Job Description

Papaya Global is a rapidly growing, award-winning B2B tech unicorn with an ambitious mission to revolutionize the payroll & payments industry. With over $400M raised from multiple tier-one investors, our innovative technology provides a comprehensive solution for managing global workforces, encompassing everything from hiring and onboarding to managing and paying employees in over 160 countries.

We are looking for a Senior AML & Financial Crime Specialist to strengthen our Global Compliance Operations team. This role is ideal for an experienced AML professional with a strong investigative mindset and expertise in transaction monitoring, financial crime risk, and cross-border payments.

The successful candidate will support the continuous enhancement of our AML framework, lead complex investigations, improve operational processes, and act as a technical reference for the wider Compliance team. This is a hands-on role with opportunities to mentor junior team members while continuing to develop as a subject matter expert.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct complex AML investigations, transaction monitoring reviews, and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) using a risk-based approach.
• Support the continuous improvement of AML controls, monitoring scenarios, and financial crime processes.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Product, Risk, Operations, and Engineering teams to strengthen financial crime prevention capabilities.
• Perform risk assessments, identify emerging financial crime trends, and recommend control enhancements.
• Contribute to regulatory reporting, internal procedures, training initiatives, and quality assurance activities.
• Mentor junior analysts and provide subject matter expertise across the Compliance function.

Requirements

• 5–8 years of experience in AML, Financial Crime, Compliance, or Fraud within fintech, banking, payments, or other regulated financial institutions.
• Strong experience in transaction monitoring, AML investigations, KYC/KYB, Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), sanctions screening, and risk-based compliance frameworks.
• Solid understanding of international AML/CFT regulations and FATF recommendations.
• Experience supporting financial crime programs in a cross-border payments, fintech, or banking environment.
• Self-starter with a proactive mindset, capable of working independently and driving initiatives with minimal supervision.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with evolving priorities and ambiguity.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to balance operational execution and continuous improvement.
• Professional proficiency in English.

Nice to have

• Experience within a fintech, Payment Service Provider (PSP), payroll, or other global payments environment.
• Exposure to cryptocurrency products, blockchain analytics, or crypto-related financial crime investigations.
• CAMS, ICA, CFCS, or equivalent AML certification.
• Experience with AML monitoring platforms, case management systems, or data analysis tools.