Head of compliance

Lead Compliance Officer for a leading financial institution with a presence across four continents, responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance and mitigating financial crime risks.
This role involves leading the development and implementation of robust compliance framework processes, maintaining the highest standards of regulatory compliance, and protecting the integrity of the company's operations.
The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of local laws and sanctions, regulations, and other leading sanctions regimes, as well as experience in managing FI relationships and handling RFIs.
Key Responsibilities:

Ensure consistent application of UBL's AML/CFT/CPF policy, standards, and allied procedures.
Implement the Bank's FCC strategy to ensure vertical alignment and horizontal integration with other interfacing departmental strategies.
Review policies, procedures, and products to ensure alignment with local regulatory requirements.
Conduct periodical branch visits to discuss, assess, and address regulatory compliance-related issues and concerns.
Oversee and monitor reviews as per the risk-based Compliance Review Plan.
Manage Compliance Resources in consultation with HR, including Athena Team.
Provide Subject Matter Expert guidance to Business and Operations on Sanctions, especially legal bindings and generally regimes identified by bank policy.
Clear understanding of managing FI relationships and their RFIs.
Oversee the review of Unusual Activity Reports for reporting of STRs to the regulator.
Oversee the risk-based compliance programme for UAE branches.
Review AML/CFT/CPF Policy & Standards to ensure consistency with regulatory requirements and update the same upon change in the applicable regulatory regime.
Participate in Compliance Focus Group and other formal and informal meetings with staff members and management to discuss and provide timely updates on the status of the Bank's compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements.
Design and conduct periodic training of the staff on the latest & significant regulatory requirements including AML/CFT/CPF in liaison with HRD.
Act as point of contact for CBUAE.
Keep strong relationships with the Central Bank and other regulatory authorities, ensuring provision of required information to the regulators in a timely manner.
Coordinate with other regulatory bodies and law enforcement entities.
Act as coordinator for CB UAE examinations including thematic reviews, baseline examination, assets quality review, and any other reviews initiated by the regulator.
Ensure effective coordination for closure of examination findings, compliance risks identified, or any other regulatory remediation plans.
Identification, monitoring, remediating, and reporting of regulatory risk related to UAE franchise to the Compliance Committee at Head Office level.
Ensure timely and effective closure of actions suggested by the compliance committee on franchise risk escalated to HO.
Submit periodic reports to the members of the concerned management on issues of regulatory significance and tracking for resolution.
Implement Compliance Risk Management framework in line with the applicable regulatory requirements and with coordination & direction from Head Office.
Participate in the Compliance Committee of Management, as and when required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Bachelor degree and preferably a Master's Degree.
CAMS or Certification from the International Compliance Association.

Minimum Experience:

10+ years banking experience, out of which 5 years in compliance / Internal Audit / Risk function.

Job Specific Skills:

Lead the Compliance function to achieve the outcomes set out in the Bank's Compliance Policy and Conduct Principles.
Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate, and resolve risk, conduct, and compliance matters.
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