Head of Americas Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

About the role

OpenFX is on a mission to move money as freely as data, unrestricted by time zones, banking hours, or legacy systems. We are building the infrastructure that will power the next generation of cross-border payment systems for institutions. The team's execution has been exceptional, and we're scaling at a remarkable pace. Our stellar early team comes with experience in companies like J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, FalconX, Paypal, Affirm, Polygon, Kraken, Nium & others. We're backed by Accel, Lightspeed, NfX and other top-tier investors. Role Overview We are seeking a Head of Americas Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to join our dynamic team. The role will be responsible for driving our acquisition of U.S. state money transmitter licenses and subsequent management of those licenses and our relationships with U.S. state regulators, as well as the acquisition of other licenses to support the rapid growth of our business in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. This role is crucial for enabling our global expansion while maintaining regulatory compliance and strong relationships with regulatory authorities.

Responsibilities

• Licensing Acquisition & Maintenance
• Complete execution of pending US state money transmitter license (MTL) applications: Complete preparation, coordination, and submission of MTL applications across all required US states, managing multiple applications simultaneously through approval
• Drive scoping and execution of additional license applications in the Americas: Prepare and submit Money Services Business (MSB) registration in Canada, obtain required U.S. crypto/virtual currency licenses, and secure any required licenses across key Latin American markets.
• Coordinate with external counsel and consultants: Manage relationships with licensing consultants and outside counsel to ensure high-quality, cost-effective support aligned with business needs
• Manage license maintenance activities: Oversee all post-licensing obligations including renewals, amendments, quarterly/annual reporting, surety bond management, net worth requirements, and permissible investment compliance
• Regulatory Relations and Compliance Operations
• Serve as primary regulatory contact: Act as OpenFX's main point of contact with state banking departments, FinCEN, and other US regulators, as well as FINTRAC (Canada) and Latin American financial authorities
• Build and maintain regulator relationships: Establish positive, proactive relationships with key regulatory bodies, positioning OpenFX as a compliant and transparent operator
• Manage regulatory inquiries and examinations: Lead preparations for and responses to regulatory examinations, audits, inquiries, and requests for information from state and federal regulators
• Prepare regulatory submissions: Draft, review, and submit all regulatory filings, notifications, reports, and correspondence with accuracy and within required timelines
• Prepare and manage regulatory reports and filings: Coordinate with Finance and other internal stakeholders to submit quarterly, semi-annual, and annual financial and operational reports required under various licenses
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Support market expansion: Work with internal teams to identify regulatory requirements for new markets and develop paths to licensure
• Maintain policies and procedures: Review and update regulatory policies, procedures, and compliance manuals to reflect current requirements
• Build and develop the team: As the business scales, recruit and manage licensing and regulatory professionals

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in regulatory licensing, regulatory affairs, or regulatory compliance within financial services, fintech, or payments companies
• Proven track record of successfully obtaining and maintaining financial services licenses, particularly US state money transmitter licenses
• Strong knowledge of US state money transmission regulatory frameworks, including application processes, surety bond requirements, net worth rules, and examination procedures
• Regulatory filing expertise: Demonstrated experience preparing and submitting regulatory reports, notifications, and responses to regulatory inquiries
• Regulator relationship experience: Track record of successfully interfacing with state banking departments, FinCEN, and other financial regulators
• Exceptional project management skills: Ability to manage multiple complex, time-sensitive licensing applications and compliance obligations simultaneously
• Outstanding written communication skills: Experience drafting regulatory submissions, applications, policies, and correspondence to regulators
• Meticulous attention to detail: Strong analytical skills with ability to navigate complex regulatory requirements and ensure accuracy in all submissions
• Collaborative approach: Commitment to teamwork and ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external advisors
• Bachelor's degree required; JD preferred

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