Compliance Lead

About the Role
The Regulatory Compliance Lead supports the Head of Compliance in managing and implementing the annual Compliance Programme at a finance company licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). Reporting directly to the Head of Compliance, this role conducts risk-based compliance reviews and monitoring across the company’s departments, manages regulatory change, and supports the company’s engagement with the CBUAE, including supervisory inspections, Requests for Information (RFIs), and regulatory reporting.

This is a mid-level position. Candidates should have 5–8 years of regulatory compliance experience gained within a regulated financial institution, fintech, finance company, bank, payment service provider, or similar environment, with demonstrated experience engaging with the CBUAE in a comparable regulatory compliance role.

Your Responsibilities
Compliance Programme, Reviews & Monitoring:

• Support the Head of Compliance in managing and implementing the company’s annual Compliance Programme.
• Conduct risk-based compliance reviews, monitoring activities, thematic reviews, and inspections across the company’s departments.
• Assess departmental compliance against applicable CBUAE regulations, standards, notices, and supervisory expectations, including the CBUAE Consumer Protection Standards, market conduct and conduct risk requirements, regulatory disclosure and customer communication requirements, product governance and customer treatment requirements, and other applicable CBUAE regulatory obligations.
• Document compliance review methodologies, testing procedures, findings, supporting evidence, identified gaps, and remediation actions.
• Prepare compliance inspection reports and agree appropriate remediation measures, owners, and implementation timelines with the relevant departments.
• Maintain the company’s compliance monitoring plan, obligations register, issue tracker, and remediation follow-up process.

Regulatory Change & CBUAE Engagement:

• Maintain the CBUAE Regulatory Notice Register and assess the applicability and impact of new regulatory notices, circulars, standards, and guidance.
• Coordinate the internal implementation of new or amended regulatory requirements and monitor completion by the relevant business owners.
• Support regulatory engagement with the CBUAE, including supervisory inspections and examinations, RFIs and related submissions, regulatory walkthroughs and meetings, preparation and collection of supporting evidence, tracking of regulatory observations and remediation commitments, and coordination of responses across internal stakeholders.
• Support the preparation and submission of regulatory reports, notifications, attestations, and other CBUAE-required filings.
• Use and maintain working familiarity with the relevant CBUAE regulatory reporting and submission systems.

Advisory, Training & Reporting:

• Advise business and operational teams on regulatory compliance matters, particularly the CBUAE Consumer Protection Standards, market conduct, customer communications, product processes, and related regulatory obligations.
• Support compliance training and awareness activities across the company.
• Escalate material compliance gaps, breaches, delays, or regulatory risks to the Head of Compliance.
• Support periodic reporting to senior management, Board committees, and the Board on the status of the Compliance Programme, regulatory developments, regulatory inspections, findings, and remediation actions.

Your Expertise
Experience and Qualifications:

• 5–8 years of relevant regulatory compliance experience within a regulated financial institution, fintech, finance company, bank, payment service provider, or similar environment.
• Previous experience within a CBUAE-regulated financial institution or an organisation subject to CBUAE supervision, including demonstrated experience engaging with the CBUAE in a comparable regulatory compliance role.
• Demonstrated experience directly supporting or managing CBUAE regulatory engagements, RFIs, regulatory inspections, supervisory reviews, and remediation activities.
• Practical experience using CBUAE regulatory reporting and submission systems.
• Working knowledge of the CBUAE Consumer Protection Standards, conduct risk, regulatory compliance monitoring, and regulatory change management.
• Experience conducting compliance inspections, control testing, thematic reviews, gap assessments, and remediation follow-up.
• Bachelor’s degree in law, finance, business, or a related field.
• A compliance-related certification (e.g. CAMS, ICA) is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong report-writing and documentation skills, including the preparation of compliance inspection reports and regulatory submissions.
• Strong analytical and regulatory interpretation skills, with the ability to assess the applicability and impact of new CBUAE requirements.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to agree remediation actions across departments and follow them up to closure.
• Ability to work independently while escalating significant matters appropriately to the Head of Compliance.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple regulatory deadlines and stakeholder requests.
• Fluency in Arabic Language is preferred.