Compliance Officer And MLRO

Description

Our client, a high-growth fintech operating out of the DIFC, is looking for a seasoned Compliance Officer & MLRO to join their leadership team. This is a DFSA authorised individual role, and the ideal hire will take full ownership of the firm’s compliance and AML/CFT frameworks while supporting the business through its next phase of growth.

This opportunity is meant for someone who has built and run compliance structures inside DFSA-regulated money services, fintech or digital wallet entities in an in-house role - not someone who has only advised from the outside. If you’ve been the go-to person for regulatory engagement, board reporting, AML governance, and day-to-day controls within a licensed firm, we’d love to introduce you.

Requirements

• Candidate must be an immediate joiner
• UAE-based and eligible for DFSA authorised individual approval (a must)
• Proven experience as a Compliance Officer/MLRO within a DFSA-regulated firm
• 7+ years in compliance, AML/CFT, or regulatory roles in financial services
• Minimum 3 years in a DFSA-regulated firm in an in-house capacity (not consultancy)
• Minimum 2+ years of experience in fintech, digital wallets, or money services industries
• Hands-on track record managing DFSA frameworks, inspections, supervision, and remediation
• Strong knowledge of the DFSA Rulebook, UAE Federal AML laws, and global AML/CTF frameworks (FATF, Wolfsberg)
• Experience building or scaling compliance/AML programs from scratch
• Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder-management capability

Preferred expertise

• Experience in digital-wallet based fintech, payments, or startup environments
• Direct involvement in DFSA inspections or thematic reviews
• Certifications such as CAMS, ICA, or equivalent
• Ability to operate autonomously, exercise sound judgment, and own DFSA-mandated functions

Benefits

• An attractive pension scheme funded by the employer on a monthly basis
• Flat team structure - work directly with founders
• Opportunity to grow into a more senior role
• Attractive TSOP options
• Hybrid work arrangements with flexibility