Head of Risk & Compliance

About the role

We are a venture‑backed, VARA‑licensed exchange and custody startup operating from Dubai. The Head of Risk & Compliance will own the firm’s regulatory position, act as the Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer, and also carry data‑protection responsibilities.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain the VARA licence scope, obtain prior approvals, and manage interactions with the Central Bank where payment tokens are involved.
• Run the financial‑crime programme: customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, Travel Rule compliance, sanctions and Local Terrorist List screening, and reporting through goAML.
• Build and maintain the risk register, control‑testing calendar, and produce the Board’s regulatory report.
• Lead client and partner assurance activities, including due‑diligence questionnaires, audit responses, evidence packs and tracking findings to closure.
• Participate in product decisions, advising on feasibility, regulatory limits and alternative routes.
• Manage the relationship with VARA, handling returns, notifications and prior‑approval requests for model changes.

Required profile

• Experience taking a firm through a licence application and holding the resulting permission.
• Previously held a named regulatory role approved by a regulator, or demonstrable eligibility for such a role.
• Proven ability to design and test a control framework that has survived an inspection, external audit or incident.
• Track record of challenging executive decisions in writing and finding compliant alternative solutions.

Required skills

• Travel Rule implementation
• Reporting through goAML
• Customer due diligence
• Due‑diligence questionnaires
• Transaction monitoring and tuning
• Transfer mechanisms
• Vendor and sub‑processor review
• Audit response preparation
• Processing records management
• Local Terrorist List screening
• Blockchain analytics
• Control testing