Managing Director

About the Role: 

This is the first operational leadership hire for a new European payments company establishing its entity in Riga. You will direct the Latvian entity, sit on its management board, and act as the company's counterpart to Latvijas Banka – building and running the operation. The role reports to the CEO and is operational, not commercial: sales and account management sit elsewhere.

What You'll Do:

• Act as the person responsible for payment services and e-money issuance for the company
• Represent the company before Latvijas Banka, other authorities, banks, partners and service providers
• Ensure effective governance, risk management, compliance and internal controls
• Oversee safeguarding arrangements, key operational risks and material outsourced functions
• Lead day-to-day operations: payment operations, merchant onboarding, first and second line support
• Supervise key function holders and external service providers
• Build the Riga team from nothing and own the HR function for Latvia: recruitment, contracts, payroll, onboarding, performance
• Run the entity: office, accounting and payroll providers, statutory filings, local administration
• Take part in management board decisions on strategy, finances, controls, outsourcing, staffing and business continuity

Requirements:

• Latvian and English – both required
• Higher education in finance, economics, law, business administration or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in financial services, payments, banking, fintech or another regulated business
• Practical experience in financial and business management
• Good understanding of e-money, payment services, safeguarding, compliance, risk management and internal controls
• Experience managing teams, key functions or external service providers
• An impeccable professional reputation – the role is subject to fit-and-proper assessment by Latvijas Banka
• Ability to dedicate sufficient time to the company's management and regulatory responsibilities

Why Join?

• A seat on the management board of a regulated institution from the outset
• The first operational leadership role in a company built from nothing – no legacy platform, no inherited processes, real influence over its design
• AI-first payments company with a small, senior team, backed by founders who have built and scaled well-known European payment companies
• Control functions report to the board and are backed to say no

We Offer:

• Salary: Base salary + Equity (Discussed at the offer stage)
• Full-time position
• Location: Riga, Latvia (hybrid, flexible remote working)