Policy & Government Relations Manager

Building the Future of Open Finance Payward - the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services and CF Benchmarks - has spent the last 15 years building one of the most modern and globally accessible financial infrastructure platforms in the industry, built to advance an open, global financial system. Before you apply, we encourage you to explore our culture page to understand what drives us and how we work. The team Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions across the globe. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, with products built for both individual investors and institutional clients. We are looking for a Manager, Policy & Government Relations, APAC. APAC is a strategic growth region for us. You will be working on shaping the financial services and web3/digital policy and regulatory landscape across some of the world's most dynamic and fast-evolving markets. Your initial focus will be Singapore and other key Asian markets. The opportunity - Become a key player in our truly global policy team based across Brussels, London, Washington DC, and now Singapore - Lead the development of Kraken's policy positions across APAC, and in doing so contribute to the comprehensive company-wide strategy - Engage directly with key policymakers and regulators, starting with Singapore (MAS and other government bodies), the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and others - Gain external visibility working with trade associations and other external players - Monitor, analyze, and advise internally on legislative and regulatory developments across the region, keeping a global view - Partner closely with colleagues in the regulatory, compliance, communications, product, and engineering teams - Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned What you bring - 5–9 years of hands-on experience with financial services policy and regulation in APAC, gained at regulators or government bodies (e.g. MAS or peer authorities in the region), in similar in-house roles, political consultancies, or relevant trade associations - Existing network in Singapore and, ideally, across the wider region - Understanding of of or an interest in financial services and digital policy, including the emerging regional frameworks for digital assets, payments, and stablecoins - Team-oriented mindset, proactive and entrepreneurial approach, the ability to embrace a steep learning curve, and to face headwinds - Comfort operating across diverse regulatory cultures and political systems, and willingness to travel within the region - Passion for the industry and an interest in Kraken's offerings and its global impact Nice to haves - Knowledge of payments, AML, cyber, or other financial services and digital policy frameworks in the region - Experience with drafting responses to public consultations - Exposure to Central Asian, Australian, or Middle Eastern regulatory environments - Interest in international politics and the ability to explain it to a diversified audience - Prior exposure to the work of international standard setters (IOSCO, OECD, FATF) and an understanding of how their work relates to national and regional policies - Regional language skills are a plus Unless a specific application deadline is stated in the job posting, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Please note, applicants are permitted to redact or remove information on their resume that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. Our commitment Payward is powered by people from around the world and we celebrate the diverse talents, backgrounds, contributions, and unique perspectives that everyone brings to the table. We hire based on merit, seeking out people with the right abilities, knowledge, and skills for the job. We encourage you to apply for roles where you don't fully meet the listed requirements, especially if you're passionate or knowledgeable about crypto. We may ask candidates to complete job-related skills or work-style assessments as part of our hiring process. These assessments evaluate competencies relevant to the role and are applied consistently across candidates for similar positions. Results are considered alongside experience and interviews, and are not the sole basis for any employment decision. As an equal opportunity employer, we don't tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, whether based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.