About EWEC
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company) is the sole procurer and supplier of water and electricity in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. EWEC drives the planning, forecasting, purchasing, and system despatch services of water and electricity. EWEC fulfils these vital responsibilities through the short-term and long-term balancing of bulk supply and demand for distribution companies and authorities in Abu Dhabi and other Emirates. EWEC is supporting the government of Abu Dhabi and the government of the UAE by enabling the reduction of cost whilst also providing the increased security of supply that comes from a cleaner, larger, and more integrated system.
EWEC is mandated to implement strategic initiatives that will achieve the 60 per cent clean energy target outlined in the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's (DoE) Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi, in addition to enabling the achievement of UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, UAE Energy Strategy by 2050, and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. EWEC is accelerating Abu Dhabi and the UAE's energy transition by diversifying the country's energy mix through developing and deploying renewable and clean energy as well as low-carbon intensive water desalination capacities. EWEC is part of ADQ, one of the region's largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi's diversified economy. For more information, please visit www.ewec.ae.
Job Summary
Emirates Water & Electricity Company (EWEC) is seeking an Ethics & Compliance lead will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies, frameworks and programs, as well as delivering BaU activities, based on existing and future legal, regulatory and ADQ compliance requirements. The EC lead will lead specific aspects across definition, planning and delivery, with the support of the Head of Ethics and Compliance, and other team members as appropriate.
The Ethics & Compliance lead will lead, manage and oversee the ethics and compliance program, policy framework, data privacy program, disclosure processes and incident management program. The role includes promoting a culture of ethical behavior through training and awareness programs and supporting regulatory compliance.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in compliance, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to work collaboratively within a team. The job holder will work closely with cross-functional teams.
Key Responsibilities
1. Ethics Framework and Programme
a. Policy and Procedure Framework
- Develop, implement, maintain and communicate policies and procedures to support the ethics and compliance programme. Key areas include the Code of Conduct, corruption, bribery, conflicts of interest, and gifts, hospitality and entertainment.
- Ensure policies are aligned with current regulations and industry best practice.
b. Declarations and Disclosures Management
- Establish a transparent process for employees to make disclosures and ensure these are reviewed and managed appropriately. These may include conflicts of interest; gifts, hospitality and entertainment; annual declarations; and Board disclosures.
- Review disclosures submitted by employees to ensure they are complete and accurate. Assess the potential impact of the disclosures on the organisation and determine appropriate actions to mitigate any risks.
- Maintain detailed records of all disclosures and the actions taken to address them.
c. Monitoring and Reporting
- Establish mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the Code of Conduct, including regular audits and a clear process for reporting and addressing violations.
d. ADQ Minimum Compliance Standards
- Support the delivery of ADQ's minimum compliance requirements and manage related interactions.
2. Incident Management
a. Investigations
- Lead, coordinate and/or support thorough investigations into compliance incidents and breaches, in a timely and confidential manner.
- Develop investigation plans, and critically analyse evidence through the investigation to assess potential non-compliance.
- Document findings through accurate and clear technical writing, and recommend appropriate actions and processes to address, correct, prevent and mitigate future misconduct.
- Communicate at a strategic level in a clear and succinct manner, including presenting decisions and finalising investigation findings and recommended actions with the relevant Senior Executive Committee.
- Register, communicate, track and coordinate the closure of any mitigating, corrective, preventive or other actions.
b. Incident Reporting and Recordkeeping
- Monitor and manage Speak-Up (whistleblowing) channels.
- Prepare and submit incident reports and presentations to management and regulatory bodies as required, ensuring reports are accurate, complete and submitted in a timely manner.
- Maintain and update records of all incidents and investigations, including reports, evidence, logs, registers and the incident management platform.
c. Root Cause Analysis
- Perform root cause analysis to identify underlying issues and prevent future incidents.
- Develop and implement corrective action plans based on root cause analysis findings.
- Monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions and adjust as needed.
3. Regulatory Compliance
a. Compliance Registers
- Support the development, maintenance and regular review of registers to ensure they are accurate and up to date, and meet all legal, regulatory and policy requirements.
- Stay informed of regulatory changes and ensure the organisation remains compliant.
b. Compliance Risk Management
- Conduct compliance risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies with business stakeholders, monitoring their effectiveness.
c. Compliance Monitoring
- Monitor compliance with internal policies and external regulations, addressing any issues or breaches and implementing corrective actions.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in compliance, law, finance or a related field.
- Advanced degrees or professional certifications preferred, for example CCEP (Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional), CIPP, CRCM (Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager) or CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist).
Experience
- Minimum 7 years combined experience in ethics and compliance within global, large and/or mature organisations.
- Sound understanding of the local and international regulatory landscape and associated best practice.
- Regional and good-practice jurisdiction experience preferred.
- Energy and utilities sector experience is an advantage.
