Director, Risk & Compliance

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

Job Description

INTRODUCTION:

We are a leading payments company specializing in billing solutions for gyms and fitness centers worldwide. We provide payment processing services as a PayFac in the United States and Canada, and as a payments gateway in numerous other regions across the globe. As we continue to grow and expand, we are seeking a highly skilled Director of Payments Risk and Compliance to lead our efforts in managing risk, ensuring regulatory compliance, and architecting the expansion of our PayFac offerings internationally.

The Director of Payments Risk and Compliance will be responsible for overseeing the company's risk management strategies, ensuring compliance with global regulatory requirements, and leading the development of robust compliance frameworks as we expand our PayFac offerings outside of the US and Canada. This role will involve direct leadership of the payments risk and compliance teams, managing day-to-day operations, and working closely with cross-functional teams, including Payment Operations, Product, and Legal, to ensure adherence to legal, regulatory, and internal standards across our global payments platforms.

The role will report directly to the General Counsel while collaborating closely with both the Payment Operations and Product teams to ensure compliance is integrated into all aspects of our payments services.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Develop and execute the overall payments risk and compliance strategy for the organization, ensuring alignment with business goals, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with Payment Operations, to architect and drive the expansion of our PayFac services outside the US and Canada, ensuring compliance with local rules, regulations, and payment industry standards in each new market.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with international payment processing regulations for all ABC products, including but not limited to PCI DSS, AML, KYC, GDPR, and other relevant local or regional regulations. Stay updated on global regulatory changes affecting payment services.
• Oversee risk management practices, including fraud detection and prevention, chargeback management, and other payment-related risks. Implement and refine controls for all ABC products to minimize financial and reputational risk.
• Lead, mentor, and grow the payments risk and compliance team.
• Work closely with product, legal, finance, and operations teams to ensure that risk and compliance considerations are integrated into new products, markets, and business initiatives.
• Oversee internal and external audits of payments systems and processes. Ensure that any gaps identified are addressed and mitigated. Regularly report on the company’s risk and compliance posture to senior management.

• Manage third-party risk related to payments processing, including evaluating and mitigating risks associated with third-party vendors, processors, and partners.

• Maintain and expand relationships with key payment processing partners, managing their audits and ensuring the company’s partnerships support both compliance and business goals.

• Develop internal partnerships ensuring that future product developments, business expansion strategies, and market entries are aligned with industry compliance obligations, maintaining a proactive approach to regulatory changes.

• Define and execute merchant-level compliance, including PCI compliance strategies.

• Stay informed on changes to payment network and processor specifications, and initiate projects to ensure ABC is aligned with the latest standards.
• Evaluate emerging payment technologies and market trends to ensure ABC remains competitive and maximizes opportunities for growth.
• Oversee and guide merchant underwriting processes and procedures for all ABC products.
• Serve as the in-house expert on payment processing regulations (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover, Fed/ACH, etc.) and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant industry standards. Conduct regular reviews of accounts and transactions to ensure transparent, accurate reporting and compliance with BSA, AML, OFAC, and other applicable regulations.
• Develop and document efficient procedures, translating technical compliance requirements into actionable business insights. Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure proactive awareness and integration of payment regulatory impacts into daily business operations.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Bachelor’s degree required in one of the following fields:
  • Business Administration
  • Finance or Accounting
  • Computer Science or Information Systems
  • Legal Studies or Compliance
• Advanced degree such as an MBA or equivalent in a relevant field (preferred)
• Professional Certification (e.g., CPP, AAP, CTP, PCIP, CISA, CRCM) preferred
• 15+ years of managerial experience in payments, compliance, or risk management, with a proven ability to design and implement compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing global payment systems, such as PayFac Operations, gateways, and acquiring processes.
• Experience overseeing cross functional initiatives involving Legal, Product, Operations and Finance
• Extensive knowledge of regulations like AML, KYC, PCI DSS, GDPR, and other global payment regulations
• Familiarity with payment processor rules (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover) and relevant regulatory frameworks like OFAC and BSA

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:  

• Purpose led company with a Values focused culture – Best Life, One Team, Growth Mindset  
• Time Off – with our open PTO policy, we offer flexibility in how and when you take PTO! 

• Days of Disconnect – once a quarter, we take a collective breather and enjoy a day off together around the globe. #oneteam  

• Parental & Pawternity Leave – we offer leave for when your family grows by two feet or four paws!  

• Best Life Perk – we are committed to meeting you wherever you are in your fitness journey with a quarterly reimbursement  

• Discounts – access to discounts with our partners, such as Dell, Microsoft & many more.  

• Medical/Dental/Vision coverage  

• EAP – we get you help when you need it. Period.  

• Calm App +4 – enjoy tranquility with a Calm App subscription for you and up to 4 dependents over the age of 16  

• And more! – so many benefits we couldn’t even fit them all here! 

Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only and based on employees in Canada and may be different in other countries. Salaries are based upon candidate experience, qualifications, and location, as well as market and business considerations. Our pay range for Canada based candidates for this position is $153,000.00 -- $180,000.00 CAD annually. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. Also, certain positions are eligible for additional forms of compensation such as bonuses and commissions. 

We’re committed to diversity and passion, and encourage you to apply, even if you don’t demonstrate all the listed skillsets! 

ABC’S COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, BELONGING AND INCLUSION: 
ABC is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.  We are intentional about creating an environment where employees, our clients and other stakeholders feel valued and inspired to reach their full potential and make authentic connections. We foster a workplace culture that embraces each person’s diversity, including the extent to which they are similar or different. ABC leaders believe that an equitable and inclusive culture is not only the right thing to do, it is a business imperative. Read more about our commitment to diversity, equality, belonging and inclusion at abcfitness.com  

ABOUT ABC: 

ABC Fitness (abcfitness.com) is the premier provider of software and related services for the fitness industry and has built a reputation for excellence in support for clubs and their members. ABC is the trusted provider to boost performance and create a total fitness experience for over 41 million members of clubs of all sizes whether a multi-location chain, franchise or an independent gym. 

 
Founded in 1981, ABC helps over 31,000 gyms and health clubs globally perform better and more profitably offering a comprehensive SaaS club management solution that enables club operators to achieve optimal performance. ABC Fitness is a Thoma Bravo portfolio company, a private equity firm focused on investing in software and technology companies (thomabravo.com). 

#LI-REMOTE 

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!