At a Glance
- Tasks: Own legal, regulatory, and financial crime functions in a dynamic fintech environment.
- Company: Join Block Earner, a cutting-edge Australian fintech bridging finance and blockchain.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and direct impact on innovative products.
- Other info: Unique opportunity for growth and ownership in a rapidly evolving industry.
- Why this job: Be a key player in shaping the future of crypto regulation and compliance.
- Qualifications: Law degree and 3-5 years in legal or compliance roles, preferably in fintech.
The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 $ per year.
About Block Earner
Block Earner is a forward-thinking Australian fintech bridging the gap between traditional finance and blockchain technology. We empower everyday Australians with access to crypto-backed credit products and decentralised finance yields through a secure, intuitive platform. As we scale our lending and exchange operations, we are seeking a high-potential Legal & Compliance Officer to own our legal, regulatory, and financial crime functions. This is a unique opportunity for an ambitious professional to build the legal and compliance backbone of a future market leader.
The Role
Reporting directly to the Directors, you will act as the guardian of Block Earner’s legal and regulatory integrity. You will be a hands-on generalist: drafting commercial agreements in the morning, managing AFSL applications at lunch, and investigating blockchain transaction alerts in the afternoon. You will have full ownership of three pillars: Legal Counsel, Regulatory Licensing, and Financial Crime Operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Legal Function & Commercial Advisory (Primary Focus)
- Legal Counsel: Act as the first point of contact for all internal legal matters, providing pragmatic advice on commercial law, privacy (Privacy Act 1988), and consumer protection.
- Contract Management: Draft, review, and negotiate critical commercial agreements, including vendor contracts, partnership agreements, and white-label service terms.
- Terms & Conditions: Own and maintain the customer-facing legal infrastructure, including User Terms of Service, Loan Agreements, and Risk Disclosure Statements to ensure they reflect our evolving product suite.
- External Counsel Management: Brief and manage external law firms for specialised advice (e.g., complex litigation or tax structuring) to ensure cost-effective legal support.
- Regulatory Licensing & Strategy (AFSL & ACL)
- Licensing Roadmap: Lead the end-to-end application process for securing Block Earner’s own Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) and Australian Credit Licence (ACL).
- Regulatory Liaison: Serve as the primary contact for ASIC and AFCA, managing correspondence, reporting, and regulatory inquiries.
- Obligation Management: Design frameworks to monitor compliance with license conditions and ASIC Regulatory Guides (e.g., DDO, complaints handling) once licensed.
- Financial Crime & AML/CTF Operations
- Program Management: Own the Joint AML/CTF Program (Part A & Part B), ensuring continuous compliance with the AML/CTF Act 2006 and AUSTRAC Rules.
- Operational Execution: Manage day-to-day financial crime operations, including reviewing transaction alerts (fiat & crypto), filing Suspicious Matter Reports (SMRs), and conducting Enhanced Due Diligence (ECDD) on high-risk entities (e.g., Trusts, SMSFs).
- PEP & Sanctions: Oversee screening processes for Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and sanctioned entities.
About You
You are a legally trained professional who thrives in the “grey areas” of emerging tech. You don’t just identify legal risks; you design the commercial structures to solve them.
Essential Qualifications
- Education: A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) or Juris Doctor (J.D.) is mandatory. A second degree in Commerce, Business, or Economics is highly preferred.
- Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in a legal, compliance, or risk advisory role, ideally within a fintech, crypto exchange, law firm, or ‘Big 4’ environment.
- Admitted Lawyer: Admission as a Solicitor in an Australian Supreme Court (or eligibility for admission) is strongly preferred.
Core Competencies
- Regulatory Fluency: Strong working knowledge of the AML/CTF Act, Corporations Act (Chapter 7), and NCCP Act.
- Drafting Skills: Ability to draft clear, enforceable legal documents and policies without excessive reliance on templates.
- Operational Grit: Willingness to perform manual operational tasks (e.g., KYC checks) while building scalable systems.
Why Join Us?
- Scope: Rarely does a role offer ownership of Legal, Licensing, and Financial Crime at this stage of a company’s growth.
- Impact: Your work will directly enable the launch of new credit products and international expansion.
- Growth: Work directly with founders to navigate the frontier of crypto regulation in Australia.
Legal & Compliance Officer in Sydney employer: Block Earner
At Block Earner, we pride ourselves on being an innovative employer in the heart of Sydney, where our team thrives on tackling complex challenges in the crypto-backed credit space. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer competitive packages, flexible working arrangements, and the opportunity to learn from industry veterans, all while contributing to groundbreaking products that shape the future of finance. Our collaborative and diverse work culture ensures that every voice is heard, making it an exciting place for those eager to make a meaningful impact.
