MLRO (Money Laundering Reporting Officer) - Compliance Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION: MLRO (Money Laundering Reporting Officer) - Compliance Officer

Location: Belgrade, Serbia, on-site

Employment: Full-time Reports to: CEO / Board of Directors 

About the Client

Our client is an emerging global payments company operating under an MSB framework, focused on providing secure and compliant payment processing solutions for ecommerce merchants across various verticals, including higher-risk industries. As they expand into new regions (EU, UK, and Asia), they are strengthening their compliance and AML governance structure.

They are seeking an experienced MLRO (Money Laundering Reporting Officer)- Compliance Officer to establish, lead, and develop their compliance function in Belgrade.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Regulatory Compliance & Reporting

• Act as the primary Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) for the company.
• Ensure full compliance with AML/CTF regulations, internal policies, and industry standards.
• Prepare and file SARs/STRs and maintain communication with relevant authorities.
• Maintain all regulatory records and ensure timely reporting to regulators and banking partners.
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2. AML / CTF Framework Management

• Design, implement, and maintain the company’s AML/CTF program.
• Conduct and update enterprise-wide risk assessments and merchant risk scoring models.
• Oversee KYC/KYB onboarding, enhanced due diligence (EDD), sanctions screening, and ongoing monitoring.
• Ensure effective transaction monitoring and develop rule-based risk controls.

3. Acquiring Bank & Partner Interaction

• Serve as the primary compliance contact for acquiring banks, regulators, auditors, and PSP partners.
• Prepare compliance documentation, policies, and risk assessments required for onboarding with financial institutions.
• Lead audits, compliance reviews, and risk assessments requested by acquiring partners.

4. Merchant Underwriting & High-Risk Oversight

• Approve or decline merchants based on risk profile and AML considerations.
• Evaluate high-risk verticals (e.g., gaming, crypto, forex, nutraceuticals) and apply EDD procedures where needed.
• Monitor merchant activity to ensure business practices match approved use cases.

5. Team Leadership & Development

• Oversee and mentor AML analysts, compliance officers, and risk specialists as the team grows.
• Support future expansion into EU, UK (SPI), and Asian licensing frameworks.
• Continuously improve the compliance culture within the organization.

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Must-Have:

• • 3–5+ years of experience in AML, compliance, or risk management within:
• Payments / PSP
• Fintech
• Bank / EMI
• Crypto exchange or VASP
• Strong understanding of KYC/KYB, merchant onboarding, and payment risk assessment.
• Hands-on experience filing SARs/STRs and communicating with regulators.
• Solid knowledge of sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, and EDD.
• Familiarity with high-risk verticals and associated compliance frameworks.
• Excellent English communication skills.

Nice-to-Have:

• Previous MLRO or Deputy MLRO role.
• Experience with acquiring bank compliance audits.
• Knowledge of FATF recommendations and global AML standards.
• Experience working with compliance tools (ComplyAdvantage, SEON, Chainalysis, etc.)

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Highly analytical and detail-oriented.
• Able to operate independently and take ownership of the compliance function.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Comfortable working in a fast-growing fintech environment.
• Ethical, responsible, and able to handle confidential information.