Chief Compliance Officer/MLRO

About The Role

What You'll Do (Responsibilities)

Responsibilities

• include regulatory liaison, monitoring of systems, and reporting through the Paysend Notification Gateway (PNG) and goAML platforms.
• The MLRO will also ensure continuous employee training, timely reporting of suspicious transactions, and proactive risk mitigation through structured internal controls.
• The CCO/MLRO has the following responsibilities vis-a-vis the compliance program:
• Regulatory ownership & external liaison: Act as the named CCO & MLRO with the CBUAE (independent of revenue functions) leading license applications, onsite inspections, supervisory meetings, and on-time submission of all regulatory returns (AML, prudential, statistical, safeguarding). Approve marketing and financial promotions before release to ensure AML, conduct-risk, and consumer-protection compliance
• Compliance & governance framework: Design, implement, and continuously improve the compliance architecture covering SVF, AML/CFT, RPSCS overlaps, consumer protection, outsourcing, data-privacy, and cybersecurity. Chair (or co-chair) the Risk & Compliance Committee, maintain up-to-date registers, calendars, and policies, and deliver clear MI to the board
• Customer-fund safeguarding & operational controls: Establish and monitor segregation/escrow arrangements in line with CBUAE safeguarding rules, conduct periodic Risk & Control Self-Assessments (RCSA) and system gap analyses, and drive remediation through to closure
• AML/CFT & Financial-Crime program: Oversee the full Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) lifecycle, sanctions/PEP screening, transaction-monitoring rules, and fraud-detection controls, calibrating RegTech tools, Own the Business-Wide Risk Assessment (BWRA) and ensure ongoing CDD/EDD with periodic customer-risk re-ratings. Serve as the primary FIU and law-enforcement contact.
• Tech-enabled compliance & product advisory: Partner with Product, Engineering, and Data to embed controls in onboarding flows, payment rails, and new features (e.g., multicurrency wallets, joint accounts). Vet vendor integrations, APIs, and outsourcing arrangements for regulatory, data-privacy, and cybersecurity compliance.
• Incident & complaint management: Investigate client complaints or operational incidents with potential regulatory, AML, or reputational impact; lead root-cause analysis; and report outcomes to the board and regulator as required
• Training, culture & stakeholder influence: Deliver mandatory AML/compliance training to all UAE staff, maintain training logs, and promote a culture of transparency and ethical conduct, continuing personal education, to develop and maintain knowledge of AML and CTF compliance requirements and industry best practices.
• Timely escalation of concerns relating to the company’s compliance obligations to the Paysend CEO, as well as the Global Head of Compliance & MLRO and Board of Directors or regulatory bodies as appropriate.
• Influence senior leadership to put compliance first in strategic decisions
• Regulatory-change surveillance: Track CBUAE circulars, UAE federal legislation, and FATF updates; conduct impact assessments; and execute timely policy and control updates to keep Capital-com ahead of regulatory evolution
• Support the business in the evaluation of new business opportunities from a regulatory compliance and conduct perspective.
• Chair or participate in relevant regional governance oversight committees, as necessary.
• Maintain a secondary (dotted-line) reporting to the Group Head of Compliance, while preserving full functional independence locally.
• Ensure UAE-specific risk factors (products, customers, geographies, corridors) are accurately reflected in group-wide risk management.
• Provide timely and accurate compliance, AML/CFT, and risk reporting to relevant Group governance and oversight committees, as requested
• Ensure Group sanctions screening standards and risk tolerances are applied consistently by the UAE entity, without compromising UAE legal or regulatory requirements.
• Ensure group-provided systems and RegTech tools meet CBUAE requirements and are appropriately configured and calibrated for UAE-specific rules, thresholds, and risk profiles.
• Coordinate with Group Internal Audit and Risk Management teams to support assurance activities, remediation tracking, and consistent risk oversight.

1. AML/CFT and Regulatory Liaison

2.Conduct Risk and Consumer Protection

3. Governance and Independence

4. Performance Metrics and Review

• Key performance indicators include regulatory audit outcomes, AML/CFT compliance effectiveness, timely STR submissions, consumer protection metrics, training completion rates, and CBUAE supervisory feedback.
• The role is reviewed annually by the Board Risk & Compliance Committee to ensure alignment with evolving regulatory expectations and Paysend UAE’s operational maturity.
• What You’ll Need To Be Successful In This Role:
• 8-10+ years of experience in a same or similar position with a similar financial institution, preferably FinTech or payment institution, covering a wide range of subjects across retail and business customer bases, such as KYC, CDD/EDD, Transaction Monitoring, Risk Assessments, and Reporting (SARs)
• Bachelor's degree in business, Finance, Law, or a related field.
• Relevant certifications in compliance and AML (e.g., CAMS, ACAMS)
• Compliance Management, Regulatory Compliance, and Legal Compliance skills
• Analytical Skills for interpreting and implementing regulations and understanding of regulatory requirements and compliance frameworks
• Experience in working with regulatory authorities (CBUAE/DFSA/ FSRA/ SCA)
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Able to work under pressure and manage own workload.
• Strong people skills and the ability to interface with all levels within the corporation and various business units.
• Demonstrated excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication