HybridHybrid work in Belgium; remote-first flexibility applies within the employing country.
Risk & ComplianceRegulatory Compliance & Ethics, Financial Crime & AML
About the job
Requirements
A track record of adapting group-wide Enterprise Risk Management frameworks into functional local hub structures.
Extensive familiarity with Belgium-based regulators, Belgian financial law, and European Union regulations including DORA and PSD2/PSD3.
Fluency in English.
Hands-on control-testing capability and the analytical depth to independently challenge first-line operational risk assessments.
Genuine curiosity about how artificial intelligence can be applied to the work, including accelerating analysis and insight generation and improving process and communication design and delivery.
Practical experience using artificial intelligence tools professionally to connect information, draft content, build frameworks, or generate insights from data.
Strong artificial intelligence literacy, including understanding AI assistants' capabilities and limitations, effective prompting, and critical evaluation of AI-generated output.
Awareness of ethical considerations and responsible workplace use of artificial intelligence, particularly regarding sensitive data, customer experience, and compliance.
Responsibilities
Maintain the Belgian payment institution license, manage official regulatory correspondence, and maintain local registers and compliance records.
Transition group-level risk and compliance frameworks into an autonomous local second line of defense tailored to Belgian regulatory expectations.
Design, implement, and maintain the local Enterprise Risk Management framework, establishing independent risk appetite statements, tolerance limits, and Key Risk Indicators.
Monitor, interpret, and implement relevant European and Belgian financial regulations, including PSD2/PSD3, European Banking Authority guidelines, DORA, and Belgian anti-money laundering legislation.
Exercise executive oversight over the local anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework, serving as the direct line manager for the dedicated local Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.
Hold executive-level accountability for financial crime compliance and ensure the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer has appropriate local resources, independent tools, and operational backing.
Review and validate localized anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing policies, complex customer escalations, and strategic financial crime risk assessments prepared by the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer before Board submission.
Exercise second-line oversight over operational, information and communications technology, and cyber risks in compliance with Digital Operational Resilience Act standards.
Perform independent risk and control self-assessments on intra-group and third-party outsourcing agreements, verifying exit strategies and concentration risk.
Provide independent compliance oversight, monitoring, and regular testing of client fund safeguarding mechanisms for PSD2 and National Bank of Belgium compliance.
Conduct independent risk assessments of safeguarding partner banks and credit institutions, validating that client funds remain legally insulated, correctly segregated, and compliant with National Bank of Belgium capital and liquidity expectations.
Provide independent risk and compliance reporting directly to Effective Management, the Audit and Risk Committee, and the Board of Directors.
Foster a strong local risk and compliance culture through tailored training, advisory support, and continuous monitoring.
Desired Qualifications
Prior experience using Claude (Anthropic).
Head of Risk and Compliance
Join Zepz: Breaking Down Borders, Together
Our Meaningful Mission At Zepz, we're all about breaking down barriers for our customers and our teammates. Our purpose is deeply personal, we provide a lifeline and deliver opportunities to cross-border communities that need it most through cutting edge finance and tech. Zepz is the power behind WorldRemit and Sendwave, driven by the mission to celebrate the incredible impact migrants have, both at home and abroad. We're not just moving money; we're building a world that truly recognizes and supports global connections.
Who You'll Be Joining We look for mission-driven builders who thrive in a fast-paced environment connected to a true purpose. We’re an always developing team of experts that enjoy problem solving and bring clarity to tough challenges. At Zepz, we are Relentless Learners, always seeking feedback, and Responsible Owners, treating company resources like your own. We depend on Transparent Communicators who keep the team aligned through open, honest talk.
Our Core Commitments — What We Live By Our vibrant and truly diverse culture is built on three core commitments, that guide how we work and interact: Integrity: We always do the right thing. It’s simple, but it’s the foundation of everything we build for our customers and each other. Outcomes: We work for our customers. Their success and prosperity are the results we focus on delivering. Velocity: We are fast! We maintain high energy levels and make smart decisions quickly, keeping us nimble and ahead of the curve.
Perks of Joining Our Team We believe in empowering colleagues because we genuinely trust our team. Our culture is founded on this high trust, which naturally encourages the high ownership that drives us to meet our shared high expectations and deliver high performanceOur remote-first culture means you have the flexibility to work in your employing country wherever you feel the most focused and productive. This freedom comes with wonderful tailored, location-specific perks designed to support your whole life, not just your work. Think unlimited annual leave , great healthcare benefits, and employee discounts. We want you to thrive and focus entirely on making your biggest impact! In turn, we expect you to bring high ownership and commitment to your work. This is a place where we value trust and high performance, and we'll provide the environment and support needed for you to excel.
About the Role The Head of Risk & Compliance serves as an NBB-approved "Fit and Proper" executive leading the local second line of defense. This hands-on role transitions risk oversight and compliance management from a centralized group model into an empowered, locally tailored framework. Providing executive management over general compliance and a dedicated AMLCO, this position ensures full operational autonomy, robust risk governance, and regulatory compliance across all Belgian operations.
Responsibilities: Local Autonomy & Risk Framework
Licensing & Regulatory Oversight: Maintain the Belgian payment institution license, manage official regulatory correspondence, and maintain local registers and compliance records.
Transition group-level risk and compliance frameworks into an autonomous local second line of defense tailored to Belgian regulatory expectations.
Design, implement, and maintain the local Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, establishing independent risk appetite statements, tolerance limits, and Key Risk Indicators (KRIs).
Compliance Oversight
Monitor, interpret, and implement relevant European and Belgian financial regulations (e.g., PSD2/PSD3, EBA guidelines, DORA, Belgian AML legislation).
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) & Financial Crime
Exercise executive oversight over the local AML/CFT framework, serving as the direct line manager for the dedicated local AMLCO (Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer).
Hold ultimate executive-level accountability for financial crime compliance, ensuring the AMLCO has appropriate local resources, independent tools, and operational backing.
Review and validate localized AML/CFT policies, complex customer escalations, and strategic financial crime risk assessments prepared by the AMLCO prior to Board submission.
ICT, Operational, & Outsourcing Risk
Exercise second-line oversight over operational, ICT, and cyber risks in compliance with DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) standards.
Perform independent risk assessments (RCSA) on all intra-group and third-party outsourcing agreements, verifying exit strategies and concentration risk.
Provide independent compliance oversight, monitoring, and regular testing of client fund safeguarding mechanisms (PSD2/NBB compliance).
Conduct independent risk assessments of safeguarding partner banks and credit institutions, validating that client funds remain legally insulated, correctly segregated, and compliant with NBB capital/liquidity expectations.
Governance & Board Reporting
Provide independent risk and compliance reporting directly to the Effective Management, Audit & Risk Committee, and Board of Directors.
Foster a strong risk and compliance culture locally through tailored training, advisory support, and continuous monitoring.
Skills
Track record of adapting group-wide Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks into functional local hub structures.
Extensive familiarity with Belgium-based regulators (NBB), Belgian financial law, and EU regulations (DORA, PSD2/PSD3).
Fluent in English.
Hands-on control-testing capability with the analytical depth to challenge first-line operational risk assessments independently.
AI Literacy & Tools As Zepz continues to build AI into how we work, we expect everyone to engage with it as a core part of their role. For this position we are looking for:
A genuine curiosity about AI and how it can be applied in your area of work — from accelerating analysis and insight generation, to improving how we design and deliver processes and communications.
Practical experience using AI tools in a professional context — whether to connect information, draft content, build frameworks, or create insights from data. We want people who actively use AI to increase productivity, not those who are waiting to be told to.
Strong AI literacy — an understanding of what AI assistants can and cannot do, how to prompt effectively, and how to critically evaluate AI-generated output before using it.
Awareness of the ethical considerations and responsible use of AI in the workplace, particularly in the context of sensitive data, customer experience, and compliance.
Prior experience using Claude (Anthropic) is a nice-to-have but not essential — what matters most is that you are genuinely engaged with AI as a tool, comfortable experimenting, and eager to share what works with your wider team
If you want to join us in our journey to help break barriers in financial access and improve lives globally, there's no better place or time to join.
Our global team of 800+ people is spread across six continents. We aspire to hire the best mix of people from former Olympians to YouTube influencers and we speak over twenty languages. This incredible diversity isn't a bonus; it's the engine that lets us serve the world.