Head of Compliance, EU & UK

OKX; United States; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive total compensation package

L and D programs and an education veto

Team-building programs and companyイベント

Wellness and meal allowances

Comprehensive healthcare for employees

Job summary

OKX is seeking a Head of Compliance for Europe and UK to lead the regional compliance program across European and UK entities. You will manage a team of Country Heads of Compliance and MLROs, ensuring local accountability while driving consistency and scalable controls.

Responsibilities include setting strategic direction, reporting to the Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, engaging regulators, and coordinating with Product, Legal and Risk to support licensing and market entry decisions.

Qualifications

• Extensive compliance leadership experience in financial services, fintech or crypto.
• Proven ability to build and run large-scale compliance programs across multiple countries.
• Strong regulatory knowledge of EU/UK frameworks and related regimes.

Responsibilities

• Lead compliance program across Europe and the UK entities, reporting to senior leadership.
• Develop and mentor Country Heads of Compliance and MLROs, ensuring local accountability.
• Set strategic direction and drive delivery of the regional compliance program.
• Maintain independence of compliance with access to local Boards and escalation rights.
• Coordinate with regulators, examinations and supervisory engagements.
• Collaborate with Business, Product, Legal and Risk on licensing and market entries.
• Produce data-driven compliance reports with KPIs for Boards and committees.
• Continuously improve workflows using data, automation and AI-enabled tools.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Data analytics

Stakeholder management

Regulatory reporting

Regulatory examinations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law/Finance/Related field

Tools

Data analytics tools

Automation tools

Job description

About the Team:

Compliance at OKX is a trusted partner to the business. We re a team of risk-minded problem solvers who make sure OKX grows safely and sustainably. We advise on regulatory obligations, uphold strong controls, and continuously improve our processes so the business can scale responsibly.

What You ll be Doing:

• As Head of Compliance, Europe and UK, you ll lead the compliance program across OKX s European and UK entities. You ll report to the Deputy Chief Compliance Officer and Head of International Compliance, and take the regional function to its next level of maturity.
• Your mandate is to build a robust, efficient compliance program that supports sustainable growth. You ll lead a team of Country Heads of Compliance and MLROs, bringing them together as a cohesive, high-performing regional team. Each will keep their local regulatory responsibilities and decision-making authority.
• Set the strategic direction and lead delivery of the compliance program across all OKX entities in Europe and the UK.
• Lead, support and develop Country Heads of Compliance and MLROs, strengthening consistency across the region while preserving local accountability and decision-making.
• Maintain the independence of the compliance function, with direct access to local Boards and the authority to challenge the business where needed.
• Review current workflows and improve them. Put in place scalable frameworks, and use data, automation and AI-enabled tools to improve the quality and timeliness of decisions while keeping controls strong.
• Work with first-, second- and third-line teams to build a control environment that meets or exceeds regulatory expectations.
• Act as a senior point of contact for regulators, leading or supporting examinations, inquiries and supervisory engagement.
• Partner with Business, Product and Legal on licensing scope assessments and compliance input for new products and market entries.
• Build strong partnerships with business leaders and stakeholders across Product, Legal, Operations and Risk, giving clear, practical guidance on the compliance implications of commercial decisions.
• Produce data-driven compliance reports for management and local Boards, using metrics, SLAs and KPIs that show the effectiveness of the compliance program.
• Take part in Board and committee meetings, as a member or as needed.
• Act as the escalation point for complex compliance issues, making sure they re resolved promptly and in line with the compliance program.
• Audit current workflows and remove unncessary friction. Implement scalable frameworks that reduce manual effort, and use data, automation and AI-enabled tools to speed up decision-making without compromising control integrity.
• Liaise with first, second, and third-line teams to build a control environment that exceeds regulatory standards while maintaining commercial agility.
• Oversee compliance reviews and investigations.
• Act as a senior point of contact with country regulators, including leading or supporting regulatory examinations, inquiries, and supervisory engagement.

What We Look For in You:

• 10–12+ years of compliance experience in financial services, fintech or crypto, with a track record of building and running effective compliance programs.
• A proven ability to solve problems, meet tight deadlines and deliver in a high-pressure environment.
• Experience working closely with Operations teams, balancing regulatory requirements with operational efficiency.
• Strong knowledge of EU and UK regulation, including MiCA, MiFID II, MAR, the EU AML framework (AMLD5/6, AMLR and AMLA), the Transfer of Funds Regulation (Travel Rule), DORA and GDPR, plus the UK cryptoasset regime.
• Strong people leadership, including leading teams spread across locations.
• Proven experience managing and developing senior compliance leaders, such as Heads of Compliance and MLROs, across multiple countries or entities, ideally within a regulated group.
• Comfort using data to measure performance, spot bottlenecks and justify resourcing.
• A proven ability to present the compliance program, risk posture and performance to Boards, regulators and senior committees.
• Clear, high-impact communication. You can explain complex regulatory concepts to product teams and operational challenges to regulators.

Nice to Haves:

• Experience scaling a crypto or high-growth fintech business in Europe.
• Prior experience in the crypto industry.
• Prior experience as a Country Head of Compliance or MLRO, or in another approved role.
• Experience working with the MFSA, FIAU, FCA or other European regulators.
• CAMS, an ICA Diploma or an equivalent certification.

Perks and Benefits:

• Competitive total compensation package
• L and D programs and an education subsidy
• Team-building programs and company events
• Wellness and meal allowances
• Comprehensive healthcare for employees and dependants
• More we d love to tell you about during the process!