payments, and fluency in Mandarin Chinese. This role is pivotal for the organization’s growth and requires collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of compliance experience in financial services, fintech, payments, or digital assets.
• Strong experience within B2B payments and financial infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with U.S. Money Transmitter Licenses (MTLs) and state regulatory frameworks.
• Strong AML/BSA capabilities including KYC/KYB, monitoring, and sanctions.
• Experience with digital assets, stablecoins, or crypto regulation.
• Led programs across multiple jurisdictions and teams.
• Fluent English and Mandarin; willingness to relocate to New York.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the company’s compliance program in the United States.
• Develop and implement a global compliance framework covering AML, CTF, sanctions, KYC/KYB.
• Manage the company’s U.S. Money Transmitter License (MTL) strategy.
• Serve as primary contact with regulators and supervisory authorities.
• Partner with Legal, Risk, Product, Finance, and business units to embed compliance in operations.
• Provide oversight for international expansion with Latin America and Asia.
• Establish policies, controls, risk assessments, testing, and monitoring programs.
• Lead regulatory communications, audits, and inspections.
• Monitor regulatory developments and adapt the program accordingly.
• Build and lead a high-performing compliance function and culture.

Skills

B2B payments

Cross-border payments

AML/BSA compliance

Leadership

Fluency in Mandarin Chinese

U.S. MTL licensing

Stakeholder leadership

Regulatory reporting

Policy development

English & Mandarin

Job description

A global payments and fintech organization is seeking an experienced Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to lead the company’s compliance and regulatory strategy in the United States while supporting its expanding international operations. This role will oversee regulatory compliance across payments, digital assets, and financial services, ensuring the organization maintains a robust and scalable compliance infrastructure as it grows globally.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in B2B payments, cross-border payments, AML/BSA frameworks, and U.S. Money Transmitter License (MTL) regimes. The role also requires strong international regulatory experience, particularly across Latin America and Asia, along with familiarity with digital asset and stablecoin regulatory frameworks. The CCO will work closely with executive leadership, internal stakeholders, and regulators to ensure the organization maintains the highest standards of compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the company’s compliance program in the United States across payments, digital assets, and financial services.
• Develop and implement a global compliance framework covering AML, CTF, sanctions, KYC/KYB, transaction monitoring, and regulatory reporting.
• Manage the company’s U.S. Money Transmitter License (MTL) strategy, including applications, maintenance, and regulatory examinations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with regulators and supervisory authorities, including state regulators and federal agencies.
• Partner closely with Legal, Risk, Product, Finance, and business teams to embed compliance requirements into operations and product development.
• Provide compliance oversight for international expansion initiatives, particularly across Latin America and Asia.
• Establish and maintain policies, procedures, controls, risk assessments, monitoring, and testing programs.
• Lead regulatory communications, audits, and inspections.
• Monitor regulatory developments across payments, fintech, and digital assets and adapt the compliance program accordingly.
• Build and lead a high-performing compliance function and promote a strong culture of compliance across the organization.

Required Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of compliance experience in financial services, fintech, payments, or digital assets.
• Strong experience within B2B payments, cross-border payments, or financial infrastructure companies.
• Hands‑on experience with U.S. Money Transmitter Licenses (MTLs) and state regulatory frameworks.
• Deep knowledge of AML/BSA compliance, including KYC, KYB, transaction monitoring, and sanctions screening.
• Experience with digital assets, stablecoins, or crypto‑related regulatory frameworks.
• Experience managing compliance programs across multiple jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated leadership experience working with senior stakeholders and managing compliance teams.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese.
• Based in New York or willing to relocate.

Preferred Background

• Experience working with or within regulatory agencies such as the SEC, FinCEN, OCC, Federal Reserve, or state banking regulators.
• Experience supporting financial services expansion across international markets, particularly Latin America and Asia.
• Background in payments infrastructure, treasury management, or digital financial services platforms.
• Experience working in high‑growth fintech or startup environments.