Senior Portfolio Manager - ADGM/VARA

About the Role

A leading, global Web3 and digital asset institution is building an institutional digital asset platform in the UAE, operating through two regulated entities: an ADGM FSRA-licensed fund manager (Category 3C) in Abu Dhabi, and a VARA-licensed entity in Dubai.

We are hiring an experienced Portfolio Manager to play a key role in shaping this business. This is a hands-on role that combines discretionary portfolio management and digital asset fund operations with personal regulatory responsibility in two jurisdictions. The successful candidate will be a key operational decision-maker for the platform's funds with direct responsibility for regulatory reportings, trade execution, and fund operations.

Responsibilities

Portfolio Management

• Execute the investment strategy approved by the Investment Committee across quantitative fund-of-funds, DeFi yield, and real-world asset strategies.
• Allocate to underlying quantitative managers and manage onboarding, capital deployment, rebalancing, and withdrawals.
• Deploy capital into whitelisted DeFi protocols and manage position sizing and risk controls.

Fund Operations

• Oversee all capital movements: fiat and stablecoin on- and off-ramps, transfers to DeFi wallets and exchange accounts, and redemption payouts.
• Operate the institutional virtual asset custodian, including transaction execution, policy engine whitelists, and wallet architecture.
• Approve outgoing wire and stablecoin transfer instructions for redemptions, in coordination with the fund administrator.
• Work with the fund administrator on subscriptions and redemptions, position data for NAV, and daily on-chain / off-chain reconciliation.

Regulatory & Governance

• Serve as a director of both the ADGM and VARA entities.
• Act as a VARA Responsible Individual, accountable for the day-to-day conduct of the licensed activity and available to the regulator.
• Work alongside the Compliance Officer, MLRO, Risk Officer, and Finance Officer on the control framework, and support internal and external audit functions.

Risk & Reporting

• Monitor fund-level risk limits: protocol diversification, exposure caps by venue, leverage constraints, and drawdown triggers.
• Maintain operational risk awareness across DeFi protocols (smart contract, oracle, and governance risk) and exchange counterparties.
• Report to the Investment Committee and both boards on performance, risk metrics, and operational matters.
• Support the annual audit with investment records, trade logs, and rebalancing documentation.

Requirements

Regulatory Eligibility

• Able to satisfy the Fit and Proper standards of both regimes, including relevant academic or professional qualifications, adequate virtual asset and management experience, honesty, reputation, integrity, and a sound understanding of the applicable regulatory framework.
• Eligible for FSRA approval as a Director, Partner, or Senior Manager performing the Portfolio Manager function, and for VARA approval as a Responsible Individual.
• Prior experience as a regulated approved person or licensed individual is a strong advantage.

Experience

Minimum 5 years in portfolio management, trading, or fund operations, including managerial or supervisory experience relevant to the Portfolio Manager function.

Depth in one or more of: discretionary portfolio management or proprietary trading at a bank, asset manager, or hedge fund; digital asset fund management (DeFi yield, quantitative trading, or crypto fund-of-funds); institutional fund operations with direct involvement in trade execution, reconciliation, or custodian interaction.

Technical Knowledge

• Understanding of crypto quant strategies: delta-neutral, basis, carry, and perpetual futures.
• Understanding of DeFi protocols and mechanics: lending, staking, liquidity provisioning, and yield strategies.
• Familiarity with engaging in Ethereum smart contracts, ERC-20 standards, and the ability to read and verify transactions on block explorers.
• Experience with fund operations including institutional digital asset custody, NAV calculation, and fund administration workflows.

Qualifications & Attributes

• Experience in ADGM and/or VARA-licensed entities.
• Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, computer science, engineering, or a related field. CFA, CAIA, or FRM is an advantage.
• Proactive risk identification and escalation.
• Clear, concise communication with boards, regulators, and service providers.
• Comfort operating in a build-stage environment where processes are still being established.