Head of Compliance - MiCA

Wintermute • Full-time • Amsterdam • 3w ago

About Wintermute

Wintermute is a technology unicorn and one of the leading global players in the digital asset markets. Wintermute is the largest crypto-native algorithmic trading company providing liquidity across all major exchanges and trading platforms. Our OTC desk offers a wide range of spot and derivatives products and supports over 2,000 counterparties across crypto natives and traditional financial institutions. We actively participate in the development of the blockchain ecosystem by being one of the largest players in DeFi as well as our investments arm, partnerships and incubations.

Wintermute was founded in 2017 by trading industry leaders and has successfully navigated multiple crypto industry cycles. Culturally, we combine the best of the two worlds: the technology standards of high-frequency trading firms in traditional markets and the innovative and entrepreneurial culture of technology start-ups. Read more here.

Nature of the role:

We are looking for a Head of Compliance who will assume primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with MiCA, MiFID and applicable state rules/ regulations in Europe. The primary responsibility would be to design, implement and maintain the compliance program in Amsterdam, develop and work in tandem with the Wintermute’s global compliance team to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements.

The successful candidate will develop Wintermute’s global regulatory position in relation to the EU and UK financial markets regulations.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and advise the business on issues relating to financial markets regulations, as well as develop and implement solutions aligned with Wintermute’s business objectives and its global regulatory and compliance strategy.
Establish and implement standards, policies and procedures for the Europe compliance program.
Oversee trade related compliance activities.
Coordinate responses to inquiries from regulatory authorities.
Manage all aspects of the EU firm’s AML compliance program. Collaborate with other control functions such as compliance, risk, operations to address any regulatory issues which may impact the function, business or product.
Assist with development, maintenance and delivery of compliance related materials, including policies and procedures, manuals and training materials against regulatory requirements and best practices.
Review and approve marketing materials, ensuring it complies with applicable financial promotion rules.
Support compliance and regulatory projects, including authorisations, transaction monitoring and surveillance. Investigating and analyzing automated transaction monitoring alerts.
Involvement in regulatory horizon scanning, including interpreting the regulation, scoping and analysis, and implementing new regulation changes.
Reviewing new publications from regulators and communicating their impact to stakeholders.
Coordinate and lead Wintermute’s response to regulatory inquiries, examinations or investigations as well as other cross-border regulatory matters as may be required.
Develop regulatory and operational strategy for new products in multiple jurisdictions in coordination with the business and product teams.
Ideally, lead on Wintermute’s digital assets policy with leading crypto associations, federal and state regulators, and analyse, consider and comment on proposed bills as they are promulgated.

Hard Skills Requirements:

At least 7+ years of compliance experience, preferably in a proprietary trading or crypto-native firm.
Strong understanding of both MiCA and MiFID regulations.
Experience in relation to proprietary trading, financial services and/or crypto.
Strong attention to detail and able to prioritize workload to meet tight deadlines.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Other Requirements

Strong interest and curiosity in algorithmic trading and decentralized finance
Owner mentality: you focus on protecting the company from compliance risk while being driven by the best for the company in terms of growth and commercial success
Proven ability to be both a strategic thinker and excellent at execution and being hands-on; drive to do whatever it takes to get things done
Sharing Wintermute culture values: determination/ambition and humility; drive to action, ability to both influence others and listen/ learn from others
Like meritocracy and being ready to be judged by what you deliver (vs pedigree or former experience)
Have an entrepreneurial mindset vs 9-to-5 mentality; prepared to work non-standard working hours as and if required