Head of Internal Control & Compliance

We are seeking an experienced Head of IC&C to establish and oversee a comprehensive internal control and compliance framework across our Group’s financial and operational functions.The ideal candidate will strengthen internal governance, prevent unauthorized or unsupported transactions, improve accountability across departments, and ensure independent monitoring and transparent reporting directly to the CEO. Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and implement an enterprise-wide internal control framework covering leasing, billing, collections, maintenance, procurement, vendor management, payroll, and payments.Establish and monitor segregation of duties (SoD), delegation of authority, approval limits, and system access controls to prevent unauthorized transactions and conflicts of interest.Exercise documented temporary transaction hold authority under CEO-approved policies where transactions lack supporting evidence, exceed approval limits, or present significant compliance risks.Maintain transaction hold records, ensure timely escalation, and release holds only following independent approval of corrective actions or authorized exceptions.Strengthen interdepartmental controls and accountability across Finance, Leasing, Property Management, Maintenance, Procurement, HR, and IT.Conduct risk-based control testing, compliance reviews, access audits, and corrective-action follow-ups to identify and address operational weaknesses.Prepare monthly CEO reports highlighting compliance risks, control breaches, transaction holds, unresolved issues, and corrective-action progress.Develop and maintain internal policies, SOPs, approval procedures, conflict-of-interest guidelines, and record-retention standards.Collaborate with the CFO and IT to implement automated approval workflows, audit trails, role-based access controls, and compliance monitoring within ERP and property management systems.Provide training and guidance to department heads and process owners to ensure consistent implementation of internal controls. RequirementsMinimum 12 years of experience in internal controls, operational risk, governance, compliance, or finance process assurance, including at least 4 years in a leadership role.Experience within UAE real estate, property management, multi-site operations, or asset-heavy organizations is strongly preferred.Proven expertise in segregation of duties, delegation-of-authority frameworks, internal control implementation, compliance monitoring, and risk assessment.Strong experience in ERP systems, automated approval workflows, system access reviews, and transitioning manual processes into controlled digital environments.Professional qualifications such as CIA or CISA are preferred.Independent, detail-oriented, and confident professional with strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and the ability to challenge non-compliant practices while maintaining effective working relationships across departments.