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
