Head of Compliance
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
A growing UAE payments company is seeking a Head of Compliance to build and own the compliance and AML function from the ground up. The role involves leading the licensing process with CBUAE, designing AML/CFT frameworks, and building the compliance management system.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Full ownership of the compliance/AML workstreams within the regulatory licensing dossier
- Partner directly with the CRO and external counsel through to filing and IPA
- Review and draft policies, regulatory correspondence and Fit & Proper (F&P) documentation
- Formal handover take over with signed off handover memo
- Stand up the full AML/CFT and sanctions framework
- Design policy, KYC/CDD/EDD processes, screening and transaction monitoring
- Build SAR/STR processes and FIU/goAML readiness
- Build the function from zero: Compliance Charter, compliance risk assessment, obligations register, regulatory calendar, breach management process
- Draft the full institutional policy suite: Compliance Manual, Consumer Protection, Conflicts of Interest, Whistleblowing, Code of Conduct, Outsourcing, Gifts & Hospitality
- Day to day advisory on new products and merchant onboarding sign off
- Marketing review, partner and BIN due diligence
- Embed compliance by design into product and commercial workflows
Requirements
- Proven experience taking a UAE payments, fintech, or financial services entity through CBUAE licensing (RPSCS/SVF or similar categories)
- Strong working knowledge of UAE AML/CFT regulation, FIU/goAML reporting, and CBUAE supervisory expectations
- Comfortable operating as a function of one initially — equally at ease drafting a policy manual and presenting a KRI pack to the Board
- Prior experience partnering with a CRO and external counsel through a live licensing process is a strong plus
- Independent, low ego operator who can take over an in flight workstream cleanly and keep momentum through to IPA
Full Job Posting
Role Overview
- We're building the compliance and AML function from the ground up for a growing payments company in the UAE.
- This is a hands on, build and own role for someone who has taken a regulated financial services entity through a licensing process before and wants to own the function end to end.
Licensing Project
- Full ownership of the compliance/AML workstreams within the regulatory licensing dossier
- Partner directly with the CRO and external counsel through to filing and IPA
- Review and draft policies, regulatory correspondence and Fit & Proper (F&P) documentation
- Formal handover take over with signed off handover memo
AML/CFT & Sanctions Programme
- Stand up the full AML/CFT and sanctions framework
- Design policy, KYC/CDD/EDD processes, screening and transaction monitoring
- Build SAR/STR processes and FIU/goAML readiness
Compliance Management Framework
- Build the function from zero: Compliance Charter, compliance risk assessment, obligations register, regulatory calendar, breach management process
Compliance Policy & Procedure Stack
- Draft the full institutional policy suite: Compliance Manual, Consumer Protection, Conflicts of Interest, Whistleblowing, Code of Conduct, Outsourcing, Gifts & Hospitality
Business Support & Product Compliance
- Day to day advisory on new products and merchant onboarding sign off
- Marketing review, partner and BIN due diligence
- Embed compliance by design into product and commercial workflows
Compliance Monitoring & Testing
- Design and run a risk based monitoring and testing plan
- Control testing and Board reporting pack with KRIs
- Build the regulatory reporting framework
Regulatory & FIU Engagement
- Primary interface with regulators and FIU
- Own notification protocols, query handling, IPA conditions tracking and inspection readiness
Training & Function Build out
- Roll out company wide AML/compliance training and first line training
- Deliver Board level AML/compliance awareness sessions
- Define and execute the compliance team build out plan as the business scales
What We're Looking For
- Proven experience taking a UAE payments, fintech, or financial services entity through CBUAE licensing (RPSCS/SVF or similar categories)
- Strong working knowledge of UAE AML/CFT regulation, FIU/goAML reporting, and CBUAE supervisory expectations
- Comfortable operating as a function of one initially — equally at ease drafting a policy manual and presenting a KRI pack to the Board
- Prior experience partnering with a CRO and external counsel through a live licensing process is a strong plus
- Independent, low ego operator who can take over an in flight workstream cleanly and keep momentum through to IPA
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