Head of Compliance for Middle East and Africa Region

The UAE Regional Head of Compliance & MLRO is responsible for supporting the business in its regulatory compliance obligations across all business operated from the United Arab Emirates, including securing and maintaining licenses, managing regulatory examinations and independent reviews, preparing and submitting regulatory reporting, maintaining program documentation and acting on findings, recommendations and observations. The role leads a world-class regulatory compliance regime that ensures robust policies and controls are in place and in line with regulatory changes.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitates the development and maintenance of the appropriate compliance culture within the Company and across the Middle East and Africa region.
• Leads a world-class team of Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officers that ensure robust policies and controls are in place and in line with regulatory changes in each regulatory jurisdiction in which the company operates across the region.
• Provides regulatory updates to the Executive Board (“Board”) on the state of the Compliance Program and escalates any significant risks as soon as appropriate.
• Supports the Middle East and Africa General Manager and participates in the region’s executive leadership team.
• Acts as the Money Laundering Reporting Officer and the Risk Officer under the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) in UAE.
• Monitors, reviews, and communicates to all relevant stakeholders any significant regulatory developments within the environment of the business and actively develops technical knowledge in relation to the regulatory framework governing the company and its activities.
• Supports the regulatory license applications and acts as our regulatory liaison in the Middle East and Africa region and as appropriate.
• Maintains relationships with regulators and other relevant authorities.
• Creates and implements a Compliance Program frameworks, procedures, and policies.
• Oversees the effective implementation of the internal compliance policies and procedures
• Supervises investigations of internal reports of known or suspected money laundering and/or terrorist financing activities, and ensures appropriate STRs/SAR reports are submitted to appropriate authorities per their specifications and requirements.
• Liaises with internal (ex: Legal, Compliance, IT, Security, etc.) and external (external counsel, consultants, etc.) stakeholders to ensure accurate reporting to regulatory bodies.
• Responds to law enforcement requests and inquiries as appropriate.
• Performs regular internal reviews to ensure full compliance with all the regulatory requirements.
• Prepares and implements action plans to remedy any identified regulatory compliance shortfalls for the market and escalates recommendations to senior leadership on the required actions.
• Partners with Product Engineering, Security and Data teams to ensure new products and services are developed and deployed in a compliant manner.
• Prepares new risk assessments to identify regulatory compliance risks and documents recommended mitigation strategies.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as needed from time to time to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements across the region in accordance with the company’s global standards.
  
  
  

Requirements

• Minimum of eight years of relevant experience working within (i) a regulated financial institution (payment service provider / e-money) or (ii) a regulatory authority; or (iii) a law firm handling compliance matters relating to AML, and applicable payments services laws and regulations.
• Locally recognised qualification/s related to the role.
• Experience within the digital assets industry (cryptocurrency) is strongly preferred and advantageous.
• An understanding of AML regulations and payments services legislation within the banking/financial services industry across the region.
• Demonstrate an understanding of regulatory requirements vs. “best practices” in compliance is critical, coupled with the ability to distil and discern important information from regulatory guidance, statutes and regulations, audit findings, and determine how it impacts the business.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills and a proven history of working effectively with people at all levels across a decentralised international and matrixed environment.
• Motivated and solution-oriented, with the ability to work successfully across multiple cultures and with demonstrated success working closely within a team as well as independently.
• Perform and execute to a high standard autonomously with minimal supervision.
  
  
  

Benefits

Competitive salary

Attractive annual leave entitlement including: birthday, work anniversary

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