Business Risk & Governance Manager

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CBD in Dubai seeks a Business Risk & Governance professional to own risk controls across onboarding, servicing and lending while partnering with HR on onboarding. You will design and enhance the risk and control framework, lead RCSA and control testing, and drive remediation of gaps. Regulatory compliance and financial crime oversight are central, including AML/CFT, sanctions screening, KYC and ongoing monitoring, plus governance of digital onboarding and STP. Applicants should bring 8-10+ years in banking risk or compliance, a bachelor’s, and certifications such as CAMS, FRM or CIA, with strong cross-functional skills. To apply, quantify your impact, show improvements to controls or dashboards, and highlight UAE banking experience and onsite readiness.

Description

Operating in the UAE for over 50 years, CBD manages the financial requirements of some of the largest corporates and businesses operating in the country, driving the UAE economy. Over the years, CBD has transformed into a progressive and modern banking institution winning multiple awards for its digital initiatives, credit cards, bank accounts, mobile app features and services.

CBD has been recognized as the number one bank in the UAE on the Forbes list of The World’s Best Banks 2022.

As we continue to build upon our successes, we are looking for ambitious individuals who are passionate about the banking and finance industry and the markets in which CBD operates. Just as important to us is your ability to demonstrate a talent for dealing with people - your colleagues and our customers - and delivering service that really goes the extra mile.

We are currently looking for an Onboarding Specialist to work in the Human Resources function.

Role Responsibilities

Working as a key member of the Talent Acquisition Team you will manage candidates once they have accepted an offer of employment with CBD. Ensuring you provide an exceptional candidate experience and that our new hires have everything they need to start their ne role with the Bank.

Risk & Control Framework

• Design, implement, and continuously enhance the Business Risk & Governance framework for UP by CBD, covering onboarding, servicing, lending, and portfolio management activities.
• Lead the development and maintenance of Risk & Control Self Assessments (RCSA), ensuring control adequacy across all operational processes.
• Define and execute control testing programs, including periodic reviews to assess effectiveness of key controls.
• Identify control gaps, emerging risks, and process vulnerabilities, driving remediation actions and ensuring timely closure.

Regulatory Compliance & Financial Crime Oversight

• Ensure alignment with AML/CFT, sanctions screening, onboarding due diligence, and ongoing monitoring requirements across the customer lifecycle.
• Oversee governance of Compliance RFIs, ensuring proper execution of processes related to customer engagement, response validation, and escalation protocols.
• Ensure adherence to anti-tipping-off requirements and regulatory communication standards across all customer interactions.
• Partner with Compliance, FCC, and Risk teams to address regulatory requirements and implement policy changes.

Onboarding & Portfolio Risk Governance

• Provide governance oversight of the digital onboarding journey, ensuring controls related to identity verification, screening, dedupe checks, and application decisioning are robust and compliant.
• Monitor risks arising from STP onboarding processes, automated screening, and manual intervention points.
• Oversee portfolio-level monitoring, including classification, early warning indicators, and risk segmentation.
• Drive enhancement of ongoing due diligence and periodic review frameworks for the UP customer base.

Operational Risk & Process Assurance

• Work closely with Operations, Product, and Technology teams to ensure all processes are documented through SOPs, mapped end-to-end, and aligned with risk frameworks.
• Ensure operational risk assessments (ORA) and control validations are embedded into all new product launches, features, and change programs.
• Validate that risk controls are incorporated in system design, workflows, and automation initiatives.

Governance, Reporting & Committees

• Develop and maintain risk MIS, dashboards, and governance packs covering key metrics such as incident volumes, SLA adherence, control performance, and risk trends.
• Present insights and risk updates to senior management, risk committees, and governance forums.
• Track and report residual risks, ensuring appropriate acknowledgment, mitigation, and escalation.

Digitization & Continuous Improvement

• Act as a key contributor to the digitization of risk and governance processes, ensuring controls are scalable in a high-volume, low-cost operating model.
• Partner with Technology to enable automation of control testing, monitoring, and reporting.
• Continuously identify opportunities for process simplification while maintaining strong control integrity.

Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with Compliance, Fraud Risk, Operational Risk, Product, Technology, Customer Support, and Finance teams to ensure end-to-end alignment.
• Act as a central point of coordination for risk-related queries, audits, and regulatory reviews.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships to ensure consistent application of governance standards.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management, or related field
• Professional certifications in Risk, Compliance, or Audit (e.g. CAMS, FRM, CIA) preferred
• 8–10+ years of experience in banking risk, compliance, or operational risk roles
• Strong experience in digital banking, SME banking, or transformation programs preferred
• Proven track record in RCSA, control testing, and governance frameworks
• Experience working with cross-functional teams including Product, Technology, and Compliance
• Strong understanding of Business Banking products, customer lifecycle events, AML/CFT, KYC, and regulatory frameworks
• Expertise in operational risk, control design, and process governance
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Advanced stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience with MIS, dashboards, and data-driven risk monitoring