First Line Financial Crimes Compliance Lead

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

This job leads complex projects related to risk management, collaborates with teams to identify risks, develops strategies for risk mitigation, assesses business trends, and drives global process improvements.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Lead complex projects and problem resolution efforts related to risk management.
• Collaborate with teams to identify and analyze risks that may impact operations and assets.
• Develop and implement strategies for risk mitigation and compliance.
• Assess current business trends to inform risk management practices and improvements.
• Drive global process improvements through effective project management and stakeholder engagement.

Expected Qualifications:

• 8+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications:

PayPal is committed to protecting our customers and our company from fraud, financial crimes and reputational harm through robust risk management processes that are appropriately tailored to the unique regulatory landscapes in which we operate. The Global Financial Crimes & Customer Protection (GFCCP) organization is comprised of specialized teams dedicated to developing and implementing effective policies, advanced analytics and thorough investigative processes that consider the risks posed by PayPal's products, customers, transaction volumes and jurisdictions in which PayPal operates. GFCCP is seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as the first line Financial Crimes Compliance leader for our European licensed operations, responsible for translating global compliance frameworks into locally-tailored, operationally-effective risk management strategies.

You will serve as the on-the-ground compliance leader for PayPal Europe, working to ensure that global policies, procedures and strategic initiatives are appropriately adapted to meet local regulatory requirements, market dynamics and business realities. This role requires deep expertise in AML/CFT, sanctions compliance and payments regulation specific to European, combined with the ability to think creatively about implementing sound risk management strategies that are both effective and efficient. The Financial Crime Lead will be responsible for business enablement initiatives, sanctions and PEP screening requirement implementation, supporting the operational execution of customer and transaction investigations, tracking trends and patterns in the market while maintaining close alignment with global compliance leadership and second-line oversight teams. 

You will serve as the primary compliance interface for local business teams, product specialists, and sales leadership, providing clear, actionable day-to-day guidance to responsibly enable customers while combatting risks to PayPal and the broader financial ecosystem. You may also represent PayPal with local regulators, industry bodies and external partners to represent the first line financial crimes activities executed in the market. 

Position Responsibilities: 

• Provide on the ground, day-to-day  financial crimes compliance leadership, including sanctions and PEP screening programs, customer due diligence processes, transaction monitoring, and investigations functions, among other core AML pillars  

• Translate global financial crimes compliance policies, procedures and risk appetite statements into locally-tailored frameworks that reflect European-specific regulatory requirements, enforcement priorities and operational realities 

• Participate in risk assessment activities for the market, leveraging the global methodology, identifying key risk areas across products, customer segments and transaction types, and developing targeted mitigation strategies that balance compliance effectiveness with business enablement 

• Partner with local business, product and sales teams to provide solution-oriented compliance guidance for new product launches, market expansions and complex merchant opportunities, driving clear decision-making and detailed operational requirements 

• Support automation strategies to strengthen the operational execution of financial crimes investigations, ensuring timely and thorough analysis of alerts, appropriate escalation of suspicious activity, and submission of high-quality regulatory reports (including STRs/SARs, and other jurisdiction-specific filings) 

• Partner with second line leaders where needed to support engagements with financial regulators, maintaining strong working relationships and representing PayPal in regulatory examinations, inquiries and industry forums 

• Collaborate with global compliance teams to provide market-specific input on policy development, technology solutions and program enhancements, ensuring global initiatives are designed with local implementation feasibility in mind 

• Build and maintain expertise in AML/CFT and sanctions regulatory landscape, working with second line leaders to assess regulatory developments and ensure timely implementation of regulatory changes 

• Develop partnerships with local legal, product, technology and operations teams to bring compliance solutions to life, driving from concept through detailed requirements to operational implementation 

• Provide first line training and education to local business teams on financial crimes compliance requirements, building a strong compliance culture and empowering teams to make risk-informed decisions 

Requirements: 

• 7+ years of experience in financial crimes compliance, with deep expertise in AML/CFT and sanctions compliance specific to European regulations

• 5+ years of leadership experience, including managing compliance teams in a first-line capacity 

• Extensive knowledge of EU AML Authority

• Strong understanding of payments industry operations, including payment processing, merchant acquiring, digital wallets and cross-border transactions 

• Proven ability to translate high-level policies into detailed operational requirements and practical compliance solutions 

• Demonstrated success in business enablement, including providing clear compliance guidance that enables growth while maintaining robust risk management 

• Solution-oriented mindset with ability to think creatively about implementing effective and efficient compliance programs 

• Excellent analytical skills and ability to identify, assess and mitigate financial crimes risks 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to influence and partner effectively across all organizational levels and functions 

• Experience working with regulators and external stakeholders, including managing regulatory examinations and building constructive regulator relationships 

• Proven ability to drive decisions and deliver results in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment 

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including ability to present complex compliance matters to executive audiences 

• Experience with compliance technology solutions and ability to partner with technology teams to drive tool enhancements 

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us.

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset—you. That’s why we offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at paypalglobaltalentacquisition@paypal.com.  

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.