Principal Lead Enterprise Compliance

About the role

First Abu Dhabi Bank is looking for a Principal Lead Enterprise Compliance to own end-to-end the delivery and strategic evolution of the technology platforms supporting its Compliance function, including AML/KYC, sanctions screening, conduct risk, surveillance and regulatory reporting. The role leads engineering and delivery teams, ensures platform resilience and scalability, and aligns technology strategy with enterprise architecture and regulatory mandates.

Key responsibilities

• Lead engineering and delivery teams for compliance platforms such as the Fircosoft suite (sanctions screening), Fenergo (client lifecycle management) and SAS AML (transaction monitoring).
• Define and execute the compliance technology roadmap aligned with strategic priorities and regulatory timelines.
• Own platform architecture decisions, ensuring interoperability with core banking, risk and finance systems.
• Drive modernization initiatives including cloud migration, API enablement and integration with data lakes and case management systems.
• Translate regulatory requirements into platform capabilities with Compliance stakeholders and promote AI/ML adoption in transaction monitoring, risk scoring and anomaly detection.
• Establish governance frameworks, delivery scorecards and KPIs, and track metrics such as platform uptime, alert resolution rates and regulatory submission accuracy.
• Contribute to budgeting, vendor selection and contract management for compliance technology initiatives.

Required profile

• Overall 15+ years of experience, with 10+ years in banking.
• Proven experience delivering platforms across AML, KYC, sanctions and regulatory reporting.
• Deep understanding of compliance frameworks, conduct risk and surveillance technologies.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams and managing compliance solution providers, system integrators and SaaS platforms.

Required skills

• Familiarity with FATF, OFAC, GDPR and local central bank regulations.
• Experience with compliance data models, case management and reporting tools.
• Ability to design secure, scalable and modular compliance platforms.

About the employer: First Abu Dhabi Bank is the largest bank in the UAE, offering personal and private banking services. The bank offers career development, training and skill development for all employees.