Director of First Line Operations - AML, PTM, CB, Fraud

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior leadership position at the heart of Verifone’s global payments ecosystem. You will shape operational risk management across four regulated payment entities, influence the future of our payments & financial services strategy, and drive automation and continuous improvement at scale. For an experienced operational risk leader, this role offers the chance to modernise first‑line operations, strengthen controls, and contribute directly to how a renowned, established company continues to grow its presence in the UK/EU market.

Responsibilities

Manage all first line activities across the four Verifone payment entities, covering the teams responsible for onboarding, re-underwriting, fraud and AML transaction monitoring; Act as the first contact point for all 1st line questions and escalations across the four entities; Set a consistent first line operating model, standards and performance expectations while respecting entity-specific regulatory requirements; Own first line KPIs, SLAs and quality metrics, ensuring case volumes and backlogs are managed within risk appetite; Identify and remediate gaps across the onboarding, re-underwriting, fraud and AML transaction monitoring processes; Strengthen the first line control environment and ensure controls are effective, evidenced and audit-ready; Review and approve higher-risk onboarding cases and escalation decisions, including complex ownership and foreign-owned structures; Primary focus is on: Merchant onboarding, KYC, CDD and KYB, Periodic, trigger-based and event-driven re-underwriting and risk reviews, Fraud monitoring and case management; AML transaction monitoring, sanctions and transaction screening, and alert handling; Define and deliver the automation roadmap to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy and scale operations across entities; Drive adoption of automated onboarding/KYC, risk scoring, alert triage and transaction monitoring tuning to reduce false positives and shorten cycle times; Ensure the onboarding process offers the best possible client experience while applying regulatory requirements proportionately; Build and develop a people strategy that allows execution upon the vision – across functions and locations; Work closely with Product teams to ship and deliver best-in-market KYC product experiences to our customers; Utilise data and user research to optimise the onboarding experience and transform how we fight financial crime and fulfil regulatory obligations; Manage and optimise third-party services and outsourced vendors (1st line related) across the operating model; Provide management information and reporting to the EMEA CFO, senior leadership and risk committees; Partner with second line (Compliance/Risk), internal audit, partner banks and technology to close findings and embed sustainable fixes; Lead, develop and scale multi-team, potentially multi-jurisdiction operations

Requirements

5+ years of experience in payments/fintech operations, risk or financial crime, with substantial time in first line leadership roles; Deep, hands-on knowledge of merchant onboarding/KYC, CDD, KYB, re-underwriting, fraud monitoring and AML transaction monitoring; Solid understanding of corporate structures, UBO analysis and foreign ownership models; Demonstrated track record of identifying and mitigating gaps across these processes; Proven experience automating onboarding, monitoring and case management processes with measurable efficiency gains; Experience with regulated (payment) services & acquiring; Proficiency with KYC/AML systems, TM tools, sanctions/watchlist databases and adverse media platforms; Working knowledge of the applicable EU regulations; Experience in client contact and managing client relationship processes; Highly analytical with attention to detail; Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines without sacrificing quality of work; Ability to work independently and collaboratively, depending on the situation; Ability to effectively present information to regulators and/or Verifone Group Senior Leadership; Strong people leadership experience, managing managers and large operational teams