Location: Dubai, UAE (On-site / Relocation Support Provided)
Reporting to: Local CCO
About the Role
We are seeking a highly credentialed and independent Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) to lead our Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Sanctions compliance programs for our UAE entity.
You will act as the approved person liaising directly with the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Your primary mandate is to ensure the entity operates resilient financial crime defenses, fulfilling all statutory reporting and monitoring obligations under UAE Federal Laws and VARA Rulebooks.
What You’ll Do
- Regulatory Reporting & Liaison
- Act as the primary point of contact for the UAE FIU, VARA, and the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation (EOCN) on all financial crime matters.
- Assume complete ownership of the UAE FIU’s goAML portal, exclusively managing the drafting, authorization, and timely submission of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), and Fund Freeze Reports (FFRs).
- Financial Crime Framework & Oversight
- Design, maintain, and operationalize the entity’s AML, CFT, and Sanctions policies in strict alignment with related law.
- Conduct and document the annual Enterprise-Wide Risk Assessment (EWRA) for financial crime, presenting findings and mitigation strategies directly to the Board of Directors.
- Transaction Monitoring (KYT) & Investigations
- Oversee the deployment, tuning, and calibration of institutional-grade blockchain analytics and fiat transaction monitoring systems (e.g., Chainalysis, Elliptic, Sumsub).
- Lead complex internal investigations into escalated alerts regarding high-risk customers, sophisticated on-chain typologies, and potential sanctions evasion.
- Sanctions & Travel Rule Enforcement
- Ensure rigorous real-time screening against the UAE Local Terrorist List, UN Security Council Consolidated List, OFAC, and other relevant sanctions programs.
- Monitor and validate the entity's adherence to the FATF Travel Rule for virtual asset transfers, ensuring secure and compliant information exchange with counterparty VASPs.
- Advisory & Training
- Provide mandatory annual AML/CFT training to all UAE staff, Management, and the Board, tailored to the specific risks of the virtual asset sector.
- Act as the ultimate escalation point for the onboarding of High-Risk clients, Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), and institutional counterparts, holding veto power over unacceptable risk profiles.
What You’ll Need
Experience & Approvals:
- 7-10+ years of dedicated financial crime, AML/CFT, and sanctions experience within regulated financial institutions, digital asset exchanges, or Tier-1 regulatory bodies.
- Minimum 3+ years operating in an MLRO, Deputy MLRO, or Head of Financial Crime capacity.
- Prior approval as an MLRO or equivalent Controlled Function by a major financial regulator (e.g., VARA, CBUAE, DFSA, ADGM FSRA, FCA, SFC, MAS) is heavily preferred.
Knowledge & Expertise:
- Deep practical knowledge of the UAE AML/CFT legislative framework and VARA's regulatory expectations.
- Proven hands-on experience utilizing the UAE FIU goAML system.
- Strong technical understanding of blockchain technology, crypto-native money laundering typologies, and digital asset tracing methodologies.
Certifications & Skills:
- Globally recognized AML certification is mandatory (e.g., CAMS, ICA Diploma in AML/Financial Crime).
- Impeccable analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to articulate complex financial crime risks to senior management and regulators.
- Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential.
- Fluency in Arabic is highly advantageous but not mandatory.