About the role
Messy spend management is tricky business. And tedious processes are a lose-lose situation for all involved, not just finance. At Pleo, we're changing that. We build spend solutions that make managing money seamless, empowering, and surprisingly effective for finance teams and employees alike—with a vision to help all businesses ‘go beyond’.
The word ‘Pleo’ actually means ‘more than you’d expect’, and living by that mantra has been the secret to our success over the last 10 years.
Now, we’re at a pivotal moment in our journey; every move we make has a direct impact on our 40,000+ customers, our business, and our collective success. We need people who take pride in uncovering customer needs, who turn complex problems into simple solutions, challenge the way things are done (respectfully), and always aim high. With great ambitions driving us forward, we can’t say we’ve got this whole thing figured out. And frankly, that’s half the fun! What we can say is that we’re a driven, progressive, and, importantly, a kind bunch of 850+ people from over 100 nationalities, all committed to delivering the future of business spending, together.
We're looking for a Senior Financial Crime Compliance Officer to join our Risk & Compliance (2nd Line of Defense) team at Pleo. In this role, you'll help architect our scalable financial crime framework and be part of a dedicated team ensuring regulatory safety as we scale our operations across Europe through strong oversight and advisory. If you're excited about navigating the complexity of the 2026 EU AML package and are passionate about ensuring compliance-by-design in a high-growth Fintech, then this is the opportunity for you!
What you’ll be doing
As a Senior Financial Crime Compliance Officer, your ownership may entail:
- Lead core Group-wide Financial Crime Framework initiatives: Maintain and evolve our Enterprise-Wide Risk Assessment (EWRA) and Policy suite, ensuring they remain dynamic and aligned with EBA guidelines and local regulations.
- Execute 2nd Line Monitoring: Design and conduct thematic reviews of 1st Line processes (Onboarding, Transaction Monitoring, CDD) to test control effectiveness and identify gaps before they become risks.
- Advise on High-Risk Decisions: Act as the primary escalation point for complex cases and provide "check and challenge" on new product launches to ensure we balance commercial goals with regulatory obligations.
- Drive Regulatory Horizon Scanning: Monitor the shifting EMI regulatory landscape (including UK MLRs and EU Directives), translating complex legal changes into actionable business requirements.
- Mentor and Elevate Standards: Provide technical guidance to junior team members, fostering a culture of confidence and regulatory rigour within the FCC function.
What you bring
You’ll thrive in this role if you have:
- A minimum of 6 years in Financial Crime Compliance, with at least 3 years specifically within a 2nd Line of Defense role where you held an oversight capacity.
- A solid understanding of EMI business models, automated transaction monitoring logic, and API-led onboarding flows.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with 1st Line, Product and Ops teams, comfortably delivering constructive challenges to stakeholders when risks exceed our appetite.
- A background holding an ICA Diploma (or equivalent) or ACAMS certification is a plus.
- A passion for solving problems in creative ways, but also the willingness to "roll up your sleeves" and dive into data reconciliation or documentation when the team needs support.
Who you’ll be working with and reporting to
You’ll report to our Group Head of Financial Crime Compliance and work closely with teams in 1st Line Framework, Operations, Product, Engineering and Legal. Our team three in Financial Crime Compliance is highly collaborative and dedicated to protecting Pleo from financial crime risks and ensuring regulatory soundness. You’ll also have the chance to partner with teams across many other departments to ensure success.
How you’ll develop in this role
In your first 12 months at Pleo, you’ll:
- Lead the gap analysis and implementation of the upcoming EU AML Package to drive impact in our cross-border compliance strategy.
- Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams to provide critical overs
Aplyr's read
Pleo revolutionizes business expense management with innovative financial technology, attracting tech-savvy professionals eager to streamline financial processes in dynamic environments.
What's promising
- •Pleo offers a cutting-edge platform for expense management, appealing to tech enthusiasts.
- •The company is expanding rapidly, hiring across engineering, product, and operations roles.
- •Pleo's focus on innovation includes roles like Staff Engineer in GenAI Core.
What to watch
- •Pleo operates in a competitive fintech market with numerous similar solutions.
- •The company's rapid growth may lead to scaling challenges internally.
- •Limited public information about Pleo's financial stability and long-term profitability.
Why Pleo
- •Pleo's smart company cards simplify expense tracking, offering a unique edge.
- •The platform integrates seamlessly with accounting systems, enhancing user experience.
- •Pleo's emphasis on design systems and GenAI indicates a forward-thinking approach.
Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?
About Pleo
Pleo is a financial technology company that provides smart company cards and expense management solutions for businesses. Their platform simplifies expense tracking and management, allowing companies to gain better control over their spending and streamline financial processes.
