Description
The Compliance Officer / Senior Compliance Officer will support the execution and continuous improvement of the compliance framework for a regulated investment management business in Dubai. The role requires hands-on experience in asset management, funds, private equity, family offices, wealth platforms, or a comparable regulated investment environment. The successful candidate will manage investor and client onboarding reviews covering KYC, CDD, EDD, beneficial ownership, source of wealth, source of funds, sanctions, PEPs, and adverse media. They will assess higher-risk investors, complex ownership structures, investment activities, and transactions while documenting decisions and escalating material concerns. The role will execute risk-based compliance monitoring, thematic reviews, control testing, issue tracking, and remediation follow-up. It will also maintain policies, procedures, registers, regulatory filings, management reports, and evidence required for audits or regulatory inspections. The position will provide practical advice to investment, operations, and senior management teams on UAE and GCC regulatory obligations without creating unnecessary business friction. The successful candidate will support AML/CFT training, regulatory change implementation, and communication with regulators, auditors, investors, and other external stakeholders. Professional fluency in Arabic and English, sound commercial judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to operate independently are essential.
Requirements
1. Five to ten years of hands-on compliance experience, including experience operating independently as a Compliance Officer or Senior Compliance Officer.
2. Direct compliance experience within asset management, investment management, funds, private equity, a family office, an investment company, or a comparable regulated investment business.
3. Professional fluency in both Arabic and English, including the ability to prepare compliance documentation and communicate with senior stakeholders in both languages.
4. Practical AML/CFT expertise covering KYC, CDD, EDD, UBO verification, source of wealth, source of funds, sanctions, PEPs, adverse media, transaction monitoring, and suspicious activity escalation.
5. Working knowledge of UAE or GCC financial regulatory frameworks, with relevant exposure to SCA, DFSA, FSRA, DIFC, or ADGM requirements.
6. Demonstrated ability to perform compliance risk assessments, risk-based monitoring, control testing, thematic reviews, issue documentation, and remediation tracking.
7. Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining compliance policies, procedures, internal controls, registers, regulatory filings, and management reports.
8. Experience reviewing investment-sector clients or structures, such as funds, institutional investors, investment companies, professional clients, HNWIs, or complex legal entities.
Desirable
1. CAMS, ICA, or another recognized compliance, AML, or financial crime qualification.
2. Experience supporting regulatory inspections, external audits, licensing submissions, or formal responses to UAE financial regulators.
3. Knowledge of suitability, appropriateness, conflicts of interest, client assets, investment conduct, and fund governance controls.
4. Experience preparing compliance reports for Boards, committees, senior management, or regulated function holders.
5. Demonstrated experience implementing regulatory change and improving compliance processes, systems, or control frameworks.