[EU] Head of Internal Audit EU

Role Summary

Lead and own Bybit EU's Internal Audit function as the most senior audit professional in the European entity. You will be responsible for establishing strategic audit direction, building and managing the EU audit team, and providing independent assurance to the Board on the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and internal controls.

This is a strategic leadership role — you will set the audit vision, engage directly with regulators and the Board, and drive the maturation of the audit function from its current state toward a fully scaled in-house capability. You will also maintain hands-on involvement in key audit engagements where warranted.

The position reports directly to the Board of Directors of Bybit EU with a dotted reporting line to the Global Head of Internal Audit at Bybit Group, ensuring alignment with group-wide standards while maintaining statutory independence.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

Define and execute the multi-year internal audit strategy for Bybit EU, aligned with the entity's risk profile, regulatory obligations, and business growth trajectory.

Serve as the primary audit representative to the Board / Audit Committee, providing independent assurance opinions and strategic counsel on emerging risks.

Maintain the local Internal Audit Charter, policies, and quality assurance framework in accordance with IIA Standards and local regulatory expectations.

Build, lead, and develop the EU internal audit team — setting culture, hiring, coaching, and performance management.

Audit Execution & Methodology

Plan and deliver a risk-based annual audit plan covering finance, operations, compliance, IT, cybersecurity, and business-specific processes (trading, custody, listing, AML/CFT).

Align with the Global Internal Audit function on group-wide methodologies, tooling, and combined assurance approaches while adapting to EU-specific requirements.

Lead the transition from outsourced/co-sourced audit arrangements to a scalable in-house capability. During the transition period, coordinate closely with co-sourcing partners — overseeing the quality of their deliverables (both breadth and depth of coverage), managing the relationship, and controlling the audit budget.

Conduct and supervise detailed audit work — walkthroughs, control testing, data analytics, root cause analysis — ensuring audit depth and quality.

Prepare and present audit reports with clear findings, risk ratings, root causes, and actionable remediation plans to the Board, senior management, and regulators.

Regulatory & Stakeholder Engagement

Serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory audit inquiries (FMA, ECB/SSM where applicable) and coordinate regulatory examination support.

Monitor and anticipate evolving EU regulatory developments (MiCA, MiFID II, DORA, AMLD6, EMD2, GDPR, NIS2) — proactively adjusting audit coverage and methodology.

Build and maintain strong relationships with external auditors, regulators, and key internal stakeholders across Compliance, Risk, Legal, Finance, Operations, IT, and Product.

Work closely with 2nd line functions (Compliance, Risk) to deliver an integrated assurance model — ensuring all key regulatory obligations are closely monitored and audited, controls are consistently designed and operating effectively, and gaps are timely escalated with clear action plans to remediate.

Continuous Improvement

Drive automation and innovation in audit processes — leveraging data analytics, continuous auditing/monitoring, and AI-enabled techniques.

Promote a culture of integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement across the EU business.

Coordinate remediation tracking and follow-up, ensuring timely closure of audit findings and management actions.

Required Qualifications & Skills

12–18 years of progressive experience in internal audit, external audit, or risk/controls functions, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior/leadership capacity within regulated financial services, fintech, payments, or digital assets.

Strong knowledge of Austrian and EU regulatory frameworks — including MiCA, MiFID II, DORA, EMD2, AMLD, GDPR — with practical experience engaging European regulators (FMA, BaFin, or equivalent).

Professional certifications required: CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) or equivalent. Additional certifications (CISA, CAMS, CFE, CRISC, ICA) are highly valued.

Proven team-building experience — must have built or significantly scaled an audit function or team in a regulated environment.

Excellent written and spoken German and English — essential for regulatory engagement, Board reporting, and multi-jurisdictional coordination.

Board / Audit Committee reporting experience — comfortable presenting independently to non-executive directors and regulators.

Genuinely hands-on — this is not a "sit at the top" role. Must be deeply involved in the details of individual audit projects, understand the substance of findings, and personally drive quality on key engagements.

Outstanding stakeholder management — experience operating effectively in a global matrix structure with cross-regional collaboration.

Strong project and resource management skills — managing multiple concurrent audits, budgets, and external service providers.

Adaptable, self-driven, and resilient — comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and regulatory landscape.

Knowledge of crypto, DeFi, Web3 ecosystems, and blockchain technology is strongly preferred.

Nice to Have

Prior experience in a Head of IA or equivalent role at a crypto/fintech entity regulated in the EU.

Experience with IIA's Three Lines Model implementation and maturity advancement.

Familiarity with ISAE 3402 / SOC reports, COSO frameworks, and EU outsourcing/ICT risk guidelines (EBA, DORA).

Track record of building audit functions in scaling/high-growth organisations.

Proficiency in data analytics using SQL, Python, and AI tools for audit evidence gathering, continuous monitoring, and fraud detection.