Head of FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit)
San Francisco Bay Area (Hybrid)

About the Company
We are partnered with a leading global fintech that is entering the U.S. market for the first time. With a massive international presence and deep expertise in digital payments, remittances, and financial services, the firm is now building its U.S. operations to align with regulatory expectations while maintaining the speed and innovation that have made it a global leader.

About the Role
The company is seeking a Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to establish and lead its financial intelligence function for the U.S. business. This role will focus on building out the FIU framework, overseeing AML investigations, managing SAR processes, and ensuring high-quality casework that meets U.S. regulatory requirements.

This position will be global in scope, with significant interaction across U.S., APAC, and EMEA stakeholders. To start, this will be an individual contributor role with the opportunity to scale and build as the business grows. The successful candidate must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area and able to work in a hybrid capacity. Payments industry experience is a non-negotiable requirement.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and oversee the FIU function, including case management, escalations, and SAR/STR processes.
• Manage and conduct investigations into unusual or suspicious activity, ensuring compliance with U.S. and global standards.
• Define and implement procedures for case triage, escalation, and documentation.
• Partner with AML operations, governance, and program design teams to feed FIU insights back into risk assessments, KYC, and TM frameworks.
• Collaborate with global FIU stakeholders to align practices and share intelligence.
• Ensure SAR filings and regulatory reports are timely, accurate, and well-documented.
• Provide strategic insight into emerging financial crime trends and typologies to enhance monitoring effectiveness.
• Deliver clear reporting to senior management and regulators on FIU outputs and key trends.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of AML, BSA/Financial Crimes, or Compliance experience within the payments industry (required).
• Deep expertise in FIU operations, including SAR/STR filing, case management, and investigative best practices.
• Experience conducting complex investigations involving payments, remittances, or fintech products.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. regulatory expectations and global FIU standards.
• Proven ability to partner with product, operations, and compliance stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, and communication skills.
• Comfortable starting as an individual contributor, with the ability to later build and lead a team.
• Must be located in the San Francisco Bay Area and able to work in a hybrid office model.