Head of Compliance & MLRO

Overview

Key Responsibilities

• 1.
• Regulatory & Compliance Oversight (Compliance Officer Function)
• Act as the
• designated Compliance Officer
• under VARA.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with
• VARA rulebooks, guidance, and licensing conditions
• .
• Develop, implement, and maintain the firm’s
• compliance policies, procedures, and controls
• .
• Oversee all
• regulatory reporting, submissions, and notifications
• to VARA.
• Act as the main point of contact for
• regulatory inspections, audits, and supervisory engagement
• .
• 2.

Financial Crime Compliance (MLRO Function)

• Act as the
• appointed MLRO
• under UAE AML/CFT regulations.
• Establish and oversee the firm’s
• AML/CFT framework
• , including: Customer due diligence (CDD/KYC), Transaction monitoring and surveillance, Sanctions and screening controls
• Review, escalate, and file

Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)

• with relevant UAE authorities.
• Maintain oversight of financial crime risks including
• money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions, and fraud
• .

3. Risk Management & Monitoring

• Identify, assess, and mitigate
• compliance and financial crime risks
• .
• Design and execute a
• compliance monitoring and testing program
• .
• Provide
• regular reporting to senior management and the Board
• on compliance and AML matters.

4. Governance & Advisory

• Advise senior management and business teams on
• regulatory implications of new products, services, and partnerships
• .
• Ensure robust
• governance structures
• , including escalation protocols and committee reporting.
• Support ongoing
• regulatory licensing, approvals, and inspections
• .

5. Training & Culture

• Develop and deliver
• compliance and AML training programs
• .
• Promote a strong
• compliance and financial crime awareness culture
• across the organization.

Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum
• 10+ years of relevant experience
• in compliance and financial crime within financial services, fintech, or virtual assets.
• Proven experience serving as

Compliance Officer and/or MLRO

• in a regulated environment.
• Strong familiarity with
• VARA, UAE AML/CFT regulations, and FATF standards
• .
• Demonstrated experience managing
• regulatory engagement, audits, and inspections
• .

Regulatory Fit

• Must meet
• VARA “fit and proper” criteria
• .
• Eligible to be formally appointed as both:

Compliance Officer

MLRO

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to operate independently in a
• controlled function role
• .
• Sound judgment, high integrity, and strong risk awareness.
• Ability to balance
• regulatory compliance with business objectives
• .

Location Requirement

• Must be
• resident in the UAE
• to meet regulatory requirements and perform controlled function responsibilities.