Head of Compliance – Precious Metals Trading

About the role

A senior compliance leader is needed to develop and oversee the compliance framework for a leading gold and precious metals trading firm in Dubai.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the compliance function and act as the senior point of contact for regulatory matters.
• Develop, implement and maintain policies, procedures and AML/CFT, sanctions, KYC, CDD/EDD frameworks.
• Monitor transactions and business activities for financial crime, sanctions and compliance risks.
• Oversee onboarding and ongoing monitoring of customers, counterparties, suppliers and other business relationships.
• Ensure controls around sourcing, trading and movement of gold and precious metals, including supply‑chain due diligence.
• Conduct compliance risk assessments and recommend enhancements to internal controls.
• Manage regulatory reporting, internal compliance reporting and escalation of material issues.
• Maintain relationships with regulators, banks, auditors and other external stakeholders.
• Provide advice to senior management on regulatory developments and their impact.
• Coordinate regulatory inspections, external audits and internal investigations.
• Deliver compliance and financial‑crime training across the organisation.

Required profile

• Significant senior‑level experience in compliance, AML and financial crime within a regulated financial or commodities environment.
• Strong knowledge of UAE AML/CFT, sanctions and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Experience in gold, precious metals, commodities trading or closely related sectors.
• Proven ability to interact with regulators, banks, auditors and senior management.
• Leadership, communication and stakeholder‑management skills with a commercial mindset.

Required skills

• Transaction monitoring
• Regulatory reporting
• Customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD)
• Sanctions screening
• KYC processes
• Risk assessments
• Supply‑chain due diligence
• Internal investigations
• External audits
• Financial crime training
• AML