Head of Compliance & MLRO

Head of Compliance & MLRO | AI-native Fintech Start-Up | London (5 days on-site)

We're partnering with an AI-native fintech backed by some of Europe's most celebrated technology investors, with a founding team that's built multi-billion pound businesses in banking and payments before. Early traction has been exceptional and the team is scaling fast.

They're hiring a Head of Compliance & MLRO to build their compliance function from the ground up. The business is working towards full FCA e-money institution authorisation, and this hire will own that journey and everything that follows: the framework, the regulator relationship, and financial crime oversight as MLRO.

This is a genuine build role. You'll design a lean compliance function and report directly to the founders with real influence over how compliance gets done.

What you'll do:

• Build and own compliance end-to-end: policies, monitoring, reporting
• Act as MLRO, covering financial crime, AML, sanctions and transaction monitoring
• Lead engagement with the FCA as the business works towards full authorisation
• Report directly to the founders and the Board

What you'll bring:

• Senior compliance experience in a regulated payments, e-money or fintech business
• Ready to hold MLRO accountability, with real regulatory depth
• A builder, not a maintainer: you want to create a function, not inherit one
• Comfortable working lean and hands-on, without a team beneath you
• Curious about using AI to modernise compliance

Location: London, 5 days on site

Salary: up to £180,000 + equity

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.