MLRO & Director of Risk

This is a remote position.

Create Pay is seeking an experienced Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) to join its executive leadership team and lead the development of the company’s financial crime and risk framework as the business scales its UK payments platform and obtains direct regulatory approval from the FCA.

This is an executive-level role responsible for financial crime oversight, risk management and regulatory engagement with the FCA and key banking partners. Create Pay’s target market is low-risk SMEs.

The successful candidate will take a hands‑on role in designing and implementing AML and risk frameworks, while also building and leading a risk and compliance team to support the company’s continued growth.

This role will operate as SMF
17 under the FCA Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR) and will play a key role in supporting Create Pay’s regulatory roadmap.

Please note, this is a remote role suitable for UK residents only. Travel to our HQ in Milton Keynes and for meetings in London are required.

• AML & Financial Crime Oversight
• Develop and maintain AML / CTF policies and procedures
• Conduct the firm‑wide risk assessment (FWRA)
• Oversee transaction monitoring and suspicious activity investigations
• Submit Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to the NCA when required
• Maintain sanctions and PEP screening frameworks
• Oversee merchant onboarding AML and KYB controls
• Deliver AML and financial crime training across the organisation

• Establish and maintain the company risk register and risk assessments
• Monitor operational, financial crime and regulatory risks across the platform
• Support incident management and escalation procedures
• Work with product and engineering teams to embed risk controls into payment flows and onboarding processes
• Support safeguarding oversight where applicable
• Manage third‑party risk relating to acquiring banks, processors and technology providers

• Build and lead the company’s financial crime and compliance team
• Recruit and develop compliance and risk professionals as the business scales
• Establish governance and reporting structures
• Work closely with senior management across operations, technology and finance
• Foster a strong compliance and risk culture across the organisation

• Act as the primary point of contact for financial crime matters with the FCA and key partners
• Prepare risk and compliance reporting for the Board and senior management
• Maintain regulatory documentation, policies and governance materials
• Support Create Pay’s regulatory authorisation strategy
• Oversee compliance monitoring and internal controls

• Experience working in AML, financial crime or compliance within payments or fintech
• Experience acting as MLRO or Deputy MLRO
• Strong understanding of UK payments regulation (AML, EMRs, PSRs)
• Experience with transaction monitoring, SAR reporting and KYB processes
• Strong organisational and operational leadership skills
• Ability to operate in a hands‑on leadership role within a growing fintech
• Strong stakeholder management and board reporting capability
• Proven line management experience with strong people leadership skills
• A hands‑on leader comfortable building and scaling functions

• Previous FCA SMF
  17 approval
• Experience with in merchant acquiring, Pay Fac, EMI or payment processing
• Experience supporting FCA authorisation applications
• ICA or ACAMS qualification

• Strong financial crime and risk frameworks implemented across the business
• Effective AML controls and transaction monitoring processes
• A high‑performing compliance and risk team built as the business scales
• Effective engagement with regulators and banking partners
• Risk and compliance embedded into day‑to‑day operations

• A rare opportunity to join one of the fastest‑growing tech‑enabled UK ISOs as it evolves into a value‑added Payment Facilitator
• Executive leadership position
• Opportunity to define and build regulatory strategy from day one
• High‑growth, technology‑driven fintech environment with an experienced management team
• Competitive compensation package plus equity
• Remote role, with requirements to travel to Milton Keynes and London for meetings as required