Head of Risk (Card Acquiring)

Head of Risk (Card Acquiring) Lead risk management strategies to safeguard and propel growth in a dynamic fintech environment 🚀 Apply in 2 min About the Client Our client is a fast-growing European fintech startup backed by an international holding group. The company is building a next-generation card acquiring business with direct Visa and Mastercard membership, with a strong focus on the European market. Role Overview We are looking for a Head of Risk to build and lead the Risk function of our growing card acquiring business. This is a hands-on leadership role with ownership of merchant risk, fraud risk, card scheme compliance, and enterprise-wide risk management. You will be responsible for developing the company’s risk framework from the ground up, setting risk appetite and controls, overseeing the full e-commerce merchant risk lifecycle, and ensuring compliance with Visa and Mastercard requirements. As an early member of the leadership team, you will work closely with senior management, Compliance/AML, Operations, Product, and Engineering and play a key role in preparing the business for launch and future growth. Key Responsibilities Build and lead the Risk function, developing risk policies, procedures, controls, risk appetite and monitoring frameworks as the company launches and scales. Own the end-to-end merchant risk lifecycle for the card acquiring business, including underwriting, onboarding, risk classification, ongoing monitoring and offboarding. Define merchant risk ratings, transaction limits, reserves and settlement conditions, including frameworks for higher-risk merchants. Ensure compliance with Visa and Mastercard scheme requirements, including MCC rules, VAMP, ECP/EFM, MATCH, VMSS and related remediation processes. Oversee merchant fraud, chargebacks and transaction risk, identify emerging risk patterns and make decisions on mitigation, restrictions, holds or merchant termination. Own the company’s enterprise-wide risk management framework, including EWRA, risk register, control mapping, KRIs and regular risk reporting. Work closely with AML/Compliance, Operations, Product and Engineering to ensure financial crime and operational risks are appropriately identified, escalated and controlled. Requirements 4+ years of experience in risk, merchant underwriting, merchant onboarding, fraud, or payments risk within a card acquirer, Payment Institution, or EMI. At least 1+ year of direct hands-on experience in card acquiring, with a strong understanding of the merchant risk lifecycle. Strong practical knowledge of Visa and Mastercard scheme rules, MCC classifications, merchant underwriting, fraud and chargeback monitoring. Hands-on experience with card scheme risk programmes and controls, including VAMP, ECP, EFM, MATCH, VMSS, and related remediation processes. Experience with e-commerce merchant risk, including high-risk merchants. Strong understanding of AML/CTF and financial crime risks. Languages: English C1 is required, Russian C1 is preferred Experience in fintech Preferred: - Previous experience building or significantly developing a Risk function within a startup, EMI, PI, or acquiring business. - Experience working within a regulated financial institution under Latvijas Banka or another EU financial regulator. Key Soft Skills Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify patterns and anomalies in transaction data. Good attention to detail and clear documentation skills. Comfort in working independently and making decisions. Ability to collaborate effectively with different teams. Strong communication skills for reporting and escalation. What We Offer Competitive salary aligned with experience Fast-track career growth with the opportunity to progress to Risk Director Collaborative and transparent team culture High-impact role in a scaling fintech company Recognition of personal milestones and achievements Social benefits Department Join Risk and Compliance Role Head of Compliance / Chief Compliance officer Locations Lisbon Remote status Fully Remote Compensation Package TBD About Evotym Evotym is dedicated to building exceptional teams for fast growing companies. As a leading Staffing and Recruitment agency, we connect top-tier talent with trusted Fintech and iGaming companies, driving their success and growth. Our expertise in the sector allows us to understand its unique challenges and opportunities, ensuring we match the best-fit candidates with our clients. Join us and be part of a dynamic team and make an impact in the Fintech and iGaming industries. Applicant tracking system by Teamtailor