Senior Associate

About the CompanyEstablished in 2014, Optima Partners is a leading global regulatory compliance and cybersecurity consulting firm advising financial institutions across the United States, United Kingdom, Asia-Pacific and the United Arab Emirates. Our clients include hedge funds, investment managers, broker-dealers, private equity firms, private credit managers, venture capital firms and other financial services businesses requiring high-quality regulatory, compliance and governance support. Our consultants work as trusted partners embedded within client teams, combining technical regulatory expertise with commercial judgment, responsiveness and practical execution.About the RoleSenior AssociateAbu Dhabi of Dubai Office | HybridAED 30,000 - AED 40,000 Per MonthOptima Partners is looking for a highly ambitious Senior Associate to join its growing UAE regulatory consulting platform. This role is designed for someone who is already approved, recently approved, or capable of becoming approved for compliance and anti-money laundering roles in the DIFC or ADGM, and who wants to develop into an elite client-facing regulatory consultant. The successful candidate will work with sophisticated institutional clients, including global hedge funds, asset managers, private equity firms, private credit managers and other financial services firms operating in or entering the UAE. This is not a narrow in-house compliance role. It is a consulting role for someone who wants exposure to senior clients, regulatory complexity, market growth and the opportunity to help build Optima's UAE platform.ResponsibilitiesAct as day-to-day regulatory consultant for a portfolio of financial services clients, including hedge funds, asset managers, private equity firms, private credit managers and other investment businesses.Support clients with ongoing compliance obligations under Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) requirements, including governance, policies, procedures, monitoring, reporting and regulatory engagement.Oversee or support the establishment of new financial services businesses from a regulatory compliance perspective, including authorisation, variation of permission and market-entry support.Implement and monitor local compliance policies and procedures, including risk-based monitoring programmes, compliance plans, regulatory calendars, breach reporting frameworks and management information.Support or act in approved or registered compliance and anti-money laundering roles where appropriate, including Compliance Officer, Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), Deputy MLRO or equivalent controlled function roles.Implement anti-money laundering, sanctions and counter-terrorist financing controls, including client risk assessments, suspicious activity escalation, training and oversight of day-to-day compliance with applicable legislation.Draft annual compliance plans, compliance monitoring reports, Board or committee papers, regulatory responses and client-facing advisory materials.Build trusted relationships with client senior management, including founders, Chief Compliance Officers, Chief Operating Officers, General Counsel, portfolio managers and other senior stakeholders.Serve as a point of contact for regulatory authorities where appropriate, responding promptly and professionally to requests for information and supporting clients through regulatory interactions.Contribute to Optima's UAE playbooks, templates, monitoring tools, training materials and delivery standards.Identify client needs and support the development of new services across compliance, governance, risk, outsourcing, market entry and regulatory change.QualificationsUndergraduate degree required from an accredited college or university; law degree, J.D., Master's degree or relevant professional qualification is a plus.3+ years of experience in compliance, regulatory consulting, legal / regulatory advisory or an in-house compliance function within financial services.Recently approved, currently approved, or capable of becoming approved as a Compliance Officer, MLRO or equivalent controlled function in the DIFC or ADGM.Strong working knowledge of UAE financial services regulation, ideally including DFSA and/or FSRA requirements.Experience with investment managers, hedge funds, private equity, private credit, brokerage, fintech or other regulated financial services businesses is preferred.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, precise and client-ready work.Strong analytical and research skills, with the judgment to interpret rules practically rather than mechanically.Independent, organised and responsive, with the ability to manage multiple clients and shifting priorities without losing control of detail.Commercially aware and comfortable working directly with senior stakeholders.Entrepreneurial and growth-minded, with a genuine desire to build a consulting career rather than simply perform compliance administration.Collaborative team player who can operate with high standards, humility and ownership in a fast-growing regional platform.What success looks likeYou become a trusted day-to-day adviser to a portfolio of high-quality clients.You demonstrate the judgment and discipline required to hold, support or grow into approved compliance / anti-money laundering roles.You deliver timely, technically strong and commercially useful work with minimal supervision.You help improve Optima's UAE delivery model by building better templates, processes, monitoring tools and client service standards.You show the ambition and ownership needed to grow into a client lead, specialist vertical owner or future senior consultant within the UAE business.Equal Opportunity StatementOptima Partners is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment. We do not discriminate between applicants on the basis of gender, gender identity, race, religion, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, age, disability or any other protected characteristic.