Quality, Risk & Governance Lead - Compliance Operations

Our financial crime reporting function has grown fast. We've achieved a lot and built strong operational capabilities, but as we've scaled, we now need to strengthen and formalise our governance, risk, and quality frameworks. It's time to focus on the foundations and build them properly.

We've just created a dedicated Quality, Risk & Governance pillar, and we need someone who can take what we have and build it into something scalable and robust. You'll report to the Head of Quality, Risk & Governance and have your own direct reports - this means you'll lead and own your domain.

This isn't about sitting in back-to-back strategy meetings. This is about rolling up your sleeves, getting into the details, understanding what's actually happening, and creating the frameworks, documentation, and practices that will scale with us. You'll need a clear vision for what excellent quality control looks like in suspicious activity reporting and the experience to make it real.

If you're the kind of person who gets excited about bringing structure to scale, teaching others how to do things right, and seeing the direct impact of your work - this could be perfect for you.

Build the foundations

Design and implement the governance, risk, and quality control framework for our financial crime reporting function from scratch

Build a scalable QC function: create the right checks and controls, develop reporting that shows what's actually happening, and set standards that scale

Develop operational risk and governance inventory, establish clear ownership and accountability, and define standards for control testing

Create comprehensive documentation: frameworks, policies, SOPs, process maps - that teams will actually use

Own quality and control effectiveness

Design and run risk-based quality checks mapped to material risks and controls

Oversee internal quality teams and establish standards for quality monitoring and testing

Use quality outcomes and control data to identify systemic issues and drive improvements

Ensure we can confidently demonstrate control effectiveness at any time

Audit and regulatory readiness

Prepare the function for regulatory reviews, internal audits, and external assurance

Coordinate audit activity and translate findings into credible remediation plans

Represent the team in audit situations, present findings, and challenge conclusions when evidence doesn't support them

Ensure documentation and control evidence are consistently maintained to a high standard

Drive governance and insight

Establish governance forums, reporting, and escalation mechanisms that enable informed decision-making

Develop operational risk and quality dashboards, KRIs/KPIs, and management information for senior leadership

Identify emerging risks through data analysis and drive sustainable solutions that address root causes

Provide a clear view of the health, risks, and control effectiveness of the function

Lead and enable

Train team members on quality standards, risk management, and governance practices

Give constructive feedback, have difficult performance conversations, and hold people accountable

Challenge the status quo diplomatically and advocate for better approaches

Build a culture of accountability, control ownership, and continuous improvement

Work across operations, compliance, internal audit, and QA teams

Run projects independently

Juggle 5-7 concurrent initiatives, manage stakeholders, and deliver on time

Navigate competing priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment

Operate with minimal supervision: own problems from identification through to resolution

Core experience:

5+ years across quality, risk, and governance: you've built frameworks multiple times in different contexts and learned what works. You have hands-on experience with operational risk frameworks and governance structures, ideally in financial crime or compliance.

Regulated environment experience: preferably in financial services, financial crime, compliance, or regulatory reporting where quality, risk, and governance really matter.

Leadership experience: you've led people directly or indirectly. You give impactful feedback, coach others, take performance actions when needed, and motivate people even without formal authority.

Builder credentials: you've designed and implemented frameworks from scratch, not just administered existing ones. You've built comprehensive frameworks, policies, SOPs, process maps, and governance documents from the ground up - multiple times. You know how to structure information so it's findable, usable, and maintainable. You've created templates, standards, and requirements that teams actually follow.

Technical capabilities:

Testing, review, and audit experience: you've designed and run quality tests, conducted reviews, been through internal and external audits, and know what good control documentation looks like.

Control and assurance expertise: proven experience with control testing, risk-based QA methodologies, and quality management frameworks.

Data literacy: you pull your own data, analyze metrics, identify trends, measure impact, and use data to tell a story. You know what to measure and why.

Advanced problem-solving: you don't just solve surface-level problems. You dig into complex operational issues, analyse them from multiple angles, identify root causes, map dependencies, and design systemic solutions. You're comfortable with ambiguity and can structure unstructured problems.

Project management excellence: you build realistic plans, identify risks and dependencies, and deliver multiple concurrent initiatives without dropping balls.

What you'll get:

Real impact: build something from the ground up and see it come to life. Your work will directly shape how the function operates.

Autonomy: freedom to design solutions your way, make decisions, and own your domain.

Variety: no two days will be the same. You'll be building, teaching, problem-solving, and collaborating constantly.

Learning: work with a global team in a fast-paced environment where you'll be constantly challenged.

Visibility: your work will be seen and valued across Compliance Operations and beyond.

Leadership opportunity: lead through expertise and influence, not just hierarchy. Build and grow your team.

Working style:

Extreme independence: you've been trusted to own a domain, make decisions, and deliver without constant oversight. You know when to ask for input and when to just get it done.

Detail orientation: you catch what others miss. You review with a critical eye, spot inconsistencies, and ensure completeness. In compliance operations, details matter enormously.

Strong communication: fluent English (written and spoken) is non-negotiable. You create clear documentation, present to stakeholders, influence without authority, and manage expectations across a matrix organization.

Operational credibility: you understand the reality of frontline work, process constraints, capacity issues, and the human factors that make or break implementation.

Constructive challenger: you're not afraid to ask "why do we do it this way?" You push back diplomatically and advocate for better approaches.

Nice to have:

Certifications: ICA, CAMS, Six Sigma, risk management, or governance frameworks

Process improvement methodologies: Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking

BI tools: Looker, Superset, Redash, or similar

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Audit, Law, or related field

Our hiring process

1. Application Review: We evaluate your experience and skills.

2. Quick Chat with a Recruiter: A brief call to discuss the role and see if Wise aligns with your career goals.

3. First Interview: Meet our team for a discussion around your leadership and operational delivery experience.

4. Final Interview: An in-depth discussion with our team to assess your technical and cultural fit.

About this role

Salary range: 4350 - 5850 EUR gross

Relocation/visa sponsorship support: To be provided to the successful candidate

Restricted stock units (RSU)

Paid sabbatical

* Other Benefits

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