Compliance Officer | UAE

Deel 

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the development, implementation, and ongoing improvement of the organisation's compliance program, ensuring the organisation meets all legal requirements and expectations of the CBUAE (Central Bank of the UAE) and DIFC (Dubai International Financial Center). This must be done across various Fintech compliance domains (DORA, GDPR, PSD3, AML, )

• Act as the AML Compliance Officer (AMLCO) for the UAE entity and stay updated on UAE financial crime legislation and ensure the organisation remains compliant with current AML/CTF requirements.

• Lead the development of long-term compliance strategies and frameworks

• Advise executive leadership on compliance risks and mitigation approaches

• Act as the senior authority on global regulatory compliance, guiding the organization through changes and challenges

• Conduct regular reviews of internal compliance policies and procedures, updating them as necessary to reflect changes in the UAE regulatory landscape, implement strategies to mitigate risks and required training.

• Review and update Product Disclosure, Financial Service Guide and other relevant disclosure documentation to ensure compliance with regulations

• Oversee compliance for high-risk areas such as anti-corruption, data privacy, and financial regulations

• Act as the key point of contact with local regulators (i.e. CBUAE - Central Bank of the UAE, DIFC-Dubai International Financial Center), and industry bodies, represent the organization in regulatory discussions and industry forums

• Prepare or oversee preparing and submitting regulatory reports and notifications to the CBUAE (Central Bank of the UAE) and other regulators, as needed.

• Provide advisory support to various business units on compliance-related matters, with a focus on payment services regulations.

• Provide technical compliance support enabling new products or existing product feature changes.

• Ability to find the right balance between customer friction, compliance and cost in order to formulate creative and pragmatic compliance processes.

• Build effective working relationships and collaborate with key stakeholders regarding updates on issues, internal controls and key process changes.

• Design and implement control testing procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of internal controls, conduct testing and formulate feedback.

• Identify control gaps, provide recommendations for control process improvements, and oversee corrective action plans on control gaps.

• Identify opportunities for efficiencies and automation i.e. to utilize various tools to monitor internal controls.

• Serve as a point of contact to internal and external auditors and support the evaluation of remediation action plans. Support cross functional teams in the issues management process.

• Provide regular updates and reports to management, including governance committees and respective boards.

Desired skills and competencies

• 2+ years of experience in compliance

• Deep knowledge of global regulatory frameworks, including SEC, GDPR, FCPA, and others

• Demonstrated success in managing compliance for multinational organizations

• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and leadership skills

• Experience in either FinCrime operations, AML compliance, or related fields, preferably within the payroll industry or financial services and payments sector.

• Relevant qualifications and experience to meet the requirements of the local Responsible Manager position.

• Prior experience as a Responsible Manager for an AFSL preferably under a non-cash payments authorisation. Experience in Fin-Tech industry highly regarded.

• Relevant post-grad qualifications / accreditations for AFSL management to meet RG146.

• Strong understanding and knowledge of applicable legislative/regulatory requirements relating to AFSL and AML/CTF.

• Highly effective communication skills, both written and verbal, high attention to detail, and strong interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work independently, prioritise tasks and work across multiple departments and geographical regions.

• Experience with regulatory authorities and payment service licenses in other jurisdictions preferred

• Relevant AML qualifications (ACAMS Certificate or equivalent).