Senior Compliance Director

Mesh Connect; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Mesh Connect is seeking a senior compliance leader to own and evolve the company’s regulatory program across crypto, TradFi, and DeFi-adjacent products. You will translate laws and guidance into practical policies, advise Product and Engineering on feature compliance, and design robust reporting and licensing controls.

You will lead a growing team, respond to inquiries and audits both domestically and internationally, and monitor global regulatory developments to shape Mesh’s readiness for new

Qualifications

• 10+ years of compliance, legal, or regulatory experience across crypto and TradFi.
• Experience obtaining Money Transmitter License (MTL) approvals in the U.S.
• Strong English communication and ability to translate regulatory concepts for tech teams.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve Mesh’s compliance program across crypto, TradFi, and DeFi-adjacent products.
• Analyze legislation and guidance, translating into policies and procedures.
• Advise Product and Engineering on compliance for new features and integrations.
• Design control processes for regulatory reporting, monitoring, and licensing.
• Partner with leaders to respond to regulatory inquiries and audits, domestic and international.
• Act as primary contact with regulators, government officials, and banking partners.
• Lead and mentor compliance team members as the company grows.
• Monitor global regulatory developments and advise on readiness.
• Chair Compliance Oversight Committee for cross-functional accountability.
• Build and maintain a basic regulatory risk assessment and testing program.

Skills

Regulatory strategy

Policy development

Regulatory liaison

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory analysis

Stakeholder communication

Mentoring/leadership

Crypto regulatory familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree (BA/BS)

MBA, JD, or professional certification (e.g., CAMS, CRCM)

Job description

What You’ll Do

• Own and evolve Mesh’s compliance program across crypto, traditional finance (TradFi), and DeFi-adjacent product lines, ensuring the program scales alongside the business.

• Analyze existing and proposed legislation, regulatory guidance, and industry practices across multiple jurisdictions, translating them into practical policies and procedures for the business.

• Serve as a senior advisor to Product and Engineering on the compliance implications of new features, wallet integrations, on-chain/off-chain payment flows, and international market expansion.

• Design and validate control processes for regulatory reporting, transaction monitoring, and licensing obligations across the jurisdictions Mesh operates in.

• Partner with business unit leaders to respond to inquiries, exams, and reports issued by regulatory agencies or auditors, both domestic and international.

• Act as a primary point of contact with outside regulators, government officials, banking partners, and senior business unit managers.

• Lead and mentor compliance team members, building out the function as the company grows.

• Monitor global regulatory developments affecting crypto, stablecoins, and digital asset payments, and help shape Mesh’s positioning and readiness ahead of new requirements.

• Chair Mesh’s Compliance Oversight Committee, driving cross-functional accountability for regulatory risk.

• Build and maintain a basic compliance risk assessment and testing program, in partnership with the risk management function.

Who You Are

• BA/BS required; MBA, JD, or professional certification (e.g., CAMS, CRCM) preferred.

• 10+ years of relevant compliance, legal, or regulatory experience, with meaningful exposure to both crypto/digital assets and traditional financial services (TradFi); DeFi familiarity a strong plus.

• Direct experience obtaining and maintaining Money Transmitter License (MTL) approvals across U.S. states.

• Thorough experience with AML/BSA and Code of Ethics programs, sanctions, and licensing frameworks relevant to crypto payments.

• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and written/verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex regulatory concepts for technical and non-technical audiences alike.

• Ability to handle high-stakes, ambiguous situations with internal stakeholders and regulators while maintaining a calm, professional approach.

• Strong track record engaging with senior management, as well as federal, state, and international regulators.

• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to drive business decisions without direct authority.

• Preferred: experience building or scaling a compliance function at a high-growth fintech or crypto company.

• Preferred: hands-on understanding of digital asset transaction lifecycles, custody, and settlement.