Head of Risk

Airwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses. Powered by our unique combination of proprietary infrastructure and software we empower over 250000 businesses worldwide including Brex Navan Qantas SHEIN and many more with fully integrated solutions to manage everything from business accounts payments spend management and treasury to embedded finance at a global scale.

Proudly founded in Melbourne we have a team of over 2300 of the brightest and most innovative people in tech across 27 offices around the globe. Valued at US$11 billion and backed by world-leading investors including T. Rowe Price Visa Mastercard Robinhood Ventures Sequoia Salesforce Ventures DST Global and Lone Pine Capital Airwallex is leading the charge in building the global payments and financial platform of the future. If youre ready to do the most ambitious work of your career join us.

We hire successful builders with founder-like energy who want real impact accelerated learning and true ownership. You bring strong role-related expertise and sharp thinking and youre motivated by our mission and operating principles. You move fast with good judgment dig deep with curiosity and make decisions from first principles balancing speed and rigor.

Youre humble and collaborative; turn zerotoone ideas into real products and you get stuff done end-to-end. You use AI to work smarter and solve problems faster. Here youll tackle complex highvisibility problems with exceptional teammates and grow your career as we build the future of global banking. If that sounds like you lets build whats next.

About the team

The Global Risk team at Airwallex plays a critical role in enabling the companys growth by building a strong scalable and globally consistent approach to risk management. The team works across the business to define risk appetite develop frameworks and policies support strategic decision-making and provide oversight of key risks as Airwallex expands across products markets and regulatory environments. Youll be part of a highly collaborative group that partners closely with Product Engineering Operations Commercial Financial Crime Compliance Regulatory Compliance and Legal teams to help Airwallex grow responsibly and with confidence. This is a team where youll tackle complex high-impact challenges shape how risk is managed at a global fintech and help build the foundations for long-term scale.

What youll do

As Head of Risk you will lead and scale Airwallexs global second line risk management function across our worldwide operations. This is a senior leadership role for someone who can turn risk management into a business enabler by building robust frameworks clear governance effective monitoring and a strong risk culture across a fast-growing fintech.

You will work closely with the Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer and senior executives across the company to shape Airwallexs risk strategy strengthen enterprise oversight and ensure our products markets and entities operate within approved risk appetite and tolerance levels.

This role is based in the US or EMEA.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead Airwallexs global risk management function and framework spanning risk monitoring detection policy development governance escalation and assurance activities across the Groups worldwide operations.

• Create and execute risk strategies guidelines performance metrics and monitoring mechanisms that identify and mitigate vulnerabilities across Airwallexs existing and future products while keeping risk management aligned to business priorities and approved risk appetite.

• Partner closely with Risk Product Risk Operations Engineering Product Data Science Commercial Operations Compliance and other stakeholders to manage risk at the product portfolio market merchant and entity levels.

• Communicate Airwallexs risk appetite clearly and effectively across the company helping teams make sound decisions and strengthening consistent adoption of risk standards and accountability.

• Collaborate with business operations technology and product leaders to deliver measurable business outcomes while minimising exposure to financial crime fraud counterparty liability and broader enterprise risks.

• Monitor enhance and embed the Risk Management Framework so that all global entities operate within acceptable risk tolerance levels and in line with Airwallexs governance expectations.

• Work closely with the Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer the CEO and other senior executives on risk control governance and strategic decision-making topics including escalation of material issues where appropriate.

• Advise management on external risk governance and regulatory requirements across the markets in which Airwallex operates and help ensure the companys risk posture evolves with its global footprint.

• Champion a strong and practical risk culture across Airwallex by reinforcing that risk excellence is a competitive advantage and a shared responsibility across the company.

• Recruit develop and lead a high performing global team of risk professionals and help build a scalable second line organisation that can support Airwallexs next phase of growth.

Who you are

Were looking for people who meet the minimum requirements for this role. The preferred qualifications are great to have but are not mandatory.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Finance Accounting Risk Management Law or a related field.

• 15 years of relevant experience in Risk Management Compliance Control or Audit within fintech payments remittance banking or broader financial services.

• Strong experience building or leading risk management frameworks governance models and oversight programmes in a complex multi jurisdiction environment.

• Demonstrated ability to define and operationalise risk appetite policies metrics and escalation processes that support business growth while maintaining effective control standards.

• Experience working closely with senior management and cross functional teams with excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to influence at executive level.

• Experience leading international teams and operating effectively in a fast-paced environment with high standards evolving priorities and significant cross functional collaboration.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience in fintech and financial services especially in payments consumer finance remittance or other global money movement businesses.

• A combination of advisory and hands on risk management experience within a financial institution or similarly regulated environment.

• Experience partnering with regulators auditors boards or executive risk committees on enterprise risk governance and control matters.

• Comfort working across a broad risk landscape including enterprise risk fraud counterparty risk operational risk and regulatory risk.

• An independent high ownership mindset with the judgment and pragmatism to balance control effectiveness innovation and growth in a scaling global business.

To protect you from recruitment scams please be aware that Airwallex will not ask for bank details sensitive ID numbers (i.e. passport) or any form of payment during the application or interview process. All official communication will come from an @ email address. Please apply only through or our official LinkedIn page.

Airwallex does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Airwallex will not pay any fees to search firms/recruiters if a candidate is submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless an agreement has been entered into with respect to specific open position(s). Search firms/recruiters submitting resumes to Airwallex on an unsolicited basis shall be deemed to accept this condition regardless of any other provision to the contrary.

Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit qualifications competence and talent. We dont regard color religion race national origin sexual orientation ancestry citizenship sex marital or family status disability gender or any other legally protected status when making our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation please let us know.

Required Experience:

Director