Head of Risk (Chief Risk Officer)

PayTech Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider in Dubai is seeking a Chief Risk Officer to develop and execute a comprehensive risk management framework. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of experience in risk management, including digital lending or fintech, and will lead a high-performing risk team. This full-time role offers a significant opportunity to shape risk strategy and ensure regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 15-20 years in financial services, with at least 5 years in a senior risk leadership role.
• Experience in digital lending, fintech, or embedded finance is a strong differentiator.
• Certifications: FRM, PRM, CFA, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive risk management framework.
• Oversee risk identification, measurement, and mitigation across all products.
• Build and mentor a high-performing risk team.

Skills

Strategic planning and execution

Product innovation and lifecycle management

Credit risk and portfolio analytics

Regulatory compliance and governance

Cross-functional leadership and communication

Agile project delivery and digital transformation

Education

Bachelors degree in Finance, Economics, Business, or related field

Masters degree (e.g., MBA or MSc in Risk Management)

Tools

SAS

Moodys RiskCalc

Oracle FCCM

Job description

Overview

JOB TITLE: Head of Risk (Chief Risk Officer)

TERM: 12 months (extendable)

CLIENT LOCATION: Dubai, UAE

DIVISION: Consumer

REPORTS TO: Group CEO / Executive Committee

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: 15+ years in risk management, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role within lending or financial services. Demonstrated success in building and leading enterprise risk functions in regulated environments.

PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The Chief Risk Officer (CRO) will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive risk management framework tailored to the client’s lending operations. To establish and lead a robust, enterprise-wide risk management framework that aligns with the client’s strategic objectives in the lending domain. The CRO will ensure that all risk types are proactively identified, assessed, mitigated, and monitored, enabling sustainable growth and regulatory compliance.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the enterprise risk strategy, policies, and procedures.
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments of the lending portfolio and operations.
• Design and implement a risk governance framework aligned with regulatory and internal standards.
• Oversee risk identification, measurement, and mitigation across all lending products.
• Lead the development of risk appetite statements and tolerance thresholds.
• Establish risk reporting mechanisms and dashboards for executive and board-level visibility.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and manage relationships with external regulators and auditors.
• Present risk insights and recommendations to the Board Risk Committee.
• Collaborate with business units to embed risk-aware decision-making.
• Drive the implementation of risk technology tools and analytics platforms.
• Build and mentor a high-performing risk team.

KPIs

• Reduction in non-performing loan (NPL) ratio
• Risk-adjusted return on capital (RAROC)
• Regulatory compliance score (zero non-conformities)
• Time-to-resolution for risk incidents
• Risk model accuracy and predictive performance
• Employee risk awareness index (via internal surveys)
• Timely and accurate regulatory reporting.
• Frequency and severity of risk incidents.
• Board satisfaction with risk reporting and governance.
• Implementation rate of risk mitigation actions.

Knowledge And Experience

• Experience: 15-20 years in financial services, with at least 5 years in a senior risk leadership role. Experience in digital lending, fintech, or embedded finance is a strong differentiator
• Education: Bachelors degree in Finance, Economics, Business, or related field. A Masters degree (e.g., MBA or MSc in Risk Management) is highly preferred
• Certifications: FRM (Financial Risk Manager), PRM (Professional Risk Manager), CFA, or equivalent regulatory licenses are increasingly expected
• Deep knowledge of credit risk modelling, stress testing, and capital adequacy.
• Familiarity with digital lending ecosystems and embedded finance.
• Experience with enterprise risk systems (e.g., SAS, Moodys RiskCalc, Oracle FCCM).
• Strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills.

Mandatory Skills

• Strategic planning and execution
• Product innovation and lifecycle management
• Credit risk and portfolio analytics
• Regulatory compliance and governance
• Cross-functional leadership and communication
• Agile project delivery and digital transformation

Seniority level

• Not Applicable

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance and Sales

Industries

• Business Consulting and Services