Join one of the UK's most ambitious fintech builds: an AI-native business neobank for SMEs. This company combines agentic AI, persistent memory and human oversight with a fully regulated banking core — redefining what a regulated financial institution can look like. This is a rare founding opportunity to build the entire risk and compliance function from zero, not inherit one, while leading the business through FCA EMI authorisation.
Why this role:
- Own the FCA EMI application end-to-end — strategy, evidence pack, regulator engagement, approval.
- Design the risk, compliance, financial crime and safeguarding framework from scratch.
- Sit at the heart of the executive team, embedding compliance into a genuinely novel AI-native operating model — architecture, not afterthought.
- Build and lead the function as the company scales post-authorisation.
- Partner directly with founders and engineering on AI governance and human-in-the-loop controls — cutting-edge territory for a compliance leader.
- Direct experience successfully obtaining FCA EMI authorisation at least once — essential.
- Senior risk, compliance or financial crime leadership experience within an EMI, payment institution, fintech or regulated financial services.
- Strong command of AML, sanctions, KYC/KYB, safeguarding, operational resilience and Board reporting.
- A builder's mindset — comfortable without a mature process library around you.
- Credibility with the FCA and confidence to challenge founders and partners constructively.
