Compliance Manager

We are seeking a dedicated Compliance Manager to support our continued growth and regulatory excellence.

Job Purpose

The Compliance Manager plays a key role in supporting the Head of Compliance to ensure that Taaleem, as a listed entity, operates in full alignment with all applicable regulatory requirements, corporate governance standards, and internal policies. The role helps to safeguard the organisation’s reputation and license to operate by proactively monitoring compliance, supporting the implementation of robust frameworks and controls, and assisting with timely reporting to regulators and the Board.

Working closely with the Head of Compliance and cross-functional teams, the Compliance Manager will contribute to a culture of integrity, transparency, and sound corporate governance across the Group, while helping the business navigate evolving regulatory landscapes.

Key Accountabilities:

Regulatory Compliance:

Support the Head of Compliance in ensuring full compliance with all relevant jurisdictional laws, SCA regulations, DFM listing rules, corporate governance codes, and other applicable regulatory frameworks.

Policy and Framework Development:

Assist in drafting, updating, reviewing and embedding policies, procedures, and controls across the organisation to ensure alignment with legal and regulatory requirements.

Monitoring and Reporting:

Support regular monitoring activities and internal compliance reviews to identify potential gaps or risks; prepare reports and dashboards for the Head of Compliance and relevant Board Committees.

Internal Controls and Internal Audit Support:

Support the business in design, implementation and maintenance of internal controls, including Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) and segregation of duties reviews, and liaise with Internal Audit during reviews and follow-ups.

Training and Awareness:

Help develop and deliver compliance training and awareness programmes across the business, supporting a strong culture of compliance and ethical conduct.

Incident Management:

Support the Head of Compliance in tracking and investigating any compliance breaches, incidents, or concerns, ensuring appropriate documentation, escalation and resolution in line with internal protocols.

Compliance Risk Management:

Assist in maintaining the compliance risk register and tracking mitigation measures.

Integration Support:

Support the integration of compliance requirements into business processes, systems, and change initiatives to ensure alignment with regulatory expectations and internal standards.

Stakeholder Engagement:

Liaise with internal departments and external partners (auditors, advisors, consultants, regulators) to support on relevant queries, audits, inspections, and other requirements.

Governance Support:

Assist with compliance aspects of corporate governance processes, including support for Board and Committee meetings and contributing to Board materials and inputs for the Corporate Governance Report and other regulatory disclosures.

Continuous Improvement:

Monitor regulatory developments and industry best practices, recommending improvements to existing compliance frameworks to ensure continued effectiveness and relevance.

Person Specification

Education:

• Relevant bachelor’s degree
• Professional qualification in compliance or governance (e.g. ICA, ACAMS, CCEP-I or equivalent) is desirable.
• Ongoing professional development and commitment to staying current with regulatory trends will be viewed favourably.

Experience:

• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience in compliance, legal, governance, internal controls or risk management roles.
• Prior experience in a listed company environment or regulated industry is highly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of regional corporate governance, regulatory frameworks (SCA, DFM etc), company law and corporate governance codes.
• Experience supporting Board/Committee reporting and regulatory interactions is an advantage.
• Proven ability to collaborate across multiple teams to deliver cross-functional outcomes.

Competencies:

• High level of integrity and strong ethical standards.
• Excellent knowledge of compliance, internal controls and corporate governance best practices.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail.
• Effective project management and organisational abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across functions and influence at all levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (Arabic is an advantage).
• Proactive, adaptable, and able to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint, for reporting, dashboarding, and documentation.

Attributes:

• Professional, trustworthy, and discreet — able to manage sensitive and confidential matters with integrity.
• Demonstrates accountability, ownership, and follow-through in all tasks.
• Calm under pressure with sound judgement and decision-making ability.
• Curious and proactive in staying current with regulatory changes and compliance trends.
• High personal standards for accuracy, organisation, and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills — able to influence, challenge constructively, and collaborate across all levels of the organisation.
• Demonstrates initiative, resourcefulness, and a solutions-oriented mindset focused on outcomes that are practical and feasible for the business.
• Committed to fostering a positive, ethical, and compliance-driven culture throughout the organisation.

About Taaleem

Taaleem is one of the largest, most respected education providers in the United Arab Emirates and the only publically listed Education Provider in the UAE. Taaleem (which means ‘education’ in Arabic’) was established in 2004 and now has over 27,000 students attending our diverse portfolio of private international and public-private partnership schools across the UAE. Taaleem is also one of the Middle East’s leading IB workshop providers for PYP, MYP, DP and IBCP. We began training in 2009 and have enrolled over 7000 participants to date.

Taaleem is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. At Taaleem, we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective practices in relation to child protection, and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We expect all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to various background checks including receipt of references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification, and police checks, including overseas checks.