Head of Compliance

Head Of Compliance

New York, NY

Overview

Role: Head of Compliance

Location: New York, NY (5 days/week in-office)

Base Salary: $175,000-$250,000

Equity: Competitive Initial Equity Package + refreshers

Experience: 7-12+ Years

About Pillar

Pillar is building the next-generation commodity risk management stack for the $10T physical economy. We combine real-time market data with AI-powered exposure modeling and automated trade generation to arm operators with precise protection from volatility. From instant execution to continuous monitoring, alerts, and recommendations, Pillar turns complex market risk into a fully managed, always-on hedging engine.

We were founded in 2023 by the youngest macro market-maker at Barclays and a trading systems engineer at Coinbase, and have raised over $20M in capital from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Crucible Capital, Neo, DST Global and more.

The Role

As a registered Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) with the CFTC and member of the NFA, compliance is foundational to everything Pillar does. We are looking for a Head of Compliance to build, operate, and scale Pillar's global compliance function.

This is not a maintenance role. You will own Pillar's regulatory posture end-to-end: keeping the business fully compliant in the U.S., designing frameworks for new jurisdictions as we expand globally, and serving as a strategic partner to the executive team on product, structure, and market entry. You will sit at the intersection of regulation, product, and strategy, with a direct line to leadership and a mandate to build the compliance function from the ground up.

What You'll Do

• U.S. Regulatory Compliance: Own and maintain Pillar's compliance as a registered CTA, including all CFTC and NFA obligations across disclosure, recordkeeping, reporting, marketing, and supervisory procedures. Manage audits, examinations, and regulatory inquiries. Maintain and continuously improve the firm's compliance manual, policies, and procedures.
• Global Regulatory Strategy: Research and interpret regulatory requirements across key international markets including India, Australia, Singapore, UAE, and the UK. Design jurisdiction-specific compliance frameworks and advise on optimal regulatory structures for entity setup, cross-border activity, and licensing strategy. Build a repeatable playbook for global expansion.
• Compliance Infrastructure: Build and implement scalable monitoring and surveillance systems, trade and communications oversight, and internal controls. Develop processes that integrate compliance into product and operations from the start, not as an afterthought. Establish and track KPIs for compliance health and risk exposure.
• Policy Design and Enforcement: Draft, implement, and enforce firm-wide policies across trading and hedging activities, client onboarding (KYC/AML where applicable), and communications. Conduct internal reviews and investigations as needed. Train employees on compliance obligations and serve as the escalation point for all compliance-related issues.
• Strategic Advisory: Advise the executive team on the regulatory implications of new products (derivatives, synthetic markets, credit and margin offerings), new geographies, and partnerships with brokers, exchanges, and financial institutions. Help structure Pillar to operate efficiently within swap dealer thresholds, CTA exemptions, and cross-border rules.

What We're Looking For

• 7+ years of experience in compliance, legal, or regulatory roles within commodity trading firms, hedge funds, CTAs, asset managers, FCMs, brokers, or derivatives platforms
• Deep expertise in CFTC and NFA regulations and strong understanding of derivatives markets including futures, options, and OTC swaps
• Experience navigating cross-border regulatory frameworks and designing compliance programs for multiple jurisdictions
• Proven ability to build compliance programs from scratch, not just maintain existing ones
• Ability to balance rigorous risk management with business velocity in a fast-moving, early-stage environment
• Clear and direct communicator: able to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical guidance for product, engineering, and GTM teams

Nice to Have

• Experience with global regulators including FCA, MAS, ESMA, SEBI, or DFSA
• Familiarity with crypto, digital assets, or synthetic markets
• Prior experience at a high-growth startup or scaling fintech
• Legal background (JD) or relevant certifications such as Series 3 or Series 34

Benefits

• Competitive Salary & Equity
• 401(k) Program
• Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
• ⌚ Unlimited PTO and Flexible Hours
• Paid lunch, coffee, snacks (and dinner if you're staying late)
• Monthly Gym Stipend
• Regular Team Off-Sites