Licensing and Audit Manager

The posting, as Lightspark wrote it

Lightspark is creating the Money Grid, modern, open financial infrastructure that makes payments accessible, affordable, and instant for businesses and users worldwide. We're challenging the status quo, updating the current system, and empowering our partners to build better solutions. Together, we're building the most advanced financial infrastructure, open, instant, and global, inspiring a future where anyone, anywhere can access the full potential of digital money.

Lightspark Payments is building regulated services on the Lightning Network and holds Money Transmission Licenses in the United States. This role will lead and manage the licensing and audit function for our regulated payments business, including obtaining and maintaining state licenses, managing regulatory examinations and audits, and driving remediation of any resulting gaps. You will report to our Chief Compliance Officer and will work closely with the Compliance, Legal, Finance, Product, Engineering, and Operations teams as Lightspark Payments scales. This role will appeal to experienced licensing and examination professionals who combine rigorous attention to detail with a drive to build better, more scalable processes.

On-site attendance in our Los Angeles office is preferred. We will also consider candidates working remotely, in which case regular travel to our Los Angeles office is required to collaborate with your team and cross functional stakeholders.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

• Own the end-to-end license lifecycle for Lightspark Payments’ money transmission business: prepare, file, and track new state license applications and change-of-control, key-individual, and other amendment filings in NMLS, and manage renewals and ongoing license maintenance across all states.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for state regulators and, where applicable, federal regulators during licensing cycles, responding to deficiency requests, supplemental information requests, and follow-up inquiries in a timely and complete manner.
• Maintain a licensing calendar and inventory of license conditions, surety bonds, net worth and permissible investment requirements, registered agents, and renewal deadlines; partner with Finance and Legal to gather the supporting information and documentation.
• Prepare, review, and submit regulatory reports, including the NMLS MSB Call Report and other periodic state and federal filings, ensuring accuracy, consistency with source data, and on-time submission.
• Manage regulatory examinations from notification through close-out: coordinate request lists, organize and review document production, prepare management and subject matter experts for interviews, and serve as the day-to-day contact for examiners.
• Manage the audit program, including bank and partner audits, the annual independent Title 31 BSA/AML audit, and the Compliance Management System (CMS) audit, coordinating with independent auditors and internal stakeholders on scope, timi

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or CMS) and leading remediation of findings through to closure.

• Exceptional attention to detail and organization, with the ability to manage many concurrent filings, deadlines, and requests without compromising accuracy.
• A process-improvement mindset: comfortable building or redesigning processes, trackers, and workflows, and using tools or automation to make licensing and audit work more efficient and repeatable.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the credibility to work with regulators, auditors, executives, and cross-functional teams.
• Sound judgment and the ability to escalate appropriately to the CCO, balancing regulatory requirements with business needs.
• Prior experience in a start-up or high-growth environment, or building programs from scratch, is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; relevant certifications (such as CAMS or CRCM) are a plus.
• Intense professional curiosity and a growth mindset.

Lightspark is on a mission to build the future of open, instant, and global financial infrastructure making payments accessible and affordable for everyone, everywhere. We're committed to creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace to reflect the customers we serve. We welcome interest from individuals of all backgrounds and levels of experience who share our mission. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

For US Applicants

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the State of California Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

For EU Applicants

In accordance with applicable EU and local regulations, including the Estonian Employment Contracts Act, Equal Treatment Act, and Gender Equality Act, Lightspark ensures equal treatment throughout the hiring process.