VP, Payments Risk & Compliance

VP, Payments Risk & Compliance – US

Full-time

We are seeking an entrepreneurial, execution-focused VP of Payments Risk & Compliance to lead the design, implementation, and scaling of Modulr’s US risk and compliance framework. This is a foundational leadership role in our US expansion, reporting into the US Managing Director and working closely with UK Risk, Compliance, Product, and Engineering teams. Serves as the senior US AML and payments risk lead, responsible for overseeing the design and effectiveness of Modulr’s US BSA/AML program in alignment with sponsor bank requirements. and maintains independent escalation authority to the US Board and sponsor bank compliance leadership

You will be responsible for building a sponsor-bank-aligned risk and compliance structure to support our US launch and future scale.

Who We Are

Now expanding into the US, Modulr has launched the same programmable, API-first infrastructure across ACH, RTP, FedNow, and push-to-card networks in partnership with leading sponsor banks and FIS. Our focus is high-frequency, business-critical payment flows across payroll, lending, earned wage access, and platform ecosystems.

By combining regulatory oversight, operational resilience, and modern payment connectivity, Modulr helps customers move money faster, reduce manual processes, improve liquidity visibility, and create differentiated financial experiences. The result is a trusted execution layer for embedded finance in both established European markets and the growing US opportunity.

What You’ll Do

Build and Lead the US Risk & Compliance Function

• Implement and manage the US risk and compliance framework aligned to sponsor bank requirements
• Translate UK and EU regulatory center of excellence practices into a US-ready operating model
• Establish CDD, KYC/KYB, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and AML controls in collaboration with the sponsor bank
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and governance documentation required for US operations

 Sponsor Bank and Regulatory Partnership

• Serve as primary US risk liaison with sponsor bank compliance, BSA/AML, and risk teams
• Ensure alignment with bank-defined policies, thresholds, reporting obligations, and oversight requirements
• Support regulatory inquiries, audits, and periodic bank reviews
• Ensures US operations are structured and conducted in compliance with applicable federal and state regulatory requirements, including ongoing assessment of licensing obligations and regulatory perimeter considerations such as Money Transmitter Laws.

 Payments Risk Management

• Oversee payment scheme compliance across ACH, RTP, FedNow, and card rails
• Implement existing global fraud prevention tools and frameworks with risk controls across account-to-account and embedded payments
• Define transaction limits, monitoring thresholds, and escalation processes
• Ensure operational resilience and adherence to network and sponsor-bank rules

 Operational Leadership

• Build and scale the US risk and compliance team as hiring cadence increases
• Establish general risk KPIs, establish US-specific incident management frameworks, and develop relevant reporting.
• Establish first-line operational controls and coordinate with second-line oversight - Phase 1: Strong 1LoD ownership with structured enterprise oversight Phase 2: Evolution aligned to Group governance maturity
• Collaborate closely with Product and Engineering to embed risk-by-design into new payment capabilities
• Work directly with UK Global Center of Risk and Compliance Excellence to support operational needs of the US
• Drive operational readiness for pilot launches and broader market rollout

 Strategic Contribution

• Contribute to US expansion strategy as a founding US leadership team member
• Provide risk-informed commercial input during customer onboarding and product expansion
• Shape long-term US compliance architecture and governance model

Who You Are

You think like an entrepreneur but operate like a regulator.

You are comfortable building from first principles while ensuring regulatory precision. You have operated within a fintech, sponsor-bank, or global payments environment and understand both the commercial ambition and regulatory rigor required to scale safely.

You combine practical, hands-on expertise in designing controls ad policies with the experience of engaging sponsor bank executives and regulators effectively.

What You’ll Need

• Extensive experience in payments, fintech, banking, or regulated financial services
• Direct experience operating a risk, compliance, or AML function within a fintech or sponsor-bank model
• Deep understanding of US payments ecosystem: ACH, RTP, FedNow, card networks
• Experience working with sponsor banks, BaaS programs, or embedded finance models
• Strong knowledge of KYC/KYB, BSA/AML, OFAC, transaction monitoring, and fraud controls
• Demonstrated experience building or scaling a compliance or risk function
• Experience navigating multi-state regulatory considerations
• Strong stakeholder management skills across product, engineering, and executive teams
• East Coast based (required)

Nice to Haves

• Experience in scaling a US fintech from launch phase to regulated maturity
• Prior interaction with federal or state regulators
• Experience implementing or overseeing Alloy, Actimize, Sardine, Unit21, or similar compliance tooling
• Knowledge of avoiding or structuring around Money Transmitter License requirements
• Experience working with FIS or large banking infrastructure providers

What We Offer You

• Competitive base salary and discretionary bonus
• Equity participation via Company Share Option Plan
• 401(k) plan
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Opportunity to build and lead the US risk and compliance framework from inception
• Regional Leadership role in a high-growth international fintech expanding into the US market
• Hybrid working model aligned to establishment of US Operations Center
• Flexible benefits, wellbeing support, and learning and development programs

ModInclusion

At Modulr, we’re committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong and can bring their whole self to work. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds as we believe it’s the right thing for our people, our business, and the community we operate in.

By submitting your CV, you consent to us using your personal data to assess your application, contact you, or share your CV with relevant hiring managers. You can request removal of your data at any time by emailing [email protected] - though this will withdraw you from consideration for the role.