Chief Compliance Officer(Virtual Assets/Digital Assets experience)

Hello ,

This is Valerine , a Lead Recruiter from StrategyConnect . Our client based in Dubai, is looking for Chief Compliance Officer(Virtual Assets/Digital Assets) for a full time opportunity.

The Chief Compliance Officer will be responsible for establishing, managing, and ensuring the company attains and maintains full regulatory compliance under the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and all applicable UAE financial regulatory bodies. The CCO owns the end-to-end regulatory process, ensures continuous compliance with the company's licensing obligations (Issuance and Broker-Dealer regimes), and embeds a strong culture of integrity and regulatory excellence throughout the organization. 

Below are the job details:

Job Title: Chief Compliance Officer.

Location: Dubai, UAE

Work Mode: On-site

Duration: Full time

Key Responsibilities (not limited to) 

Lead and manage the VARA licensing process, ensuring all submissions, documentation, and governance frameworks exceed regulatory requirements.​ 

Develop, implement, and oversee the company's comprehensive Compliance Program, including AML/CFT frameworks, transaction monitoring, suspicious activity reporting, and periodic compliance reviews.​ 

Establish internal controls to align with UAE AML federal laws, VARA rulebooks and FATF recommendations, and international digital asset compliance standards.​ 

Serve as principal liaison with regulators (VARA and others), independent auditors, and external stakeholders for all compliance-related topics.​ 

Oversee compliance monitoring and testing programs to assess and enhance adherence to company policies, procedures, and legal obligations.​ 

Approve marketing, product launches, and new business relationships for regulatory alignment and reputational risk management.​ 

Report directly to the Board and senior management on compliance risks, audit findings, regulatory developments, and mitigation strategies.​ 

Collaborate with the MLRO and Risk leadership to identify, assess, and address regulatory, operational, and technology risks across the enterprise.​ 

Build and implement an enterprise-wide risk management framework covering operational, financial, credit, cyber, and compliance risks.​ 

Lead enterprise risk assessments and ensure all departments identify, quantify, and manage their key risks in line with the company's risk appetite.​ 

Establish policies, control mechanisms, and compliance management systems per VARA's risk governance and ongoing reporting requirements. 

Experience 

• Minimum 7 years compliance or regulatory experience in financial institutions, broker-dealers, or virtual asset service providers, with direct VARA, ADGM, or DIFC exposure.​ 
• Demonstrated success in UAE regulatory regimes, particularly in new licensing, audits, or remediation projects.​ 
• Proven experience building compliance functions in fast-growing or regulated environments. 

Key Skills & Competencies 

• In-depth knowledge of UAE virtual asset/AML laws, FATF and global compliance frameworks. 
• Familiarity with blockchain, token issuance, and digital asset markets.​ 
• Advanced analytical, investigative, and problem-solving skills. 
• High ethical standards, independence, and discretion with sensitive matters. 
• Strong leadership and team-building experience in compliance/risk teams. 
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills (internal and external). 
• Regulatory certifications preferred (CAMS, ICA, CRCMP, etc.). 

Additional Regulatory Requirements (VARA Ref.) 

• At least five years relevant compliance experience. 
• As required by VARA regulations, the CCO must be a UAE resident and full-time employee
• May hold other non-client-facing roles (such as MLRO or Head of Risk) if there are no conflicts and full fit-and-proper standards are met.

Interested candidates can apply through LinkedIn . For questions, feel free to reach out.