Associate Director CFCC - Governance

Associate Director, CFCC - Governance

Role summary: Lead myZoi’s financial crime compliance governance framework, providing effective second-line oversight, monitoring, testing, reporting and regulatory engagement.

About myZoi

myZoi is changing lives for the better for those who deserve it most. We are an exciting fintech start-up focused on promoting financial inclusion globally. Our vision is to provide a level playing field for unbanked and underbanked people to access essential financial services in an affordable, convenient and transparent way.

We are looking for smart, ambitious and purpose-driven people to join us on this journey.

Role overview

The Associate Director, CFCC Governance will join Conduct, Financial Crime & Compliance (CFCC) within the myZoi Venture. Based in the UAE, the role reports directly to the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO).

The role holder will drive myZoi’s financial crime compliance governance framework so that financial crime risk is governed, monitored, tested and reported effectively. The role combines policy uplift, independent second-line challenge, compliance monitoring and testing, remediation oversight, management information and regulatory liaison.

Role boundary: FCC Operations remains responsible for operational investigations, case handling, etc. This role provides governance, oversight, challenge and assurance over those activities.

What you’ll do

Strategy and business advisory

• Help deliver the CFCC vision, strategy and plan set by the MLRO, aligned to myZoi’s strategic direction.
  
• Help ensure the team has the people, processes, tools, frameworks and systems needed to support sustainable growth and manage financial crime risk.
  
• Act as a trusted adviser to the business on applicable financial crime laws, regulations, policies and standards.
  
• Provide timely advice on various topics including bespoke projects and remediation activities.
  
• Challenge activity that falls outside risk appetite or tolerance and escalate until appropriate oversight and ownership are established.
  
• Help the business move towards proactive and preventive financial crime compliance.
  
  

Policy, standards and procedures

• Drive continuous improvement of FCC policy and standards framework.
  
• Draft, review and maintain policies so they remain aligned with UAE law, CBUAE requirements, SVF regulations, Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2025 and its Executive Regulations, and applicable Group and SC Ventures standards.
  
• Oversee FCC Operations procedures, desk instructions and process notes to ensure they remain accurate, current and consistent with approved policy.
  
• Ensure regulatory and policy changes are reflected promptly in operational documentation.
  
• Manage policy version control, approval routing and evidence under myZoi’s governance framework and Delegation of Authority.
  
• Run the annual Policy Effectiveness Review, identify gaps and track remediation.
  
  

Compliance monitoring and testing

• Act as CMAT Owner for the MLRO.
  
• Prepare and maintain the Annual Compliance Monitoring and Testing Plan for MLRO approval.
  
• Run quarterly testing cycles and thematic reviews.
  
• Own the monitoring and testing methodology, sampling approach, severity ratings and root-cause categories.
  
• Independently challenge first-line quality assurance and arrange retesting where required.
  
• Maintain the CMAT Findings Tracker and monitor timely, sustainable closure.
  
• Keep records of testing, findings, actions and closure evidence ready for audit and regulatory review.
  
  

Risk management and remediation

• Work closely with FCC Operations as an independent second-line partner and monitor the performance of controls and processes, including CDD/EDD, customer risk rating, sanctions screening, transaction monitoring and fraud controls.
  
• Escalate material, systemic or overdue issues and regulatory breaches to the MLRO and, where appropriate, the Executive Risk Committee and Board.
  
• Track remediation arising from regulatory findings, internal audit, independent assessments and internal reviews.
  
• Assess whether proposed remediation addresses root causes, is adequately evidenced and reduces recurrence risk.
  
• Oversee FCC Operations’ handling of significant financial crime events and ensure relevant connected parties, particularly cross-border parties, are identified and reported at the appropriate internal and external levels.
  
• Contribute to control development where Compliance is the defined risk owner under the Risk Management Framework.
  
• Understand the technical operation of CDD, screening, transaction monitoring and case-management systems sufficiently to monitor and test their effectiveness.
  
  

Governance, MI and reporting

• Prepare accurate and decision-useful FCC management information for the MLRO, Executive Risk Committee and Board.
  
• Report on control performance, monitoring and testing results, findings, remediation, emerging risks and regulatory commitments.
  
• Promote a culture of openness, trust, risk awareness and personal accountability.
  
• Track policy rollout, attestations, training completion and adoption.
  
• Support horizon scanning with Group and SC Ventures CFCC teams, including regulatory change, enforcement trends and emerging risks.
  
• Coordinate FCC audits with Internal Audit, including evidence requests and management responses.
  
  

Regulatory and external liaison

• Support the MLRO in managing relationships with the CBUAE and other relevant authorities.
  
• Support licensing, regulatory reporting, information requests, examinations, inspections, thematic reviews and remediation commitments.
  
• Act as the main contact for external consultants, auditors and independent assessors.
  
• Agree scope, coordinate information requests, manage timelines, challenge draft findings and track agreed actions.
  
• Ensure external FCC communications are coordinated, consistent, approved by the MLRO and properly recorded.
  
  

Training and awareness

• Design and deliver regular CFCC training on regulatory developments, FCC policies and procedures.
  
• Monitor training completion and effectiveness.
  
• Reinforce obligations to escalate suspected money laundering, terrorism financing, proliferation financing and other financial crime concerns promptly to the MLRO.
  
• Promote awareness of tipping-off restrictions and the need to protect confidential investigation and reporting information.
  
  

Success measures

• FCC policies are reviewed and approved on schedule, with the Policy Effectiveness Review completed.
  
• FCC Operations procedures remain current and are updated within agreed timeframes after policy or regulatory change.
  
• The obligations register is current and the annual attestation process is completed on time.
  
• The Annual CMAT Plan is approved on time and quarterly testing cycles are delivered as scheduled.
  
• Findings are closed by their due dates, with repeat findings decreasing.
  
• Executive Risk Committee and Board MI is accurate, timely and decision-useful.
  
• Regulatory, audit and consultant requests are answered on time with no missed commitments.
  
• CFCC training is delivered to plan and completion targets are met.
  
• FCC governance supports safe delivery of new products and payment capabilities, including external interoperability, e-commerce and peer-to-peer services.
  

What you’ll need

• At least six years of hands-on experience in financial crime, compliance or regulatory risk.
  
• Experience in policy governance, compliance monitoring and testing, assurance and direct regulatory engagement.
  
• Strong knowledge of UAE AML, CFT, CPF and sanctions requirements, CBUAE expectations and SVF regulations.
  
• Working knowledge of Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2025 and its Executive Regulations.
  
• Experience drafting and governing policies, overseeing operational procedures and reporting to senior committees and boards.
  
• Experience managing regulatory examinations, audits, independent assessments and external consultants.
  
• Strong understanding of corporate governance, risk management and the financial services sector.
  
• Knowledge of fintech and payments business models, products, systems and regulatory considerations.
  
• Relevant professional certification such as CAMS, ICA or equivalent is preferred.
  
  

Who you are

• You display exemplary conduct and live by myZoi’s Values and Code of Conduct.
  
• You take personal responsibility for embedding high standards of ethics and regulatory and business conduct.
  
• You use sound judgement and can interpret complex regulatory requirements in a practical business context.
  
• You are confident challenging senior stakeholders and driving solutions and change.
  
• You build effective relationships across country, regional, business, Group and SC Ventures stakeholders.
  
• You are organised, curious, detail-oriented and comfortable working to deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  
• You communicate clearly and write concise, persuasive reports and presentations.
  
• You bring an imaginative approach to improving processes, workflows, analytics and monitoring.
  
• You can see issues from multiple perspectives and keep asking why.
  
• You are willing to roll up your sleeves when challenges arise and contribute positively to team culture.
  

Working relationships

• Reports to: MLRO
  
• Key internal partners: FCC Operations, Product, Technology, Risk, Legal, Finance, Operations, Commercial and senior leadership.
  
• Key governance forums: Executive Risk Committee, Board, CFCC Forum and relevant Group and SC Ventures CFCC forums.
  
• Key external stakeholders: CBUAE, other relevant authorities, auditors, consultants and independent assessors.
  

Regulatory and operating context

The role operates within myZoi’s CFCC framework, applicable UAE AML/CFT/CPF and sanctions requirements, CBUAE expectations, Group and SC Ventures standards, and approved myZoi policies and procedures. Operational teams are responsible for executing controls; the role provides independent governance, monitoring, testing, challenge and assurance.

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