Head of Risk & Compliance — Founding Leadership Role | AI-Native Fintech | UK EMI Launch 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.What you'll need: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.📩 Get in touch to find out more — happy to share full details confidentially.
Annabel Lovell