Team Lead — Compliance Monitoring, Assurance & Testing (CMAT)

Binance; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Binance in Abu Dhabi seeks a senior leader for Compliance Monitoring, Assurance & Testing to design and run the independent risk-based monitoring programme for AML/CFT, market conduct, client-asset controls, and prudential compliance. The role reports to the CMAT leadership and collaborates with risk committees.

You will lead testing, escalate findings, and provide evidence-based regulatory reporting, ensuring FSRA supervisory readiness and adherence to UAE requirements.

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years in compliance, assurance, internal audit, or regulatory supervision within financial services.
• 3+ years leading teams or workstreams in a second-line or audit function.
• Strong knowledge of ADGM FSRA rulebooks and UAE AML/CFT landscape; crypto/VASP experience preferred.
• Proven track record designing and executing risk-based monitoring/testing programmes.
• Depth in AML/CFT, sanctions, and financial-crime control testing.
• Excellent written and verbal English; strong report-writing and stakeholder-presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain a risk-based CMAP and annual Compliance Monitoring & Assurance Plan.
• Design and execute control testing across AML/CFT, sanctions, market abuse, client-asset safeguarding, outsourcing, and technology/cyber governance.
• Apply full-cycle assurance methodology: scoping → walkthroughs → sampling → testing → root-cause analysis → findings rating → remediation tracking → closure validation.
• Deliver thematic deep-dives aligned to FSRA priorities (e.g., transaction monitoring, Travel Rule, EDD for high-risk clients).
• Produce board-ready assurance reports with quantified findings, severity ratings, and management action plans.
• Liaise with Internal Audit and external auditors to ensure coverage and escalation protocols.
• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing assurance team and drive testing standards.

Skills

Leadership

Compliance monitoring

Regulatory reporting

AML/CFT

Stakeholder management

English proficiency

Tools

SQL

Audit automation tools

Data analytics software

Job description

The Team Lead for the Compliance Monitoring, Assurance & Testing (CMAT) team is responsible for designing and running Binance ADGM's independent, risk-based compliance monitoring and assurance programme. The role assures the Board, Senior Management and the FSRA that the firm's AML/CFT, market conduct, client-asset, and prudential controls are operating effectively and remain compliant with the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) rulebooks and applicable UAE federal requirements. This is a senior second-line-of-defence leadership role accountable for the disciplined testing of controls, timely escalation of findings, and evidence-based regulatory reporting that stands up to FSRA supervisory scrutiny.

Responsibilities

Compliance Monitoring & Testing Programme

• Own and maintain a risk-based annual Compliance Monitoring & Assurance Plan (CMAP), refreshed on risk assessment outcomes, FSRA thematic reviews, and changes in regulatory posture.
• Design and execute control testing across AML/CFT, sanctions, market abuse, client-asset safeguarding, complaint handling, outsourcing, and technology/cyber governance.
• Apply full-cycle assurance methodology: scoping → walkthroughs → sampling → testing → root-cause analysis → findings rating → remediation tracking → closure validation.
• Deliver thematic deep-dives aligned to FSRA supervisory priorities (e.g., transaction monitoring effectiveness, Travel Rule compliance, EDD for high-risk clients, market abuse surveillance).

Regulatory Alignment (FSRA)

• Ensure monitoring activities map to the FSRA AML/CFT Rulebook, Conduct of Business (COBS), General (GEN), Prudential (PRU), and Virtual Asset framework obligations.
• Support the Compliance Officer and MLRO in demonstrating effective oversight under FSRA's risk-based supervision model.
• Maintain evidence trails that satisfy FSRA information requests, on-site inspections, and thematic reviews.
• Monitor regulatory change (FSRA consultations, ADGM notices, UAE Federal Decree-Law 20/2018 and its Executive Regulations, MoE/EO AML guidance) and reflect updates in the plan.

Findings, Reporting & Escalation

• Produce clear, board-ready assurance reports with quantified findings, severity ratings, and management action plans.
• Operate a robust issue-management and remediation-tracking framework with escalation protocols for overdue or high-risk items.
• Present monitoring results to Risk Committees, Compliance Committees, and where required the Board/Audit Committee.
• Liaise with Internal Audit and external auditors to ensure complementary (non-duplicative) coverage.

AML/CFT & Financial Crime Assurance

• Test the effectiveness of CDD/EDD, KYC onboarding, periodic review, PEP/sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, and SAR/STR escalation processes.
• Assess suspicious activity identification and reporting effectiveness, including FIU-UAE submission quality.
• Verify Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS) and asset-freeze controls.

Leadership & Team Management

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing assurance team — setting testing standards, quality review, and coaching.
• Foster a culture of challenge, professional scepticism, and integrity, consistent with SMCR conduct expectations.
• Manage resource allocation against the CMAP and ensure delivery within agreed SLAs.

Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain CMAT policies, methodologies, and documentation to an auditable standard.
• Drive automation and data analytics to strengthen monitoring coverage and efficiency.
• Embed lessons learned into first- and second-line processes and training.

Essential

Requirements

• 7-10+ years in compliance, assurance, internal audit, or regulatory supervision within financial services, fintech, preferably within crypto/VASP environments.
• 3+ years leading teams or workstreams in a second-line or audit function.
• Strong working knowledge of ADGM FSRA rulebooks and the UAE AML/CFT landscape; comparable MAS, HKMA, FCA, or DIFC/DFSA experience will be considered.
• Proven track record designing and executing risk-based compliance monitoring/testing programmes.
• Depth in AML/CFT, sanctions, and financial-crime control testing.
• Excellent written and verbal English; strong report-writing and stakeholder-presentation skills.

Desirable

• CAMS, CGSS, CRMA, CIA, ACCA/ACA, ICA, or equivalent certification
• Prior experience in a regulated crypto/VASP or high-growth fintech.
• Data analytics, SQL, or audit-automation tooling skills.
• Arabic language proficiency (advantageous, not required).

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.