Risk & Compliance Director

We are supporting a leading public sector organisation in the UAE in their search for a Risk & Compliance Director to join a high-profile Executive Office environment.

This is a senior leadership opportunity focused on driving enterprise-wide risk management, governance, and compliance across critical functions and large-scale transformation programmes. The role offers significant exposure to executive leadership and the opportunity to contribute to high-impact national initiatives within a complex and highly regulated environment.

Role Overview

The Risk & Compliance Director will be responsible for establishing and leading the organisation’s enterprise risk and compliance framework, ensuring alignment with national priorities, regulatory requirements, and international best practices.

This role requires a strategic and hands‑on leader who can provide clear oversight of risk across the organisation, strengthen governance structures, and ensure effective compliance across all operations. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting executive decision‑making by providing structured insight into risk exposure, mitigation strategies, and organisational resilience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of enterprise risk management and compliance frameworks across the organisation
• Establish and enhance governance structures, policies, and internal control mechanisms to improve accountability and transparency
• Advise executive leadership on strategic, operational, financial, regulatory, and reputational risks
• Oversee compliance monitoring to ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and internal governance standards
• Drive risk identification, assessment, mitigation, and reporting processes across major transformation initiatives
• Develop and deliver executive‑level dashboards, reports, and insights for leadership and governance committees
• Partner with senior stakeholders to embed a strong risk‑aware and compliance‑driven culture across the organisation
• Coordinate with internal audit, legal, and regulatory bodies to ensure alignment on governance and compliance matters
• Lead investigations, risk reviews, and governance assessments, ensuring timely resolution and implementation of corrective actions
• Benchmark risk and compliance practices against leading regional and international organisations to drive continuous improvement

Candidate Profile

We are seeking an experienced and credible leader with a strong background in risk, governance, and compliance:

• 12–15+ years of experience in risk management, governance, compliance, audit, or regulatory environments
• Proven leadership experience within government, defence, or other highly regulated sectors
• Strong understanding of enterprise risk management frameworks, governance standards, and regulatory compliance
• Professional certifications such as CRMA, CIA, CISA, CAMS, CRCM, or equivalent are highly desirable
• Demonstrated ability to engage, influence, and advise senior leadership and executive stakeholders
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgement

This is a unique opportunity to play a critical role in strengthening governance, enhancing institutional resilience, and shaping enterprise‑wide risk and compliance capabilities within a high‑impact government environment.

For further details or to apply, please share your CV directly.