Governance Manager

Senior Manager – Corporate GovernanceLocation: Abu Dhabi, UAEFunction: Corporate GovernanceLevel: Senior ManagerRole PurposeThe Senior Manager – Corporate Governance will be responsible for strengthening and maintaining the organisation’s corporate governance framework, ensuring clear governance structures, accountabilities, authorities and decision-making processes across the business.The role will work closely with senior leadership, Legal, Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit and other corporate functions to ensure governance practices are robust, consistently applied and aligned with regulatory requirements, shareholder expectations and leading corporate governance standards.This is a hands-on governance role requiring someone who can assess existing frameworks, identify gaps, develop practical governance solutions and drive implementation across a large and complex organisation.Key ResponsibilitiesCorporate Governance FrameworkDevelop, maintain and continuously enhance the organisation’s corporate governance framework.Review existing governance structures, processes and documentation and identify areas requiring improvement.Ensure governance practices are aligned with applicable UAE regulations, shareholder requirements and recognised corporate governance standards.Establish clear governance principles across corporate and functional levels.Support the implementation of governance requirements across subsidiaries, business units and corporate functions where applicable.Delegation of Authority & Decision RightsManage and periodically review the organisation’s Delegation of Authority framework.Ensure decision-making authorities, approval limits and accountabilities are clearly defined.Work with relevant stakeholders to address gaps, overlaps or inconsistencies in authority structures.Ensure governance requirements are appropriately embedded within business processes and approval workflows.Governance Policies & StandardsDevelop and maintain corporate governance policies, frameworks, charters, guidelines and standards.Establish clear governance ownership and accountability across the organisation.Review governance documentation to ensure consistency and alignment across functions.Partner with the Policy function to ensure corporate policies appropriately reflect governance requirements.Monitor implementation and adherence to approved governance frameworks.Committees & Governance BodiesSupport the establishment and effective operation of management committees and other governance forums.Develop and maintain committee charters, Terms of Reference, membership structures and decision authorities.Review committee structures to minimise duplication and ensure appropriate escalation and decision-making.Monitor governance actions and key decisions arising from committees.Support senior leadership in improving the effectiveness of governance forums.Governance Assurance & ComplianceEstablish mechanisms to monitor compliance with governance frameworks and requirements.Conduct periodic governance reviews and maturity assessments.Identify governance gaps, risks and control weaknesses and recommend corrective actions.Maintain governance registers, documentation and evidence required for internal or external reviews.Work closely with Internal Audit, Risk, Compliance and Legal on governance-related findings and remediation plans.Track governance actions through to closure and provide appropriate escalation where required.Stakeholder ManagementAct as a key corporate governance advisor to senior management and functional leaders.Build strong relationships across Legal, Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, Finance, Strategy, HR and other corporate functions.Facilitate discussions where governance ownership, accountability or decision rights require clarification.Translate governance requirements into practical processes that can be effectively implemented by the business.Promote a strong culture of accountability, transparency and good governance across the organisation.Reporting & Continuous ImprovementDevelop governance dashboards and reports for senior leadership.Track governance effectiveness, compliance levels, outstanding actions and areas of risk.Benchmark governance practices against comparable organisations and recognised standards.Recommend improvements to governance structures and processes as the organisation evolves.Support governance transformation and organisational improvement initiatives.Candidate ProfileBachelor’s degree in Law, Business Administration, Corporate Governance, Finance, Risk Management or a related discipline.Professional governance, compliance, risk or legal qualifications would be advantageous.Typically 10+ years of relevant professional experience, with substantial experience in corporate governance.Strong experience developing and implementing corporate governance frameworks, Delegation of Authority frameworks, committee structures and governance policies.Experience within a large, complex organisation, preferably within manufacturing, industrial, energy, infrastructure, government, semi-government or a similarly regulated environment.Good understanding of the interaction between Governance, Legal, Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit and Policy functions.Strong knowledge of governance principles, organisational accountability and decision-making structures.Experience conducting governance assessments and implementing remediation or improvement programmes.Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to work with senior executives and functional leadership.Excellent analytical, drafting and communication skills.Ability to challenge existing practices constructively and drive governance improvements across multiple functions.Key CompetenciesCorporate GovernanceGovernance Framework DevelopmentDelegation of AuthorityGovernance Policies & StandardsCommittee GovernanceGovernance AssuranceRisk & Compliance AwarenessOrganisational AccountabilityExecutive Stakeholder ManagementGovernance Reporting & AnalyticsChange & Continuous ImprovementStrong Written Communication