Compliance Lead

About the role

As our Lead Compliance Counsel, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Catawiki meets all regulatory requirements and adheres to internal policies, supporting our mission to be a trusted and secure platform for users worldwide. You will act as a strategic advisor, championing compliance across all levels of the organization while building and overseeing frameworks that mitigate risk and foster a culture of compliance.

This is a highly impactful role that combines compliance strategy, operational leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to support Catawiki’s growth and success. Flexibility and creative problem-solving will be essential as you identify smarter, faster, and more impactful ways to align legal and compliance operations with business priorities.

What you’ll do

• Strategic Compliance Leadership:
• Develop and implement Catawiki’s company-wide compliance program, ensuring alignment with applicable laws, regulations, and business objectives.
• Monitor and analyze regulatory developments, identifying potential impacts on business operations and proactively advising on necessary adjustments.
• Conduct regulatory & compliance risk assessments to understand, prioritize, and mitigate risks in alignment with the company’s risk appetite, with a focus on creative and practical solutions.
• Policy Development & Enforcement:
• Create, review, and enforce policies related to key compliance themes, including product regulatory compliance (e.g., CITES, ivory, diamonds, cultural heritage), DSA compliance, consumer protection laws, financial regulations, product safety, and speak-up mechanisms.
• Establish mechanisms for detecting, reporting, and addressing compliance violations, ensuring effective remediation and minimal impact.
• Training & Awareness:
• Develop and deliver employee training programs to build awareness and understanding of compliance policies and their importance to the company’s goals.
• Foster a compliance-driven culture through proactive communication and engagement across departments, emphasizing a pragmatic, hands-on approach.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Act as a strategic partner to management, employees, and other departments, providing guidance on compliance-related matters and ensuring seamless integration of compliance into business operations.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to maintain consistency in compliance messaging, terminology, and practices across the organization.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to maintain consistency in compliance messaging, terminology, and practices across the organization.
• Think outside traditional compliance frameworks to identify innovative, efficient ways to streamline processes and enhance the impact of compliance initiatives.
• Coaching and Leadership:
• Inspire, mentor, and develop junior counsels within the team, fostering growth, and ensuring they are equipped to manage complex compliance challenges. This role offers significant opportunities to shape the compliance function, enabling innovative solutions and creating impactful strategies while coaching and empowering team members to take ownership of their development and contributions.
• Regulatory Engagement:
• Represent the company in administrative or law enforcement audits, investigations, or litigation, ensuring Catawiki’s interests are protected.
• Build relationships with regulatory agencies and participate in public discourse around developments in laws, policies, and enforcement.
• Operational Oversight:
• Monitor compliance KPIs and performance metrics, regularly reporting to the Board and leadership on compliance risks and initiatives.
• Lead audits and investigations, ensuring all records, strategies, and corrective actions align with legal requirements and best practices.

What you’ll bring

We are looking for a candidate who combines strategic thinking with hands-on expertise, thrives in fast-paced environments, and is passionate about building robust compliance frameworks that drive business success. A commercial 'can-do' mindset and the ability to serve as an architect of opportunities within compliance and legal frameworks are crucial to succeed in this role.

• A Master’s degree in Law, Compliance, or a related field.
• 8+ years of relevant experience in compliance or legal roles, preferably in e-commerce, tech, or platform-based businesses.
• Deep knowledge of compliance regulations, including AML, anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions, DSA compliance, consumer protection laws, and product safety.
• Proven experience leading compliance programs and navigating complex, cross-jurisdictional regulatory landscapes.
• Strong ability to approach compliance from a risk-based perspective, identifying opportunities and solutions to manage risk pragmatically.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex topics and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with a focus on operational efficiency and productivity.
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset with a growth-driven attitude.
• Fluency in English; additional languages are a plus.