Risk & Compliance Director

Carter Knight FZ LLC; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 350,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Carter Knight FZ LLC is supporting a leading public sector organisation in the UAE, searching for a Risk & Compliance Director. This senior leadership role focuses on enterprise-wide risk management, governance, and compliance to bolster national initiatives while navigating a regulated environment.

The role requires 12-15+ years of relevant experience, proven leadership skills, and professional certifications. The successful candidate will engage with executive leadership to support structured decision-making and governance.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of enterprise risk management and compliance frameworks.
• Advise executive leadership on strategic, operational, financial, regulatory, and reputational risks.
• Oversee compliance monitoring to ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and governance standards.

Skills

Risk management

Governance

Compliance

Regulatory understanding

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Professional certifications (CRMA, CIA, CISA, etc.)

Job description

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.