Our client is a 60-person Group of companies based in Limassol and operating in various sectors including Payments, Crypto and are currently looking to recruit a Head of Client Onboarding/Underwriting to own the full journey from signed commercial interest to a live, funded, correctly configured account — and to keep owning that client's risk profile after go-live.
The Group is built on professionalism, ownership and open communication allowing people room to take responsibility, contribute ideas and shape how the business runs.
The Role:
- In a payments business, onboarding isn't admin — it's risk decisions, evidence files and partner negotiations, all at once.
- We're hiring a Head of Client Onboarding/Underwriting to own the full journey from signed commercial interest to a live, funded, correctly configured account — and to keep owning that client's risk profile after go-live.
You'll be accountable for:
- Decisions the firm can defend — to regulators, sponsor banks, card schemes and auditors, based on the evidence in the file at the time.
- Onboarding that keeps pace — enough speed and capacity that commercially sound deals don't stall.
- Packs partners accept first time — complete, well-prepared, built to each counterparty's requirements.
- Reports to the COO. Leads a team of onboarding analysts, KYC/KYB specialists and risk underwriters.
What you'll own:
- KYC/KYB standard across the book — structure unwind, UBO verification, screening, EDD, source of funds/wealth.
- Risk rating and the reasoning behind it — documented, defensible rationale, not just a score.
- Interrogation of the business model — what's actually sold, to whom, under what licence — catching what documents alone won't surface: undisclosed related parties, transaction laundering indicators, MCC mismatch, nominee arrangements.
- The client after go-live — periodic review, document refresh, re-assessment when the business drifts from what was underwritten.
- First-line monitoring — setting the expected activity profile, triaging alerts, escalating to Compliance/MLRO.
- Partner and rail relationships — current per-counterparty requirement maps, first-time acceptance rate, response to partner reviews.
- Scheme registration and MCC coding, with underwriting records producible on demand.
- Funds flow — clear, defensible presentation to committee and partners.
- SLAs and capacity — an instrumented funnel with honest reporting on the speed-vs-quality trade-off.
- Policy, controls and audit readiness — point of contact for internal/external audit and regulatory inspection.
- The team — structure, QA, coaching, and documented process so nothing sits in one person's head.
- Tooling — working with the CTO to automate low-risk, high-volume checks.
What we're looking for:
- 5+ years in underwriting/merchant risk at an acquirer, PSP, Payfac, EMI, PI or sponsor bank, including 2+ years leading a team.
- Hands-on KYB on complex structures — multi-layer ownership, offshore holding entities, trusts, nominees — including the judgement to say a structure can't be verified.
- Working command of individual KYC, PEP/sanctions, adverse media, source of funds/wealth.
- Track record building and defending onboarding packs through counterparty review.
- Ability to map and present funds flow accurately.
- Written risk decisions that hold up under review, including under commercial pressure.
- Business-level English.
Strongly desirable:
- High-risk sector experience (Gaming, CFD, Crypto, Pharma).
- Experience inside a regulatory inspection, scheme investigation or partner file review.
- UK/EU AML/CTF familiarity and AEMI licence experience.
- ICA, ACAMS or equivalent certification.
- Onboarding/KYB tooling implementation or migration experience.
Salary Package:
- Based on skills, experience and seniority from 60-75k + discretionary bonus.
- Daily lunch provided at the office.
- EKO Miles fuel card.
Working Hours:
Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm (onsite)
To apply:
Please send your CV to StaffMatters at admin@smstaffmatters.com and mention that you are applying for the vacancy of Head of Onboarding / Underwriting with reference number 4470.
Or you can apply directly through your candidate login by hitting the APPLY button.
