Head of Compliance

Role OverviewThe role is responsible for leading and overseeing the firm's AML/CFT and sanctions framework, ensuring compliance with applicable UAE financial crime regulations.This is a hands-on senior leadership role for an experienced financial crime professional with deep expertise in AML/CFT, sanctions, virtual asset risks, blockchain analytics, and the evolving regulatory landscape across digital assets.Key ResponsibilitiesLead and oversee the implementation and ongoing effectiveness of the firm's AML/CFT and sanctions programme in accordance with applicable UAE regulatory requirements.Review, investigate, and determine appropriate action on internal suspicious activity reports, ensuring timely escalation and reporting to the relevant authorities where required.Develop and maintain AML policies, risk assessment frameworks, customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD), transaction monitoring, and sanctions screening programmes.Oversee controls relating to virtual asset financial crime risks, including blockchain analytics, wallet screening, sanctions exposure, and high-risk jurisdictions.Ensure compliance with applicable Travel Rule requirements and associated monitoring and reporting obligations.Maintain and periodically review the firm's Business Risk Assessment (BRA) and Customer Risk Assessment (CRA) frameworks.Oversee AML investigations, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and customer risk management activities.Ensure AML/CFT and sanctions training programmes remain current, effective, and appropriately documented across the organisation.Act as the primary point of contact with regulators and relevant authorities on financial crime matters and provide regular AML reporting to senior management and governance committees.Requirements10+ years of significant experience in financial crime, AML/CFT, or sanctions within regulated financial services environments.Strong working knowledge of UAE AML legislation, sanctions requirements, and financial crime regulatory expectations.Experience within virtual assets, digital assets, banking, payments, brokerage, capital markets, fintech, or other regulated financial services businesses.Strong understanding of virtual asset products, blockchain-related financial crime risks, blockchain analytics, sanctions compliance, and Travel Rule requirements.Experience engaging with regulators, law enforcement agencies, or financial intelligence units on AML/CFT matters.Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on in execution.Strong judgement, stakeholder management, and decision-making capability.Demonstrated interest in, and practical application of AI technologies to enhance AML, transaction monitoring, investigations, or operational effectiveness will be viewed favourably.Candidate must be based in, or willing to relocate to, Abu Dhabi.ProfilePrior experience leading a financial crime compliance function or holding an equivalent senior financial crime leadership role within a regulated financial services firm.Strong UAE financial crime regulatory credibility, ideally gained within virtual assets, banking, payments, brokerage, capital markets, fintech, or other regulated financial services environments.Strong understanding of the virtual asset ecosystem and its evolving financial crime risks.Practical, commercially minded leader with the ability to build, enhance, and execute financial crime compliance frameworks in a hands-on environment.Eligible to satisfy applicable UAE regulatory fit and proper requirements for a senior financial crime leadership role.