Assistant Manager – Public Sector | ERS (GRC)

ACCA Careers; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

ACCA Careers is seeking a seasoned Governance, Risk & Compliance professional in Abu Dhabi to lead client engagements for public sector clients. You will oversee GRC programs, internal audits, and regulatory compliance initiatives.

You will mentor teams, manage multiple projects, and contribute to business development while ensuring high-quality deliverables for government entities across the UAE.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Risk Management, or related field.
• MBA or equivalent (MBA) is an advantage.
• 6–8 years of experience in GRC, risk advisory, internal audit, or consulting.
• Public sector/government entity experience preferred.
• Big-4/advisory environment experience highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver GRC and internal audit engagements for public sector and government-related entities.
• Manage day-to-day project execution, including planning, fieldwork, quality reviews, and reporting.
• Act as a key point of contact for clients, ensuring timely delivery and high-quality outputs.
• Prepare and review project deliverables, reports, presentations, and executive summaries.
• Support business development and proposal drafting, pricing inputs, and thought leadership.
• Mentor associates and supervise junior team members to ensure accuracy and quality.

Skills

Governance & risk

Stakeholder management

Leadership

MS Office

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA or equivalent advantageous

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Client Delivery & Project Management

• Lead and deliver GRC including internal audit engagements for public sector and government-related entities.
• Manage day-to-day project execution, including planning, fieldwork, quality reviews, and reporting.
• Act as a key point of contact for clients, ensuring timely delivery and high-quality outputs.
• Prepare and review project deliverables, reports, presentations, and executive summaries.

Governance & Risk Advisory

• Design and assess governance frameworks, policies, and operating models aligned with leading practices.
• Support enterprise risk management (ERM) initiatives, including risk assessments, risk registers, and risk appetite frameworks.
• Conduct internal control reviews and support Internal Audit-related advisory engagements.
• Assist clients with compliance assessments against local regulations, government mandates, and international standards (e.g., ADAA, IIA, COSO, etc).

Public Sector & Regulatory Focus

• Support public sector transformation initiatives related to governance maturity, accountability, and transparency.
• Interpret and apply UAE / GCC government regulations, laws, and compliance requirements.
• Assist in developing frameworks related to ethics, compliance, delegation of authority, and performance monitoring.

Team Leadership & Development

• Supervise and coach associates and senior associates on project execution and professional development.
• Review work prepared by junior team members to ensure accuracy and quality.
• Support resource planning and workload management across engagements.

Business Development & Firm Support

• Support proposal development, including drafting methodologies, work plans, and pricing inputs.
• Contribute to thought leadership, knowledge sharing, and internal capability development.
• Assist senior leadership in identifying opportunities within public sector accounts.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Master’s degree (MBA or equivalent) is an advantage.

Professional Certifications (Preferred)

• CIA, CISA, CRISC, CGEIT, CPA, ACCA, or equivalent.
• ISO certifications (e.g., ISO 31000, ISO 22301, ISO 27001) are an advantage.

Experience

• 6–8 years of relevant experience in GRC, risk advisory, internal audit, or consulting.
• Prior experience working with public sector or government entities is strongly preferred.
• Experience in a professional services / Big-4 / advisory environment is highly desirable.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks.
• Knowledge of public sector operating models and regulatory environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong analytical, report-writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
• Leadership mindset with the ability to mentor junior team members.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).

Language Requirements

• English: Fluent (written and spoken).
• Arabic: Strongly preferred due to public sector client interactions.