Senior Governance, Risk and Compliance Specialist
payabl · Remote
The role is about:
We are looking for a Senior GRC Specialist to strengthen and mature our information security governance, risk and compliance function. Reporting to the Head of Information Security, you will develop and operate the frameworks, registers and processes that keep a regulated, multi-entity payments group compliant and audit-ready — across ISO 27001-aligned governance, DORA, GDPR, PCI DSS and operational resilience requirements.
This is a hands-on senior role with real ownership: you will build programs as well as run them, work with a modern GRC platform, and apply AI and automation to how the work itself gets done.
- Location: Onsite in Limassol, Cyprus or fully remote from Portugal or Poland
- Reporting to: Head of Information Security
What will you do:
- Developing, maintaining, and continuously improving information security policies, standards, and procedures aligned with ISO 27001 and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Managing the full policy lifecycle, including approval workflows, periodic reviews, ownership, and version control across the document estate.
- Maintaining the information security risk register, including risk identification, assessment, treatment tracking, and formal risk acceptance.
- Preparing risk reporting for management and governance committees, and tracking remediation actions through to closure.
- Supporting compliance activities under DORA, including the Register of Information, as well as PSD2 / EBA ICT guidelines, GDPR, and PCI DSS across our licensed entities.
- Contributing to operational resilience activities for our UK entity in line with FCA requirements.
- Managing the third-party risk management lifecycle, including due diligence, security questionnaires, risk rating, onboarding gates, and periodic reassessments.
- Maintaining the vendor register and contractual security requirements in collaboration with the Legal team.
- Coordinating internal and external audits, including Big Four ICT audits, regulator requests, and PCI QSA cycles, and managing the audit calendar.
- Owning evidence collection and maintaining an evidence library for reuse across audits, certifications, and client questionnaires.
- Administering and developing our GRC platform, including control monitoring, automated evidence collection, framework mapping, and reporting.
- Applying AI tools to day-to-day GRC activities, including policy drafting, gap analysis, evidence assembly, and questionnaire responses, while helping to automate recurring processes.
- Contributing to our AI governance programme, including the assessment of AI vendors, support of the AI system register, and alignment with emerging regulatory requirements such as the EU AI Act.
What we need:
- 3+ years of experience of similar experience in GRC, information security governance, IT audit or IT risk management
- Working knowledge of ISO/IEC 27001; exposure to DORA, GDPR or PCI DSS
- Experience in regulated financial services (payments, e-money, banking, fintech) or advisory work for such companies
- Hands-on experience with audits — coordinating them, preparing evidence, remediating findings
- Familiarity with GRC platforms or a strong interest in compliance automation
- Strong written English — your output goes to auditors, regulators and senior stakeholders
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams against fixed deadlines
- Nice to have
- Certifications such as CISA, CRISC, CISM, CIPP/E or ISO 27001 Lead Auditor / Lead Implementer
- Direct experience with DORA implementation, EBA outsourcing guidelines or FCA operational resilience
- Experience implementing or administering a GRC platform (e.g. Vanta, ServiceNow GRC, OneTrust or similar)
- Familiarity with ISO 42001, the EU AI Act or AI risk management
- Light scripting or workflow automation skills (low-code tools)
Hiring Process:
- Step 1 – Thinking in Action (40 minutes) Your first conversation will be with our Talent Acquisition team. We'll explore your background, career journey, motivations, and overall fit for the role. As part of this discussion, you'll also complete a short technical screening that will be reviewed by our engineering team. This stage helps us understand both your experience and how you approach technical challenges.
- Step 2 – Hiring Manager interview (60-minutes) you will meet the hiring manager Head of Information Security, to explore your skills, achievements, and alignment with the role.
- Step 3 – Final Interview (45 minutes) The final stage is a group interview with senior members of our Technology squad, which may include the CTO, CPO and Head of Security. Together, we'll discuss team fit, collaboration style, expectations from both sides, and any remaining questions about the role, team, or technology domain. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about our culture and ways of working.
The perks of being a payabl.er:
- Grow with Us: Annual Learning Budget for professional development (eligible after probation)—because your growth is our growth.
- Celebrate Together: We bring colleagues from all offices together for unforgettable company celebrations.
- Global Collaboration & Events: Opportunities to participate in international company events and initiatives, connecting with colleagues from all regions and contributing to a truly global community
Let's embark on a journey to redefine the landscape of payments together. We're not just offering a role; we're inviting you to be a part of something bigger. Join our team, and let's innovate, disrupt, and lead the future of payments. Together, we can make an impact that resonates. Welcome to the team!