Regulatory Compliance Manager

VALR; Sudáfrica; Presencial; ZAR 1.400.000 - 2.000.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

VALR in Johannesburg is seeking an experienced Legal & Compliance Counsel to drive regulatory strategy and ensure compliance across VALR’s crypto and fintech products. The role requires deep knowledge of crypto asset regulation, AML/CFT, and data privacy, with a track record in drafting formal opinions and risk assessments.

You will translate complex regulations for product and engineering teams, monitor regulatory developments, and prepare horizon-scanning reports for executive leadership.

Formación

• Minimum 5 years’ legal/compliance experience, preferably in crypto/fintech or financial services.
• LLB degree or equivalent legal qualification.
• Strong knowledge of financial services regulation including crypto asset and VASP regulations, digital payments and AML/CFT.
• Proven ability to draft formal legal opinions balancing compliance with business needs.
• Excellent research using legal databases and regulatory sources.
• Ability to analyse evolving regulation and extract concrete business impacts.
• Certification in compliance is advantageous.
• Experience across VALR’s jurisdictions is a plus.

Responsabilidades

• Research complex financial services laws globally, including crypto, payments and data privacy.
• Draft clear legal opinions and risk assessments on regulatory applicability and licensing thresholds.
• Translate legal findings into practical guidance for Product, Engineering and other teams.
• Track bills and regulatory updates and assess strategic/regulatory impact.
• Prepare horizon-scanning reports for executive leadership.
• Coordinate VALR’s responses to regulatory consultations and industry submissions.
• Develop and manage Compliance Risk Management Plans (CRMPs) for the VALR Group.
• Support regulators with information requests and regulatory returns.

Conocimientos

Legal research

Drafting opinions

Regulatory analysis

Regulatory engagement

Policy translation

Horizon scanning

Educación

LLB degree or equivalent

Professional compliance certification (advantageous)

Descripción del empleo

About Us:

Founded in 2018, headquartered in Johannesburg, and backed by leading investors including Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures and Fidelity’s F-Prime Capital, VALR is a global crypto exchange offering a comprehensive suite of products—including Spot Trading, Spot Margin, Perpetual Futures, Staking, Lending, Borrowing, OTC services, VALR Invest, Crypto Bundles, and VALR Pay. Licensed by South Africa’s FSCA, with regulatory approval in Europe, VALR serves over 1.7 million registered users and 2,000 corporate and institutional clients worldwide. The exchange is dedicated to advancing a just financial future that upholds human dignity and the unity of mankind. For more information, visit valr.com.

Our Vision:

To establish VALR as a global institution that advances the economic life of human civilisation through a borderless, inclusive, and empowering financial ecosystem.

Our Mission:

To contribute towards a global financial system that upholds justice, fosters human dignity, and reflects the oneness of humanity, by serving the financial needs of individuals, communities, and institutions through innovative financial technologies.

• At least 5 years’ legal and/or compliance experience, preferably at a crypto asset service provider, fintech, tech-focused financial institution or the financial services practice of a top-tier law firm.
• A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or equivalent legal qualification.
• Strong knowledge of financial services regulation relevant to VALR, including crypto asset and VASP regulation, digital payments, banking-as-a-service, open banking, AML/CFT and data protection laws.
• Proven track record of drafting formal legal opinions that balance legal compliance with business agility.
• Exceptional research skills using legal databases and primary regulatory sources to uncover nuanced legal positions.
• Ability to analyse ambiguous, newly drafted or fast-evolving regulation and extract concrete business impacts.
• Advantageous: a professional compliance certification (e.g. through the Compliance Institute Southern Africa or an international equivalent).
• Advantageous: experience across VALR’s jurisdictions and regulators – South Africa (FSCA, FIC), Kenya (CMA, CBK), Malta (MFSA) and the Cayman Islands (CIMA)

• Research complex financial services laws globally, including payment frameworks, data privacy and crypto, virtual and digital asset regulation.
• Draft clear legal opinions and risk assessments on how existing and emerging laws apply to current operations and new products, covering product viability, licensing thresholds and multi-country operational risk.
• Analyse ambiguous or fast-evolving laws and turn them into concrete legal strategies for product design.
• Translate legal findings into practical, plain-language guidance for Product, Engineering and other non-legal teams.
• Track bills, consultation papers and updates from financial regulators, central banks and government bodies.
• Identify regulatory shifts early and assess their strategic and operational impact on VALR.
• Prepare regular horizon-scanning reports and briefs for executive leadership to inform long-term strategy.
• Draft and coordinate VALR’s responses to regulatory consultations and industry comment submissions.
• Develop, record and manage Compliance Risk Management Plans (CRMPs) for the VALR Group.
• Support engagement with regulators, including the FSCA, FIC, CIMA, MFSA, CMA and CBK, on information requests, regulatory returns and licence conditions.
• Support regulatory inspections, audits and inquiries by compiling sound documentation and compliance records.
• Update compliance policies, frameworks and procedures to reflect newly enacted laws and regulations, and track their implementation across the business.
• Train internal teams on upcoming regulatory changes to build a strong culture of compliance.