Compliance Manager

Zad; Kuwait City; On-site; KWD 18,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

ZAD, based in Kuwait, seeks a Compliance Manager to run the day-to-day regulatory compliance programme under the Head of Compliance and Legal. You will oversee CMA and Kuwaiti law compliance across Kuwait head office and the Turkey product team, maintaining the policy framework and ensuring timely reporting.

The role requires identifying regulatory risk early, documenting findings, and advising the business at design stage. Strong AML/KYC oversight and governance experience are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; CMA registration in Kuwait where required
• 5–8 years in compliance, regulatory affairs or second line function
• Experience running a compliance monitoring programme and coordinating regulatory reporting

Responsibilities

• Monitor CMA regulations and Kuwaiti law across Kuwait head office and Turkey product team.
• Maintain and execute the annual compliance monitoring plan with findings and remediation.
• Track CMA circulars and assess impact on products, processes and disclosures.
• Prepare regulatory returns and reports for CMA submission and Board reporting.
• Review new products and campaigns for compliance and record decisions.
• Own the compliance calendar and ensure deadlines are met.
• Oversee AML/KYC quality and timeliness as second line guidance.
• Draft and maintain compliant policies and control standards.
• Deliver annual compliance training and maintain attendance records.
• Support CMA inspections and internal/external audits.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

AML/KYC oversight

Risk assessment

Stakeholder management

Monitoring & controls

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law/Finance/Accounting

CISI/ICA/ACAMS certification (preferred)

Tools

Regulatory reporting tools

Job description

Job Title

Compliance Manager

Reports to

Functionally: Head of Compliance and Legal, with a standing right of direct escalation to the Board Audit and Risk Committee

Administratively: Head of Compliance and Legal

Department

Compliance and Legal Affairs

Role Purpose

The Compliance Manager runs the day to day operation of ZAD’s regulatory compliance programme under the direction of the Head of Compliance and Legal. The role monitors adherence to Capital Markets Authority requirements and applicable Kuwaiti law across the Kuwait head office and the product team in Turkey, maintains the compliance policy, monitoring and reporting framework, and provides second line oversight of the AML and KYC function while day to day AML execution and reporting remain with the appointed officer. The scope covers ZAD’s international market activity and the local Kuwait market operations as they launch. The role is expected to identify regulatory risk early, record it in writing, and advise the business at the design stage rather than after the fact.

Key Accountabilities & Activities

Regulatory Compliance and Monitoring

• Monitor company-wide adherence to CMA regulations, ZAD’s licence conditions and applicable Kuwaiti law across International Market Operations, Local Market Operations, Growth, Client Excellence, Service Quality and the Turkey product team.
• Maintain and execute the annual compliance monitoring plan, carrying out scheduled and risk based testing and documenting findings, root causes, remediation owners and due dates.
• Track CMA circulars and regulatory developments, assess their impact on ZAD’s products, processes and disclosures, and present a change log with recommended actions to the Head of Compliance and Legal.
• Prepare periodic regulatory returns and compliance reports for CMA submission and for executive and Board reporting, in line with the compliance calendar.
• Review new products, features, campaigns and client-facing material before release, including the local market offering, and record the compliance decision and any conditions.
• Own the compliance calendar and confirm that every regulatory deadline, filing, licence and registration renewal is met.

AML and CFT Oversight

• Provide second line oversight of the AML and KYC function, reviewing the quality, consistency and timeliness of its work without assuming day to day execution.
• Review and challenge customer risk ratings, sanctions and PEP screening outcomes and enhanced due diligence files on a documented sample basis.
• Review the rationale behind suspicious transaction reporting decisions before submission, with filing responsibility and the MLRO mandate remaining with the appointed officer.
• Report AML and CFT programme performance, escalations, control gaps and remediation status to the Head of Compliance and Legal.

Policy, Governance and Controls

• Draft, review and maintain compliance policies, procedures and control standards, and manage the annual review cycle, approvals and version control.
• Maintain the compliance risk register and control matrix, and track open items through to evidenced closure.
• Support CMA inspections, internal audit reviews and external audits by preparing evidence packs, coordinating responses and monitoring agreed actions.
• Conduct compliance investigations into suspected breaches, document findings, and recommend corrective and disciplinary action to the Head of Compliance and Legal and to Human Resources.
• Maintain the registers of breaches, incidents, regulatory complaints, conflicts of interest, gifts and personal account dealing.

Advisory, Training and Culture

• Act as the first point of contact for compliance queries from departments in Kuwait and from the product team in Turkey, and respond within agreed service standards.
• Deliver the annual compliance training plan, including new joiner induction and CMA and AML refreshers, and maintain attendance and completion records to audit standard.
• Communicate regulatory changes and policy updates to affected teams in plain language, with clear effective dates and required actions.
• Promote a culture of ethical conduct and regulatory awareness, and encourage early escalation of concerns.

Job Success Factors

• No overdue regulatory filings, and no CMA findings that monitoring should reasonably have detected first.
• Compliance monitoring plan executed to schedule, with findings evidenced and remediation closed within the agreed dates.
• Compliance training completed by all staff within the training year, with records that satisfy audit and regulatory review.
• Regulatory risks raised early and in writing, before they become supervisory or reputational issues.
• Business teams request compliance input at the design stage rather than at launch.
• Policies, registers and evidence files stand up to CMA inspection and external audit without rework.
• AML oversight reviews completed on schedule, with issues escalated promptly and constructively.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related field.
• Registration with the Capital Markets Authority in Kuwait for the relevant registered position, where required by regulation.
• Professional certification in compliance, regulation or financial crime, for example CISI Kuwait Rules and Regulations, ICA or ACAMS, is preferred.
• Postgraduate qualification in law, regulation or financial services is an advantage.

Experience

• 5 to 8 years of experience in compliance, regulatory affairs, internal control or a related second line function.
• At least 3 years within a CMA licensed entity, a bank, or an equivalent regulated financial institution.
• Demonstrated experience running a compliance monitoring programme and preparing regulatory reporting for a financial regulator.
• Experience supporting regulatory inspections and external audits, and closing out findings.
• Exposure to AML and CFT frameworks in an oversight, review or quality assurance capacity.
• Experience supporting cross-border operations or a remote technology team is an advantage.

Knowledge

• Kuwait capital markets framework, including Law No. 7 of 2010, its Executive Bylaws and CMA circulars applicable to licensed persons.
• AML and CFT obligations in Kuwait under Law, covering customer due diligence, sanctions screening, record keeping and suspicious transaction reporting.
• Securities brokerage and investment product operations, including order execution, custody arrangements and segregation of client funds.
• Sharia compliant investment frameworks and screening requirements.
• Compliance monitoring methodology, risk assessment, control testing and evidence standards.
• Data privacy, client confidentiality and record retention obligations applicable in Kuwait.
• Report writing to regulator and Board standard, with strong drafting in Arabic and English.
• Sound judgement, discretion and the confidence to challenge senior stakeholders on regulatory matters.
• Working knowledge of HR, training and workflow systems used to evidence attestation and completion.