About this role
Are you looking to have an impact on the daily life of millions of entrepreneurs in France (and tomorrow in Europe)?
Are you looking for a work environment that values trust, proactivity, and autonomy?
Then Pennylane is the right place for you !
Our vision
We aim to become the most beloved financial Operating System of French SMEs and Accounting Firms (and soon, European ones).
We help entrepreneurs rid themselves of time-consuming tasks related to accounting and finance while providing them with access to key financial information to assist in making the best decisions for their business.
About us
Pennylane is one of the fastest growing Fintechs in France (and soon to be in Europe!)
In 5 years of existence, we’ve managed to :
💻 Make ourselves known as a groundbreaking accounting and financial software for small businesses and their accountants
💰 Raise a total of €400 millions, including from Sequoia, the famous fund from the Silicon Valley who invested early in companies like Google, Facebook, Airbnb, Stripe, Paypal and much more...
👨👩👧👦 Grow from 7 cofounders to 1000 happy Pennylaners : we’re now recognized as one of the greatest places to work in France (and also remotely), with a 4.6/5 rating on Glassdoor.
🌍 Build an international environment with more than 25 nationalities, with a strong remote-friendly culture, where 30% of the employees are already working from all parts of Europe
🤝 Earn the trust of thousands of customers and accounting firms and obtain outstanding ratings
🚀 Already more than 900,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and over 6000 accounting firms use Pennylane in France!
ContextWe are currently operating approximately 30k business accounts under a BaaS model
The role of Financial Services in Pennylane’s strategy is set to grow, both in terms of revenue and product contribution, to serve our 750k+ current customer base
As such, we are initiating a process to get licensed as Etablissement de paiement et Société de financement to meet our current functional scope at the very least
Our ambition is to start onboarding new customers by early 2027 before starting migrating existing customers
To meet this ambition, we are starting to hire our Tech, Product, Compliance and Ops leaders
We are looking for a Lead Compliance / MLRO.
Reporting directly to the Director of Compliance and Risk, you will be responsible for the consistency and effectiveness of the non-compliance risk management framework across the payment institution and financing company. The role covers all regulatory compliance functions, including AML/CFT, customer protection, fraud management, in full alignment with French and European regulatory requirements.
Your mission would be to :
Design and implement the compliance framework, risk, permanent controls for a combined payment services and financing perimeter.
Act as point of contact for the regulator on LCB‑FT / Tracfin matters
Build and lead a compliance team
Work in close partnership with the group compliance function (eg on GDPR and ethics), while maintaining full independence as a control function.
This is a greenfield project with high autonomy and responsibility, direct exposure to regulators, and the opportunity to shape the compliance function and culture of a fast‑growing fintech with a robust preexisting customer base.
Missions & objectivesAML/CFT Program (MLRO)Act as the designated MLRO, responsible for filing Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) with TRACFIN
Oversee KYC/KYB procedures, risk scoring, transaction monitoring, and sanctions / PEP screening
Chair the AML/CFT Committee and report to the Board on money laundering and terrorist financing exposure
Keep the AML/CFT framework up to date in line with AMLD6, EBA guidelines, and ACPR requirements
Norms, Policies & ProceduresDesign, implement, and maintain compliance policies and procedures, including the AML/CFT procedure, the compliance manual, and all related internal frameworks
Ensure procedures are accessible, up to date, and effectively communicated across the organization
New Product ComplianceReview and formally approve all new products before commercialization, as well as any significant changes to existing products (including through M&A)
Issue written, formalized opinions to ensure products are compliant with applicable regulations prior to launch
Non-Compliance Risk MappingBuild, maintain, and update the non-compliance risk map, which is distinct from the operational risk map but follows a similar process-based identification methodology
Ensure the map highlights key criminal and reputational risks
Produce a synthetic, executive-level view of the risk map for reporting to governance bodies (Board, Audit Committee, Risk Committee)
Permanent Compliance ControlLead the second-level permanent control activities related to compliance, as part of the broader second-level control framework
Ensure that first-level controls exist, are operational, and are effective
Compliance Systems & Tools OwnershipAct as business owner for all compliance-related systems, in particular AML/CFT transaction monitoring and alerting tools
Define functional requirements for these tools and validate that delivered or updated systems are correctly configured and meet compliance expectations
Ensure that any new business application or material change to an existing one remains compliant with regulatory obligations
Training & AdvisoryDesign and deliver compliance training programs to raise awareness of non-compliance risks across all business functions
Provide guidance and advisory support to employees on compliance matters
Regulatory WatchMonitor and analyze regulatory developments applicable to the business (laws, regulations, guidelines, industry standards)
Disseminate relevant regulatory updates across the organization in a timely and actionable manner
Governance & ReportingInteraction with the Lead Control and Risk Officer: Collaborate closely with the Lead Controls & Risks Officer (RFC2), who oversees Level 2 controls, while you act as the ultimate escalation and decision point for recommendation definition and implementation within your scope.
Management Reporting: Provide regular updates to the Director of Compliance & Risk (DE2) and the Supervisory Board on the status of the AML/CFT program and identified residual risks.
Training: Implement and oversee the local AML/CFT and Sanctions training program, ensuring all employees (especially L1 Ops) are equipped to identify suspicious behavior.
Product Counsel Collaboration: Work closely with product counsel to ensure AML/CFT compliance for new products and activities at launch.
Team LeadershipStructure & Recruitment: Participate in recruiting and managing a high-performing team, including specialists in SAR, TM, KYC, and compliance operations.
Performance Management: Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each team member.
Culture of Excellence: Foster a culture of ownership, radical honesty, and accountability, ensuring high standards of documentation and auditability for future ACPR inspections.
Profile & Must‑Have ExperienceExperience8 to 10+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, with significant exposure to a payment institution, bank, credit institution, or regulated fintech
Proven track record as MLRO or designated AML/CFT officer
Strong knowledge of the regulatory framework applicable to payment institutions and financing companies (PSD2, PSD3, DORA, AMLD, ACPR regulations)
Technical SkillsDeep expertise in AML/CFT frameworks (KYC/KYB, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening)
Experience as business owner for compliance tools and ability to bridge compliance requirements with IT/product teams
Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex regulatory texts in both French and English
Ability and passion to build from scratch: frameworks, policies, processes, tools, reporting.
Soft SkillsStrong leadership and ability to influence
Excellent communication skills across all levels (Board, regulators, operational teams)
Rigorous, principled, and accountable
Pragmatic, impact‑driven approach, capable of operating under strong regulatory constraints without blocking innovation.
Comfortable operating in a dual posture of control and advisory, with clear boundaries between the two
Strong pedagogy: able to explain complex regulatory topics to product managers, engineers and founders in simple, actionable terms.
Challenging yet constructive: comfortable questioning senior leaders, while remaining solution‑oriented and business‑minded.
Languages, Presence & LocationLanguages: fluent French and English are mandatory (day‑to‑day work and ACPR & Tracfin interaction in French; internal and investor dialogue often in English).
Location:
Based in France, with a strong preference for Paris.
Regular on‑site presence in Paris is expected; partial remote is possible, but this is not a fully remote role.
Why Join Us?Greenfield regulatory project: Be the architect of a new regulated entity, from licence application to operational rollout.
Massive impact: Shape the way financial services are delivered to hundreds of thousands of French SMEs.
High autonomy & influence:
Direct, regular interaction with the Director of Compliance & Risk
Central role in building and applying the risk appetite and governance of the entity.
Fast‑growing fintech environment:
Work closely with top‑tier product and engineering teams.
Help invent the next generation of SME financial services under a robust, modern compliance and risk framework.
Competitive compensation package, including equity components aligned with impact and responsibility.
Hiring process (TBC)HR interview with Simon Peraldo (Senior Recruiter)
Who interview withStanislas de Villoutreys (Head of Legal, Compliance and Risk) and Maxime Leclercq (General Manager Financial Services)
Case study with Stanislas and Guillaume Nicolle (Lead Internal Control & Risk)
Last round with Felix Blossier (COO and cofounder)
What do we do to make your work life easier
🌴 Wherever you are based, you will get 25 vacations days paid by Pennylane
💵 You’ll have a competitive compensation package
📈 You'll get company shares to enjoy a piece of the success story you're building with us
🏡 You’ll have a budget to turn your home into a more comfortable workspace, as well as a monthly allowance to work from a coworking space whenever you feel like it
⛹️ Through our partner Gymlib, you’ll have access to 8000 fitness spaces in Europe and more than 300 activities related to wellness
💻 You’ll get the latest Apple equipment
🏢 Depending on the teams and the requirements of the position - you'll be able to work remotely from your country of residence, as long as it is in Europe and within a maximum time difference of two hours from the CET time zone
🎉 We are committed to regularly coming together for company events such as Tech Days (which bring remote Pennylaners together every 3 months) or our annual company seminar, fostering significant moments of cohesion for everyone.
If you are based in France, you will have a French contract following French regulation on top of the additional perks : 6 to 12 RTT, 5 weeks PTOs, lunch credits (Swile), Alan Blue healthcare cover and regular events in cities where Pennylaners are mostly presents (Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes…)
We're working on providing those last advantages to our people based outside of France as well, but it can be quite more complex depending on different countries.
Who are we looking for ?
To thrive at Pennylane, you need :
-To speak English (level is assessed and appreciated according to the department you’re applying to)
-To be energized by an ever-shifting work environment
-To be highly collaborative (within your team or other stakeholders)
-Sufficiently experienced to prioritize business-led actions on your day to day activity
We know that some people are less likely to apply than others, if they don’t feel like they meet the full list of criteria.
If you’re hesitating, we encourage you to apply : who knows, it might be the start of a meaningful and long-lasting collaboration.
Important information for candidates
Recruitment scam attempts are on the rise. We invite you to remain vigilant during your exchanges.
Applications through official channels only : apply exclusively through our job postings published on our official platforms (career site, official partner pages).
Always verify the sender's email address: our communications are sent from professional email addresses with the domains @pennylane.com or @pennylane-partners.com
We will never ask you for payment or financial information
(bank details, payment for an interview, equipment purchases, etc.) as part of the recruitment process. If such a request is made to you, it is fraudulent. We invite you to not respond and to report it to us immediately.
We also want to emphasize that we fully embrace diversity, equity and inclusion and that we’re doing our best to create a safe and inclusive environment.
We are committed to providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of gender, sexual orientation, origin, disabilities, or any other traits that make you who you are. If anything, diversity makes us a more fun place to work at.