UAE Lead Auditor — Internal Controls Leader

Remitly; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 240,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Remitly is seeking a UAE Lead Auditor based in Abu Dhabi to lead the internal audit function for the UAE entity and collaborate across Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, Product and Engineering. The role reports to the Global Audit & Assurance team and offers strategic influence on audit methodology and continuous monitoring capabilities.

You will plan, execute and report risk-based audits, interact with regulators and the Board, and drive improvements in the control environment across MEA.

Qualifications

• 7 years of internal audit, compliance assurance, risk testing or regulatory consulting within financial services, fintech or payments.
• Experience with UAE regulatory frameworks (CBUAE, DFSA, FSRA) and expectations for regulated financial services firms.
• Ability to manage full audit lifecycle independently: scoping, risk assessment, fieldwork, findings and reporting.
• Experience developing audit universe and annual audit plan with risk-based prioritization and budgeting.
• Strong knowledge of AML/CFT, sanctions, consumer protection and payments regulations in MEA or global context.
• Proven track record of communicating complex risk findings to senior stakeholders and regulators.
• Experience using data analytics and AI-assisted audit tools; ability to work autonomously.

Responsibilities

• Support the implementation and ongoing operation of the internal audit assurance framework for Remitly's UAE entity.
• Develop the annual audit plan for UAE legal entity, including updating the audit universe, risk assessment, budgeting and scheduling.
• Lead audit engagements end-to-end from scoping and planning through fieldwork, findings and reporting.
• Monitor implementation of internal audit recommendations and report status to oversight committees.
• Build and maintain relationships with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, Product and Engineering, plus regulators and Board.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to embed a strong control culture and meaningful assurance practices.
• Oversee co-source partner engagements for the region ensuring alignment with GAA methodology and quality expectations.
• Contribute to strategic projects aligned with the global GAA model, including methodology development and tooling improvements.
• Interact with UAE entity Board of Directors and local regulators to communicate audit outcomes clearly.

Skills

Internal audit

Regulatory compliance

Data analytics

Stakeholder management

Audit reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting

Job description

Remitly is seeking a UAE Lead Auditor based in Abu Dhabi to lead the internal audit function for the UAE entity and collaborate across Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, Product and Engineering. The role reports to the Global Audit & Assurance team and offers strategic influence on audit methodology and continuous monitoring capabilities.

You will plan, execute and report risk-based audits, interact with regulators and the Board, and drive improvements in the control environment across MEA.