Head of Financial Crime Compliance and MLRO, Japan

Wise is on a mission to build money without borders. We help people and businesses move and manage money internationally, making their lives easier and saving them money. Protecting our customers and preventing financial crime are essential to that mission. We’re looking for a Head of Financial Crime Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer to lead our Japan financial crime compliance programme and help us grow safely. You’ll report to the Japan Compliance Lead and work closely with regional and global specialists across Compliance, Product, Engineering, Operations, Banking and Wise Platform. You’ll bring Japanese requirements into decisions about our products, processes and controls, combining deep technical expertise with practical leadership.

You’ll serve as Japan MLRO. The role is also intended to hold the formal appointment of Officer Responsible for Sanctions Compliance under the applicable Ministry of Finance foreign-exchange framework, subject to regulatory confirmation and the entity’s appointment process. You’ll have defined decision-making authority and the ability to escalate material concerns directly to the Board. You’ll contribute to the Japan Risk and Compliance Committee and attend relevant Board discussions to present financial crime matters.

Here’s how you’ll be contributing

• Lead the Japan financial crime programme and exercise responsibilities of Japan MLRO. Set priorities and maintain a clear local framework covering anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, proliferation financing and sanctions. Translate Japanese requirements and Group standards into effective policies, controls and accountabilities, including taking on a local director appointment if required to meet regulatory expectations.
• Lead financial crime regulatory engagement. Coordinate engagement with the Ministry of Finance, Financial Services Agency, Kanto Local Finance Bureau and other relevant authorities, working with the Japan Compliance Lead. Lead responses within your remit to inspections, information requests and findings, and explain how our controls operate in practice.
• Discharge the sanctions compliance mandate upon appointment. As Officer Responsible for Sanctions Compliance, take responsibility for the relevant sanctions risk assessment, policies, mitigation measures, procedures, training and record-keeping arrangements. Exercise required approvals within the agreed governance framework and bring matters requiring Board approval to the appropriate forum.
• Understand and assess our risks. Lead financial crime risk assessments across customers, products, payment corridors, delivery channels and partnerships. Use the findings to prioritise control improvements and assess proposed changes to the business.
• Strengthen customer and transaction controls. Provide independent advice and challenge on identity verification, beneficial ownership, customer risk assessment, enhanced due diligence, ongoing monitoring, sanctions screening and controls addressing anti-social forces.
• Demonstrate control effectiveness. Lead risk-based second-line monitoring and testing, collaborating with the APAC Compliance Monitoring and Testing function. Work with Data, Engineering and Operations to assess coverage, data quality, rules and thresholds, and use investigation outcomes and emerging typologies to improve detection.
• Drive corrective action. Require accountable teams to address control weaknesses, agree clear owners and deadlines, and verify that remediation addresses the underlying problem. Exercise delegated authority to require protective action where necessary and escalate matters beyond your authority promptly.
• Support safe product development. Advise on new products, payment flows, customer segments and Wise Platform arrangements. Establish clear financial crime control requirements and exercise assigned compliance approvals before launch or material change.
• Oversee global delivery for Japan. Assess the activities performed by regional and global teams and outsourced providers, including quality, timeliness and backlogs. Ensure global capabilities meet Japan’s requirements and escalate unresolved gaps.
• Bring clear decisions to governance forums. Present financial crime risks, incidents, control performance and remediation to the Japan Risk and Compliance Committee and Board. Exercise delegated approvals, identify matters requiring escalation and make clear recommendations on resources and management action.
• Build capability and accountability. Deliver practical guidance and training, coach colleagues handling complex issues and help teams understand their responsibilities. Translate regulatory developments into timely changes to the programme.

This role will give you the opportunity to

• Shape financial crime compliance for Wise in Japan and influence how our regional and global capabilities meet local needs.
• Hold a defined local mandate with meaningful decision-making authority and access to committees.
• Work directly with teams building and operating international payments products.
• Turn regulatory expectations and financial crime insights into measurable improvements.
• Develop colleagues and lead initiatives across local, regional and global teams.