Compliance Officer, North Asia

Circle is a financial technology company at the epicenter of the emerging internet of money, where value can finally travel like other digital data - globally, nearly instantly and less expensively than legacy settlement systems. This ground-breaking new internet layer opens up previously unimaginable possibilities for payments, commerce and markets that can help raise global economic prosperity and enhance inclusion. Our infrastructure - including USDC, a blockchain-based dollar - helps businesses, institutions and developers harness these breakthroughs and capitalize on this major turning point in the evolution of money and technology.
What you'll be part of:
Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values : High Integrity, Future Forward, Multistakeholder, Mindful, and Driven by Excellence. We have built a flexible and diverse work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.
What you'll be responsible for:
Circle is looking for a Compliance Officer and MLRO within the Circle Compliance and Risk function in North Asia. In this role, you will drive the strategy of risk management and compliance for North Asia, as well as the implementation and execution of controls that adequately comply with applicable regulatory and enterprise risk management requirements.
You will also act as the point of contact with regulators in North Asia and will represent Circle's engagement with them. The role will involve working with a broad range of cross-functional partners, including Finance, Tax, Legal, Business, Policy and other Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management team members to collaboratively design the regulatory compliance and risk strategy and implement the day to day functioning of our programs for all topics, such as Licensing, KYC, Transaction Monitoring, Sanctions Screening, Reporting, Consumer Protection and Risk Governance.
You will lead the creation and management of a highly effective program that demonstrates compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, while staying within our risk appetite and tolerance levels. The right candidate will possess deep expertise of regulatory, strategic, risk management, process and systems design, communication, time management, data analytics, presentation and change agility abilities.
What you'll work on:

• Drive the strategy, framework and execution of our Compliance program to ensure applicable regulatory requirements and our company's risk requirements are being met comprehensively
• Work closely with broader Compliance, ERM, Legal, Product, Operations and other cross-functional teams to understand the overall business environment and be a point of contact for the day-to-day implementation and execution of Compliance policies related to the UAE region
• Support regional license application processes through the development of necessary materials, addressing queries and coordinating regulatory responses
• Ensure adherence to all regulatory reporting obligations and responsiveness to any regulatory engagements
• Partner with other leaders to design and implement the Compliance framework and system for our business
• Interface with local regulators and other external stakeholders in explaining our Compliance and Risk Management program
• Serve as a point of contact for Compliance and Risk Management with key stakeholders and partners with respect to relevant technology and operational process designs
• Monitor AML and other relevant regulatory developments, and maintain advanced knowledge of new and amended laws and regulations, and ensure processes are in place to keep the business updated on such developments
• Proactively analyze trends and patterns in alerts for AML and other parts of Compliance and effectively design our program
• Perform oversight over our processing environment to ensure local compliance requirements are being followed as expected
• Develop, maintain and review policies, procedures and processes to ensure compliance with applicable internal, legal and regulatory standards
• Be responsible for coordinating with teams to handle escalations and reporting of suspicious transactions pursuant to regulatory obligations
• Support the AML and Compliance Program through production of key performance indicators (metrics) and other reporting
• Report on and oversee internal and external investigations of money laundering and other financial crimes both alone and in collaboration with other internal stakeholders and outside counsel
• Act as a delegate for the Regional compliance lead as required

What you'll bring to Circle:

• 12+ years of relevant experience within a financial services/technology regulatory compliance role, law enforcement role or government agency role with deep expertise in financial crimes
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience as stated above
• Expert knowledge of regulatory obligations in North Asia, including MLRO, AML/Counter Terrorist Financing/Sanctions and Digital Asset regulatory requirements
• Extensive experience interacting directly with relevant regulatory agencies particularly in North Asia
• Experience working hands-on with other cross-functional team leaders, such as lawyers, engineers, product managers, data analysts, operations analysts in improving compliance processes and systems
• Proven ability to work with global teams in setting appropriate compliance programs
• Knowledge of compliance requirements (red flags, typologies), process and system intricacies used in online, mobile and blockchain-based environments
• Possess strong leadership qualities and demonstrate a strong work ethic as well as a high degree of integrity
• Be capable of assessing and developing individual and team skills and providing timely constructive feedback
• Strong communication, planning and project management skills
• Business fluency in Mandarin and Cantonese is preferred
• Establishes trust and collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders and team members
• Strong attention to detail
• Experience with Slack, Apple MacOS and Google Workspace

Circle is on a mission to create an inclusive financial future, with transparency at our core. We consider a wide variety of elements when crafting our compensation ranges and total compensation packages.
Starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skill set, qualifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that compensation ranges may differ for candidates in other locations.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Circle. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Additionally, Circle participates in the E-Verify Program in certain locations, as required by law.
Should you require accommodations or assistance in our interview process because of a disability, please reach out to [email protected] for support. We respect your privacy and will connect with you separately from our interview process to accommodate your needs.
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