Head of Compliance

Job description / Role

Reporting to the Board Audit & Governance Committee directly and indirectly to the CEO, the Head of Compliance will serve in the Bahrain head office ensuring the bank is in compliance with CBB regulations and internal policies and procedures. The position will be responsible for evaluation, testing, review, revision and deployment of the bank's global compliance and AML programs and procedures, coordinating reviews and reporting on findings, and developing revisions to the firm's global compliance and AML program.

Client Details

Our client is a leading Islamic Bank with headquarters in Bahrain offering wide ranging services in the retail, corporate and investment banking sector. This leading bank is looking to hire the Head of Compliance in Bahrain who will be responsible to ensure that the bank operates with the highest standards of regulatory and business conduct and compliance and AML ("Compliance" in this document to be read as in conjunction with AML, Financial Crime and Sanctions) practices while meeting the bank's business objectives.

Description

* Oversee and manage the Compliance function within the organisation and provide leadership and direction to the team, supporting their development and overseeing output.
* Management of Regulatory Compliance of Bahrain Central Bank regulations / Anti-money Laundering regulations & adherence to the Central Bank's policies, procedures, rules & regulations.
* Maintain a thorough understanding of the regulatory landscape.
* Develop and implement effective Compliance Program that supports the business to ensure compliance with current and future regulatory requirements.
* Monitor the bank's conduct of business to ensure that any breach is identified quickly and dealt with responsibly, investigated and reported to Senior Management and the Board, if necessary.
* Prepare management reports regarding compliance operations and progress.
* Have an active role in projects, providing expertise on specific regulatory and compliance issues linked to the projects.
* Maintain effective relationships with regulators and handle any instruction, request, or inquiry in an open and cooperative manner.
* Manage specific regulatory projects (e.g. regulatory examinations/audits, application for licenses or branches, specific requests with regulators, etc.).
* Ensure that adequate systems and procedures exist to enable the necessary financial and regulatory reports and returns are submitted to the relevant regulatory authorities in a timely manner.
* Implement procedures to ensure that regulatory reports are submitted/filed accurately and timely.
* Promote compliance awareness within the bank through training programs on compliance and regulatory requirements.
* Implement and maintain procedures, processes, controls and tools for internal control.
* Be a liaison between the bank and the regulators.

Job Offer

* Market competitive monthly salary and additional benefits.

Requirements

Required Education/Experience

* BSc/BA in Business Administration or a related field from a reputable university
* Professional compliance certifications (e.g. International Compliance Association (ICA), CAMS)
* 10-15 years of progressive experience in Compliance within a bank with exposure to multiple jurisdictions within and outside of the GCC
* In-depth knowledge of CBB rules and regulations
* Fluency in Arabic and English required

Skills/Competencies

* Ability to work in a team-based environment, possessing confidence in resolution recommendations
* Interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to problem-solve in often complex situations
* Ability to deal with compliance and AML in a bank with international operations in multiple jurisdictions
* Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to interact at a senior level, both internally and externally

About the Company

Michael Page is one of the world's leading professional recruitment consultancies, specializing in the placement of candidates in permanent, contract, temporary and interim positions with clients around the world.

The Group has operations in the UK, Continental Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. In the Middle East we focus on the areas of:

Finance & Accounting Banking & Financial Services Procurement Property & Construction Engineering & Supply Chain Oil & Gas Technical and Engineering Human Resources Sales Marketing Technology Secretarial Executive Search Legal

The Group operates through 161 offices in 33 countries and employs over 5,000 employees worldwide.