ALMCO (EU Entity)

About Us

NALA is building Payments for the Next Billion. Faster, smarter, and fairer transfers for everyone. Since 2022, we've grown our business 120x, grown the team from 9 to 150+, raised $50M+ from top-tier investors, and were named to the Forbes Fintech 50 in 2025 & 2026.

We operate two core products:

• NALA, our consumer app, makes cross-border payments cheaper, faster and more reliable for the global diaspora - sending money from the UK, US and EU to Africa and Asia.
• Rafiki, our B2B payments infrastructure, is powering global payments for global giants like MoneyGram & Western Union.

Our team includes alumni from Wise, Stripe, Monzo, Revolut, and CashApp - operators who've scaled world-class products. We act with urgency, think deeply, and put our customers first, always.

At NALA, this isn't just a job. It's ownership, impact, and the chance to change global payments forever. Join us in building Payments for the Next Billion.

Your Mission

NALA is scaling across the European Union - and that means building an AML/CFT framework that satisfies 27 member states, earns the trust of National Competent Authorities, and positions us for the centralised supervision era of AMLA. As our EU AMLCO, you'll be the designated Management Level Officer responsible for the integrity of our entire EU compliance programme. This is the role that makes our EU ambition possible: protecting our licence, enabling passporting, and ensuring that fast, fair payments for the diaspora never come at the cost of financial integrity.

Your Responsibilities in this Role

• Own NALA's EU AML/CFT framework end-to-end - policies, controls, governance, and risk appetite - ensuring it meets the requirements of AMLD5/6, EBA guidelines, and local transposition in our home member state, and is ready to scale across the EU via passporting.
• Act as the appointed AMLCO/CO and ensure full compliance with AML and CFT regulatory requirements and that operations align with NBB standards
• Lead NALA's preparation for AMLA - mapping our existing programme against the Authority's emerging supervisory expectations and building the internal capability to operate under direct and indirect pan-European oversight.
• Design, implement, review, update and maintain the AML/CFT framework, internal compliance policies and procedures, along with manuals and risk assessments based on a risk-based approach
• Oversee transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and PEP detection - working closely with Product and Engineering to tune automated and AI-driven systems for a high-volume, multi-currency payments environment, and auditing their effectiveness on an ongoing basis.
• Manage all high-stakes financial crime reporting obligations, including SARs and STRs, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and appropriate escalation to senior leadership and the board.
• Build and maintain the Four-Eyes governance structure required under EU law, and deliver AML training across the organisation so that every team member understands their obligations and can act on them with confidence.

Requirements

Must-have requirements

• Expert-level knowledge of EU AML/CFT legislation - AMLD4/5/6, EBA guidelines on internal governance and risk management, and the local transposition of AML law in at least one EU home member state.
• Previous experience as a formally designated AMLCO, MLRO, or Head of Compliance at an EU-regulated Credit Institution, Electronic Money Institution, or Payment Institution.
• Eligibility for Fit and Proper approval by a National Competent Authority, with a demonstrable track record of professional integrity and sound judgement.
• Proven ability to design and maintain a Business-Wide Risk Assessment that meets both home-state regulatory standards and the robustness required for EU passport notifications.
• Hands-on experience managing NCA relationships - you've led regulatory examinations, responded to supervisory requests under pressure, and filed SARs/STRs with accuracy and appropriate urgency.
• Strong working knowledge of automated transaction monitoring and sanctions/PEP screening systems, including the ability to critically evaluate and audit AI-driven compliance workflows.
• Clear, confident communicator - you can translate complex EU regulatory requirements for engineers and product teams, and present the compliance picture honestly to a board.

Nice to have requirements

• Direct experience with AMLA's published guidelines or supervisory expectations, or prior engagement with a pan-European regulatory body.
• Compliance experience spanning multiple EU jurisdictions, with an understanding of how AMLD transposition varies across member states.
• Exposure to Africa- or Asia-corridor remittance, or familiarity with the financial crime typologies specific to diaspora payments flows.
• Experience selecting, implementing, or re-platforming AML technology - transaction monitoring, KYC orchestration, or sanctions screening tooling.
• A relevant professional qualification such as ICA Diploma, ACAMS, or equivalent EU-recognised certification.
• Prior experience at a B2B payments or embedded payments business, with an understanding of correspondent banking and third-party due diligence obligations under EU law.

Success in the role looks like

3-Month Metrics

• You've completed a structured review of NALA's existing EU AML programme against AMLD5/6 and EBA guidelines, with a clear gap analysis and a prioritised remediation plan signed off by leadership.
• You are formally registered or notified as Management Level AMLCO with the relevant National Competent Authority, satisfying the Article 8 AMLD designation requirement.
• You have a thorough understanding of NALA's EU product footprint, customer segments, and cross-border corridors, and have identified the highest-priority financial crime risks we face.

6-Month Metrics

• The Business-Wide Risk Assessment is refreshed, documented to passport-ready standard, and approved by the board or relevant governance body.
• Key control gaps from the initial review are closed - updated policies, strengthened CDD procedures, and improved transaction monitoring rules are live and evidenced.
• An AMLA readiness assessment is underway, with a clear internal roadmap for meeting the Authority's supervisory expectations ahead of its operational ramp-up.
• AML training has been rolled out across the EU-facing organisation, completion rates are high, and a schedule for ongoing updates is in place.

Interview Process

• [30 mins] Interview with the Talent Team - In this stage we want to get to know you a bit more and follow up on your experience and motivations.
• [60 mins] Problem-Solving Interview - a role-specific problem-solving exercise.
• [60 mins] Bar Raiser Interview - a final conversation focused on your track record, ambition and fit.

Benefits

⭐ Benefits

• 35 Days Off including your local bank holidays: Take the time to decompress. Working at a startup is hard!
• Birthday Leave: Celebrate your special day with a bonus day off that month.
• Enhanced Parental Leave: 16 weeks of full pay for the primary caregiver and 4 weeks for the secondary caregiver (after a 6-month probationary period).
• Learning Budget: $1000 annually for learning and development.