Head of Information Security Compliance & Assurance

Job Title:Head of Information Security Compliance & Assurance

Location: Abu Dhabi, NONE

Employment Type:

Permanent

Role Purpose:

This role is essential to ensure ADIB's compliance with local and international regulations, protecting the bank from regulatory fines and business losses that can affect its critical success factors and competitive advantage. The Head of IS Compliance and Assurance will manage compliance and assurance across ADIB and its subsidiaries, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and fostering collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Reports to: Head of IS Governance & Policy Management

Key Metrics:

• Percentage of compliance and assurance assessments executed versus planned.
• Percentage of compliance and assurance risks and issues mitigated within target dates.
• Overall percentage of the group's information security compliance (local and international).
• Number of overdue IS compliance and assurance actions.
  
  

Key Accountabilities of the Role:

• Ensure achievement of the group’s information security compliance and assurance plans.
• Oversee IS assurance activities across GISD and manage compliance assessments, maintaining a gaps analysis register and remediation activities for non-compliance.
• Build assurance plans aligned with regulatory compliance and strategic priorities.
• Manage tracking and validation of recommended mitigation controls in line with the risk management framework.
• Prepare IS compliance and assurance reports for top management as required.
• Coordinate information security compliance assessments, audits, and gap analyses.
• Maintain and update the group’s information security compliance and assurance checklist, emphasizing compliance requirements per asset type and criticality.
• Communicate with internal control departments (ORM, Compliance, Internal Audit, HR) to enhance the group’s compliance posture.
• Act as the 2nd line risk lead for compliance assessments against internal policies and regulations (PCI DSS, ISO 27001, UAE NESA, etc.).
• Present implemented information security configurations on enterprise platforms, identifying and documenting security gaps with recommended corrective actions.
• Ensure effective implementation of information security controls aligned with internal policies and external standards.
• Participate in internal and external audits to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and coordinate with internal audit staff.
• Ensure compliance requirements are included in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, code reviews, and ongoing application security assessments.
• Conduct compliance assessments for new projects, changes, and external services.
• Maintain the regulatory register for ADIB and its subsidiaries and international business.
• Ensure compliance controls are documented in ADIB's information security policies.
• Track all compliance and assurance risks in the risk register.
• Ensure accuracy in compliance submission reporting internally and to regulators.
  
  

Specialist Skills / Technical Knowledge Required:

• Strong knowledge of local and international information security frameworks and regulations (UAE NESA, ISO 27001, SWIFT CSF, PCI DSS, GDPR).
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Resource Management, Business Computer Systems, Computer Science, or Computer Security; Master’s degree preferred.
• Knowledge of IT and information security technologies.
• Familiarity with banking processes and operational practices.
• Certification in a security or systems control-related field (e.g., CISSP, CISA, CISM).
  
  

Previous Experience:

• 9-12 years of experience in information security, IT, enterprise risk, assurance, or compliance, preferably in banking or finance.
• Experience in auditing and compliance assurance within information security.
• Familiarity with GRC systems and compliance tools.
• Proven experience in managing internal and external compliance and assurance assessments.
  
  

Head of Information Security Compliance & Assurance in Abu Dhabi, NONE