VP, Global Risk

About the role

The Head of Risk at Airwallex will lead and scale the company's global second line risk management function. This role is based in the US or EMEA and involves developing and executing risk strategies, managing risk at various levels, and shaping Airwallex's risk strategy.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead Airwallex’s global risk management function and framework, spanning risk monitoring, detection, policy development, governance, escalation, and assurance activities across the Group’s worldwide operations.
• Create and execute risk strategies, guidelines, performance metrics, and monitoring mechanisms that identify and mitigate vulnerabilities across Airwallex’s existing and future products, while keeping risk management aligned to business priorities and approved risk appetite.
• Partner closely with Risk Product, Risk Operations, Engineering, Product, Data Science, Commercial, Operations, Compliance, and other stakeholders to manage risk at the product, portfolio, market, merchant, and entity levels.
• Communicate Airwallex’s risk appetite clearly and effectively across the company, helping teams make sound decisions and strengthening consistent adoption of risk standards and accountability.
• Collaborate with business, operations, technology, and product leaders to deliver measurable business outcomes while minimizing exposure to financial crime, fraud, counterparty, liability, and broader enterprise risks.
• Monitor, enhance, and embed the Risk Management Framework so that all global entities operate within acceptable risk tolerance levels and in line with Airwallex’s governance expectations.
• Work closely with the Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer, the CEO, and other senior executives on risk, control, governance, and strategic decision-making topics, including escalation of material issues where appropriate.
• Advise management on external risk, governance, and regulatory requirements across the markets in which Airwallex operates, and help ensure the company’s risk posture evolves with its global footprint.
• Champion a strong and practical risk culture across Airwallex by reinforcing that risk excellence is a competitive advantage and a shared responsibility across the company.
• Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing global team of risk professionals, and help build a scalable second line organization that can support Airwallex’s next phase of growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Risk Management, Law, or a related field.
• 15+ years of relevant experience in Risk Management, Compliance, Control, or Audit within fintech, payments, remittance, banking, or broader financial services.
• Strong experience building or leading risk management frameworks, governance models, and oversight programmes in a complex, multi-jurisdiction environment.
• Demonstrated ability to define and operationalise risk appetite, policies, metrics, and escalation processes that support business growth while maintaining effective control standards.
• Experience working closely with senior management and cross-functional teams, with excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to influence at executive level.
• Experience leading international teams and operating effectively in a fast-paced environment with high standards, evolving priorities, and significant cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Experience in fintech and financial services, especially in payments, consumer finance, remittance, or other global money movement businesses.
• A combination of advisory and hands-on risk management experience within a financial institution or similarly regulated environment.
• Experience partnering with regulators, auditors, boards, or executive risk committees on enterprise risk, governance, and control matters.
• Comfort working across a broad risk landscape, including enterprise risk, fraud, counterparty risk, operational risk, and regulatory risk.
• An independent, high ownership mindset, with the judgment and pragmatism to balance control effectiveness, innovation, and growth in a scaling global business.