Unit Head Sharia Assessment & Testing

ADIB Group; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

ADIB Group in Abu Dhabi seeks a Unit Head - Sharia Assessment & Testing to oversee Sharia compliance across the Bank, monitoring operations and ensuring adherence to HSA resolutions, ISSC guidelines and CBUAE regulations.

The role leads SAT planning, risk-based assessments, and reporting to senior management, guiding the execution team to uphold Sharia controls and provide strategic insights.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Sharia/Islamic banking or equivalent.
• Strong academic or practical background in Sharia compliance.
• AAOIFI CSAA and/or CIPA certifications (or equivalent).
• Expert knowledge of Islamic banking products and operations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experience in leadership roles.
• Fluent in Arabic and English.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Head of SCD in supervising continuous monitoring of compliance with HSA resolutions, ISSC resolutions, and CBUAE standards.
• Develop and formulate SATs Annual Sharia Assessment and Testing Plan in line with internal policies.
• Lead and oversee Sharia monitoring and assurance reviews across the Bank.
• Ensure Annual Plan covers critical areas of Sharia compliance and aligns with strategic goals.
• Evaluate operations and transactions for adherence to HSA standards and CBUAE regulations.
• Execute the Annual Plan using a risk-based methodology and GRC systems.
• Oversee SNC risk assessments and related controls; coordinate with Business Units and Risk teams.
• Prepare detailed reports for stakeholders and committees; communicate findings effectively.
• Provide strategic insights and recommendations based on review results.
• Ensure implementation of action plans and enhance Sharia controls.
• Monitor progress and ensure timely remediation of issues.
• Provide regular updates to Head of SCD on resolutions and action plans.
• Refine SCD policies, procedures, and methodologies.
• Guide the execution team to maintain high standards of Sharia compliance monitoring.
• Support other SCD functions as required.

Skills

Sharia Compliance

Leadership

Islamic Banking

AAOIFI CSAA/CIPA

Compliance

Risk Management

Communication Skills

Arabic

English

Education

Bachelor's degree in Sharia/Islamic banking

Job description

Description

Role : Unit Head - Sharia Assessment & Testing
Location : Abu Dhabi
Role Purpose:
Ensure Sharia Compliance across the ADIB Group by continuously monitoring the Banks business activities and operations in accordance with the prevailing standards and resolutions of the Higher Sharia Authority (HSA) the related resolutions of the Banks Internal Sharia Supervisory Committee (ISSC) and the relevant regulations issued by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) in alignment with the SCD policies procedures methodologies and the policies and frameworks established by the ISCG
Key Accountabilities of the role

• Assist the Head of SCD in supervising and managing the function of continuous monitoring of the Banks compliance with HSA Resolutions related ISSC Resolutions and applicable standards and requirements issued by the CBUAE.
• Develop and formulate the SATs Annual Sharia Assessment and Testing Plan (Annual Plan) in line with internal policies procedures and methodologies.
• Lead and oversee Sharia monitoring and assurance reviews across the Bank.
• Ensure the Annual Plan comprehensively addresses all critical areas of Sharia compliance within the ADIB Group and aligns with organizational strategic objectives and goals.
• Ensure meticulous evaluation of operations and transactions for adherence to HSA standards and CBUAE regulations.
• Ensure the effective execution of the Annual Plan in accordance with relevant policies utilizing a risk-based methodology supported by systems such as the Governance Risk and Control (GRC) platform.
• Oversee the assessment and evaluation of Sharia Non-Compliance (SNC) risks and related controls and maintain regular coordination with Business Units and Operational Risk Management teams to identify issues and develop and implement effective controls.
• Ensure the preparation of detailed reports on review and testing findings tailored to various stakeholders and committees in accordance with applicable policies.
• Effectively communicate review findings and reports torelevant business and process stakeholders.
• Provide strategic insights and recommendations based on the review results.
• Ensure the effective implementation of action plans derived from the conducted reviews and enhance overall Sharia compliance controls.
• Monitor progress and ensure the timely implementation of Sharia compliance issues identified during assessments.
• Provide regular updates to the Head of SCD on the status of HSA Resolutions and agreed action plans.
• Implement and continuously refine the SCD policies procedures and methodologies.
• Provide leadership and guidance to the execution team to ensure the highest standards of Sharia compliance monitoring and reporting are maintained.
• Provide support to other SCD functions as and when required.

Specialist Skills / Technical Knowledge Required for this role:

• Bachelors degree in Sharia/Islamic banking or equivalent.
• Strong academic skills or experience in Sharia compliance.
• AAOIFI CSAA and/or CIPA certifications (or equivalent certifications).
• Expert knowledge of banking and Islamic banking products.
• Expert knowledge about principles of Islamic Commercial Jurisprudence Shariah standards products and Islamic banking operations
• Expert knowledge of AAOIFI Sharia Standards.
• Excellent communication and presentation Skills.
• Reasonable legal and compliance background.
• Ability to balance between compliance requirements & business needs.
• Experience in Leadership roles.
• Fluent/proficiency in Arabic and English
  

Previous experience:

10 years of experience in Sharia related functions in Islamic banking preferably in Sharia Compliance Sharia Consultation and/or Internal Sharia Audit.