Director, Government Affairs

Join to apply for the Director, Government Affairs role at Airwallex About AirwallexAirwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses. Powered by our unique combination of proprietary infrastructure and software, we empower over 200,000 businesses worldwide – including Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more – with fully integrated solutions to manage everything from business accounts, payments, spend management and treasury, to embedded finance at a global scale. Attributes We ValueWe hire successful builders with founder-like energy who want real impact, accelerated learning, and true ownership. You bring strong role‑related expertise and sharp thinking, are motivated by our mission and operating principles, move fast with good judgement, dig deep with curiosity, and make decisions from first principles, balancing speed and rigor.You're humble and collaborative; turn zero‑to‑one ideas into real products, and you "get stuff done" end‑to‑end. You use AI to work smarter and solve problems faster. Here, you’ll tackle complex, high‑visibility problems with exceptional teammates and grow your career as we build the future of global banking. About The TeamThe Legal, Risk & Compliance (LRC) team at Airwallex is a collaborative group of legal professionals and risk management experts. We’re passionate about safeguarding Airwallex’s operations, fostering a culture of compliance and integrity, and ensuring we navigate the global financial landscape responsibly. What you’ll do You will be Airwallex’s first dedicated government affairs leader globally ex‑China, responsible for building and executing a comprehensive government relations and public policy strategy across our priority markets. You will cultivate high‑trust relationships with key government officials, financial regulators, central banks, and legislative bodies, providing senior leadership with direct insight into regulatory priorities and emerging policy trends. You will proactively advocate for Airwallex’s interests, shape policy dialogues, and help foster a favourable environment for fintech innovation. This is a unique opportunity to build a new function with significant impact and visibility, reporting directly to the Chief Legal, Risk & Compliance Officer (CLRCO), with the potential to build a team as the function grows. This role is based in Singapore. Responsibilities Cultivate and maintain high‑level, trusted relationships with government officials, financial regulators, central banks, and legislative bodies across Airwallex’s priority markets. Act as the primary conduit for regulatory and political intelligence, providing senior leadership with a direct view into regulators’ priorities, identifying emerging policy trends, and analysing top‑of‑mind issues to proactively manage and mitigate political and policy risk. Develop and execute comprehensive government affairs strategies to advocate for Airwallex’s interests, proactively shaping policy and regulatory dialogues, representing the company’s position in key forums, public consultations, and direct engagements. Represent Airwallex in industry associations and public consultations to advocate for the company’s policy positions and build its profile. Work closely with internal legal, compliance, product, and executive teams to analyse and develop the company’s positions on key issues, translating complex technical and regulatory information into clear policy recommendations and business insights for executive leadership. As the first hire in this function, establish foundational processes, reporting, and best practices for government affairs at Airwallex, with the potential to build and lead a team as the function scales. Who you are We’re looking for people who meet the minimum requirements for this role. The preferred qualifications are great to have, but are not mandatory. Minimum Qualifications 12+ years of progressive experience in government affairs, public policy, regulatory affairs, or financial sector lobbying, with at least 6 years spent working with or within financial regulatory bodies, central banks, or government ministries in key global or regional markets (e.g., APAC, EMEA, North America). Demonstrated deep understanding of the financial services or fintech regulatory landscape, including knowledge of payment systems, cross‑border payments, money transmission, licensing frameworks, AML/CTF, and data privacy regulations. Proven track record of building and maintaining high‑trust, collaborative relationships with senior government officials and financial regulators, acting as an official industry representative in high‑level dialogues on economic, trade, and technology policy. Demonstrated ability to leverage authority in geopolitics and corporate diplomacy to develop and execute complex advocacy strategies, advising institutions and governments on achieving concrete strategic policy outcomes. Proven track record in collaborating with internal legal, compliance, product, and executive teams to analyse and develop the company’s positions on key issues, translating complex technical information into clear policy recommendations. Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy and regulatory issues into clear, concise business insights for executive leadership. Proven ability to build bipartisan credibility and work effectively in a fast‑paced, matrixed, and cross‑functional organization. Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Economics, Law, Public Policy, or a related field. Preferred Qualifications Advanced degree (Master’s, J.D., LL.M., MPP/MPA, or MBA) in Law, Public Policy, or Business Administration. Direct experience working for a global fintech, technology company, or major multinational bank focusing on international regulatory and government affairs. Prior experience advising on the regulatory framework for digital assets, blockchain, or open banking. Experience covering multiple jurisdictions or deep ties within a key Asian or European financial hub. Demonstrated credibility and experience derived from leadership roles in prominent international policy networks, think tanks, or commissions. Fluency in a second relevant language (e.g., Mandarin, Spanish, French, Japanese, Bahasa) to facilitate direct engagement in key international markets. Experience as a former regulatory attorney or compliance officer who later transitioned into policy/government affairs, demonstrating a strong technical legal foundation. Applicant Safety Policy To protect you from recruitment scams, please be aware that Airwallex will not ask for bank details, sensitive ID numbers (i.e. passport), or any form of payment during the application or interview process. All official communication will come from an @airwallex.com email address. Please apply only through careers.airwallex.com or our official LinkedIn page. Airwallex does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Airwallex will not pay any fees to search firms/recruiters if a candidate is submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless an agreement has been entered into with respect to specific open position(s). Search firms/recruiters submitting resumes to Airwallex on an unsolicited basis shall be deemed to accept this condition, regardless of any other provision to the contrary. Equal Opportunity Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We don’t regard color, religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, sex, marital or family status, disability, gender, or any other legally protected status when making our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. Compensation Range: $200,000 - $280,000 #J-18808-Ljbffr