KYC Operations Lead (UAE Nationals Only)

Citi; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Citi in Dubai is seeking a senior KYC Operations leader to oversee KYC policies, control environment, and program management for BAU and Refresh initiatives. You will drive onboarding improvements, manage performance, and coordinate with Compliance, Business, and Senior Management on regulatory priorities.

The role requires strong leadership, risk awareness, and the ability to operate with limited supervision, delivering timely MIS to senior leadership and ensuring high standards of conduct and

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in KYC or related compliance roles.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.

Responsibilities

• Manage and lead KYC operations in Citi compliance policies and oversee the KYC control environment.
• Lead and oversee program management of KYC BAU and Refresh processes, driving migration into the global operating model.
• Provide effective people leadership, including performance management, coaching, and development of team members.
• Serve as a liaison between Compliance, Business, and Senior Management on regulatory requirements and risk priorities.
• Oversee new client onboarding activities and drive process improvements for efficiency and controls.
• Deliver MIS reporting to senior management with insights on performance, risks and metrics.
• Ensure regulatory compliance, internal policies, and control standards while mitigating risks.
• Drive operational excellence through optimization and stakeholder engagement in KYC and client lifecycle management.
• Monitor daily account refresh activities to meet regulatory and documentation timelines.
• Conduct QA reviews of onboarding and refresh cases to ensure Citi policies and quality standards.
• Maintain the Book of Work for system releases and process enhancements with stakeholder alignment.
• Operate with limited supervision, showing initiative and accountability in day-to-day decisions.
• Demonstrate independence in managing complex cases and stakeholder interactions.
• Act as SME, guiding senior stakeholders and teams on KYC, regulatory and operational matters.
• Lead teams with accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Identify and manage risks in onboarding, maintenance, and KYC processes with proper escalation.
• Safeguard Citi and assets by complying with laws, policies, and ethical standards.
• Promote risk and control culture by escalating and reporting control issues to ensure oversight.
• Partner with Compliance, AML, Operations and Business teams to drive regulatory compliance and process improvements.
• Ensure delivery of team objectives, quality metrics, and SLAs while supporting strategic priorities.

Education

Bachelor’s degree/University degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Citi in Dubai is seeking a senior KYC Operations leader to oversee KYC policies, control environment, and program management for BAU and Refresh initiatives. You will drive onboarding improvements, manage performance, and coordinate with Compliance, Business, and Senior Management on regulatory priorities.

The role requires strong leadership, risk awareness, and the ability to operate with limited supervision, delivering timely MIS to senior leadership and ensuring high standards of conduct and