Sanctions Investigations Officer

Tanqeeb; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 446,000 - 670,000; Full time

Job summary

Tanqeeb is seeking an accomplished Sanctions Investigations Officer to join its AML/CFT function in Abu Dhabi. You will lead name-screening adjudication, true-match investigations, and sanctions reporting, shaping robust controls for a digital-first financial services platform.

Ideally you have 6+ years in sanctions or financial-crime investigations within banking, knowledge of UAE rules, and experience with AI-enabled screening and analytics to reduce false positives and accelerate high-risk

Qualifications

• 6+ years in sanctions or financial-crime investigations in banking or financial services.
• Experience leading teams and operations in regulated environments.
• Knowledge of UAE sanctions requirements, Cabinet Decision 74/2020, and FATF standards.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled screening and analytics.

Responsibilities

• Adjudicate name-screening alerts across onboarding, ongoing, and payment screening.
• Investigate true matches, document evidence, and determine dispositions.
• Execute freeze and blocking actions within required timeframes.
• Fulfil sanctions reporting to UAE authorities, including funds-freeze reporting.
• Maintain sanctions lists, screening configurations, and whitelisting controls.
• Escalate, tune false positives, and ensure QA of screening decisions.
• Deploy AI-enabled screening optimization to sharpen name-matching and prioritise high-risk alerts.
• Use AI analytics to detect sanctions-evasion patterns and strengthen investigations.

Skills

sanctions investigations

team leadership

AI-enabled screening

regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

AI screening platforms

Job description

This is a leading institution in the UAE that is building a digital-first, AI-enabled financial services organisation from the ground up. This is a unique opportunity to join at an early stage and help shape the people, operational, and service foundations of a business with significant institutional backing and long-term ambition. If you're passionate about HR operations, payroll excellence, and creating exceptional employee experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

Role Purpose

The Sanctions Investigations Officer runs name-screening alert adjudication and true-match investigation across the bank. The role owns freeze and blocking decisions and the sanctions reporting obligation from inception. It reports directly to the MLRO within the AML/CFT function.

Key responsibilities

• Adjudicate name-screening alerts across customer onboarding, ongoing screening, and payment screening.
• Investigate potential true matches, documenting evidence and reaching disposition decisions.
• Execute freeze and blocking actions on confirmed matches within required timeframes.
• Fulfil sanctions reporting obligations to the relevant UAE authorities, including funds-freeze reporting under Cabinet Decision 74/2020 on targeted financial sanctions.
• Maintain sanctions lists, screening configurations, and whitelisting controls with Technology.
• Handle escalations, false-positive tuning, and quality assurance of screening decisions.
• Escalate suspected sanctions-evasion activity to SAR Filing & Reporting for STR consideration by the MLRO.
• Maintain sanctions case records and audit trails to meet regulatory requirements.
• Deploy AI-enabled screening optimisation and machine-learning models to sharpen name-matching, reduce false positives, and prioritise high-risk alerts for faster, more accurate adjudication.
• Leverage AI-driven analytics to detect sanctions-evasion typologies and network patterns across customers and transactions, strengthening true-match investigation and escalation quality.

Required Skills & Experience

• 6+ years in sanctions or financial-crime investigations within banking or financial services, including team leadership.
• Deep expertise across sanctions screening, name-matching, true-match investigation, and freeze/blocking procedures.
• Track record building or running sanctions investigation and screening processes in a regulated environment.
• Knowledge of CBUAE and UAE targeted financial sanctions expectations, Cabinet Decision 74/2020, UN/OFAC/EU sanctions regimes, and FATF standards.
• Exposure to AI-enabled screening optimization, alert triage, and advanced analytics.
• Able to think beyond traditional, manual sanctions processes; brings experience of automated or AI-enabled screening services, and advanced alert triage and analytics.

Qualifications & Certifications (Preferred)

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline preferred. A professional sanctions or AML certification (e.g. CGSS or CAMS) is preferred. Candidates must meet CBUAE Fit & Proper requirements, and any applicable controlled-function eligibility criteria where required.