Director Compliance - Vienna, Austria

The MLRO is responsible for composing and ensuring the regulated entity’s compliance with the entity’s AML/CTF policies, compliance with all regulatory requirements, reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities, ensuring the institution’s senior management is informed of all financial crime compliance (including ML/TF and Sanctions) and advising the first line of defense on all financial crime compliance matters. In this regard, the MLRO is authorized to approve or disapprove the onboarding of customers and the continuation of existing customer relationships, including for customers associated with high-risk jurisdictions and PEP to fulfill these responsibilities effectively, the MLRO has access to the institution’s data, systems and records.  The MRLO also has a direct line of communication and  reporting to the WUIB Management Board and a functional one to Western Union's Head of AML Compliance for Europe and Africa.

Hybrid: 3 days at the office per week

Role Responsibilities

• Directing and developing risk-based AML and general compliance programs for assigned countries of Western Union Intl. Bank. This includes long- and short-term planning, adapting to a highly diversified and changing environment and managing priorities.
• Develop, implement and enforce policies, procedures, and programs to minimize potential regulatory and money laundering risk and is responsible for meeting the compliance requirements for assigned functions.
• Perform all duties inherent in a managerial role, including providing leadership and guidance to a group of managers and staff in multiple geographical locations to deliver and/or effectively support compliance programs, processes and procedures, as well as accomplish compliance goals and strategies. 
• Provide a common vision, clear direction and challenge the team and others internal and external to the Compliance Department to drive for results in meeting local, regional and global compliance requirements.
• Manage high-level regulatory relationships across a region and may be required to ensure that proper agent and regulatory contacts and relationships are maintained
• Build necessary relationships with other department management, as well as external contacts to meet Compliance, including AML goals.
• Oversee and strategically develop and enhance the Compliance program of WUBS and WUIB which will be in line with regulatory obligations and expectations, market practises, business requirements for all business lines and consistent and supportive of the global compliance program and standards.
• Implement and manage the appropriate AML/CFT/Financial Sanctions and Anti-Fraud infrastructure for a Card Issuer (prepaid card program) with specific regard to fraud risk mitigating measures
• Align on AML/CFT Risk Strategy of WUIB - in close co-operation with the Compliance Risk Office - including the annual Risk Assessment throughout all business lines of WUIB and the refinement of risk management strategies as well as the outsourcing of Compliance related tasks.
• Drawing on the information provided in the annual risk assessment process, regulator feedback and other stakeholder planning, produce and drive the execution of the annual compliance plan for WUIB.
• Make and own the most complex decisions in respect of compliance/business escalations in multiple jurisdictions around all aspects of the European regulatory framework, involving banking, AML/CFT compliance issues.
• Advise the business leadership on all aspects of the compliance business risks, and the ramifications of any decisions they will make on risk acceptance, and their responsibilities under the fully implemented three lines of defence model
• Own and execute the Regulatory Strategy of WUIB by partnering with regulators and financial intelligence units as well as law enforcement agencies, driving the communication with regulators and position WUIB in regulatory outreach initiatives.
• Oversee the introduction of Financial Regulation for Banks and provide guidance for the adoption of WUIB processes and procedures, consistent with the global program and standards
• Provide strategic and tactical guidance for the Introduction of New Products, the Launch of New Markets as well as the Integration of Acquired Assets
• Represent the company’s interests in International Institutions (e.g. FATF) as coordinated by the department “International Regulatory Affairs”

Role Requirements

• 6 + years of relevant experience in an FMA regulated retail/consumer financial services/payment services organizations with multiple financial products, or a regulatory agency or law firm involving payment services compliance issues
• 3+ years work experience in multi-national organization and/or multi-jurisdictional environments. 
• Proven track record of complex problem solving and decision-making ability. 
• Strong analytical skills.
• Effective leader and team player. 
• Must be a strong, decisive, bottom-line and action-oriented manager of people and projects, who can obtain results. 
•  5 years' experience in a compliance management role focusing on anti-money laundering responsibilities.
•  5+ years' experience in a management/supervisory position with multiple multi-jurisdictional direct reports preferred.
• Law or other graduate degree desirable.
• Substantive knowledge of applicable compliance issues and requirements;
• Substantive understanding of payments products, services, and operations.
• Strong knowledge of anti-money laundering regulations and regulatory developments
• Keeps abreast of changes in anti-money laundering and regulatory policies  
• Effective leader for a diverse group of employee levels and job functions
•  Able to manage a regionally diverse team Strong, decisive, bottom-line and action-oriented manager.
• Effective communicator on both an individual and group level, and both orally and written. 
• Team player who works effectively with others to identify and resolve issues.
• Effectively motivates to achieve common goals.
•  Shares information and keeps team members and supervisors informed. 
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills including
•  Understanding of technology and best practices in the compliance field.
• Written and spoken fluency in English and German required.

Estimated Job Posting End Date:

10-13-2025

This application window is a good-faith estimate of the time that this posting will remain open. This posting will be promptly updated if the deadline is extended or the role is filled.