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Qonto, Europe's leading finance workspace for SMEs with banking at its core, is seeking a Head of Sanctions to build and lead its sanctions framework across all European markets. Based in Paris and reporting to the Anti-Financial Crime Director (Western Europe), you will play a critical role in Qonto's transition to Credit Institution status by establishing robust sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening standards.
You will own the complete sanctions function: designing and documenting policies, standards, governance, and operational processes across all Qonto markets. This includes building control and quality assurance mechanisms to challenge investigation decisions, monitor risk, and maintain strong compliance posture. You'll optimize screening operations by improving tool usage, managing alert volumes, reducing false positives, and strengthening matching quality.
Key responsibilities include partnering with MLROs, Banking Operations, AML, Fraud, Product, and Tech teams to embed sanctions requirements into products and payment flows. You will represent Qonto externally, conducting regulatory watch and maintaining relationships with authorities such as ACPR and DGT across European markets, as well as with industry peers and banking partners. You'll lead and grow the sanctions team, including production team leads and expert profiles, while staying operationally engaged to understand day-to-day realities.
You bring deep sanctions expertise from large banks or international financial institutions, with strong multi-country regulatory experience across European markets. You understand payment schemes and flows, and have hands-on experience with screening tools and methodologies (FircoSoft, World-Check One, ComplyAdvantage, Neterium). You're a hands-on leader who can manage senior-level scope while staying close to operational detail, coach team leads effectively, and operate autonomously in ambiguity. Fluency in English is required; French or another European language is a plus.
This newly created role offers direct regulatory impact, a build-from-scratch opportunity to design Qonto's sanctions function foundations, high autonomy with visibility to senior Risk & Compliance leaders, and both operational and strategic influence. You'll improve Qonto's strategic framework and day-to-day screening efficiency, with potential for team and scope growth as the company scales.
