EU Head of Compliance (2LOD)

We're looking for an EU Head of Compliance to join our Legal & Compliance team at Pleo. In this role, you'll be the architect and guardian of our regulatory integrity, maintaining our framework under the primary supervision of the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (DFSA) while ensuring seamless passporting across the EEA.

You’ll act as a strategic bridge between the business and regulators, balancing rigorous adherence to regulation with the commercial agility required by a high-growth FinTech. If you are a "builder" rather than just a "checker" and are excited about scaling a compliance function from a high-growth scale-up into a mature, world-class institution, then this is the opportunity for you!

What you’ll be doing

As the EU Head of Compliance, you will:

• Design and scale a robust Second Line of Defence (2LoD) that satisfies Danish standards while remaining agile enough for a fast-moving FinTech.
• Act as the primary point of contact for the DFSA and other EU regulatory bodies, managing inspections, filings, and notifications to build a relationship of trust and transparency.
• Act as a strategic partner to Product teams, providing "compliant-by-design" advice on new features (e.g., credit offerings, invoice management) before rollout.
• Lead the 2LoD monitoring program, conducting thematic reviews and assurance programs to ensure the First Line of Defence (1LoD) is adhering to requirements in areas like operational resilience and consumer protection.
• Overhaul and maintain core compliance policies, ensuring they are proportionate, scalable, and adaptable to local nuances in various EU markets.
• Report directly to the Board of Directors and Executive Management on compliance health, emerging regulatory risks, and the effectiveness of internal controls.
• Build and mentor a high-performing EU compliance team, fostering a culture where compliance is viewed as a competitive advantage.

What you bring

You’ll thrive in this role if you have:

• 8–12 years of experience in legal or compliance roles within regulated financial services, specifically within the Payments (PI/EMI) or SaaS-FinTech space.
• A proven track record of managing relationships with European regulators (e.g., DFSA, CSSF, BaFin, or CBI) and a deep understanding of the European regulatory landscape.
• Experience transitioning a firm from a scale-up phase into a mature, highly regulated institution.
• The ability to leverage data and automation to monitor compliance, moving away from manual, "old-school" spreadsheets.
• The ability to provide clear, actionable guidance to cross-functional teams and report effectively to the Board.
• A professional certification (e.g., CAMS, ICA Diploma) or a strong legal background.
• Direct experience with Danish financial regulations is a significant plus.

Note: This role requires broad regulatory compliance experience (Governance, Conduct, and Licensing) and in-house operational experience. It is not suitable for candidates with purely advisory (consulting only), purely risk management, or "Financial Crime only" backgrounds.

Who you’ll be working