Head Of Risk UAE

About Us

We’re building the world’s leading cross-border fintech for emerging markets - empowering families, fueling local economies, and changing how millions access financial services.

Since our launch in 2019, we have transformed how money moves across borders with our operations spanning 6 out of 7 continents and covering both the busiest and most underserved (remittance) corridors. We tapped into a massive shift - from banks to phones - bringing digital finance to places where traditional systems never reached. The next stage of growth will fuel a network of services and products especially designed to make money more accessible to diaspora communities including local cards, and additional savings and payments features.

We’re growing fast, backed by world-class investors, and scaling a product that blends real world impact with cutting edge fintech innovation.

Here’s a Little More

• Founded by Harvard grads and 3-time founders who previously built Segovia (acquired) and GiveDirectly (>$300M revenue, fastest-growing NGO in the world)
• Backed by top investors including Spark Capital, Canaan, Reid Hoffman, Breyer Capital, Unbound, Wamda, and more
• Built by global top performers from Bain, Google, McKinsey, Uber, Checkout, Bolt, and beyond - we move fast, stay humble, and care deeply about our mission
• Truly global team - 250+ people, 50+ nationalities, 50+ languages
• Guided by our values - ownership, impact, humility, and heart - in deed, not just word
  
  

Role

• Youll join our GCC Risk & Compliance function as the designated Risk Officer for the UAE, a regulated role under the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). This is a high-impact position responsible for building, maintaining, and executing Taptap Send’s risk management framework in the UAE, ensuring that we meet the highest regulatory standards while supporting fast, mission-driven growth.
• You’ll work across all areas of the business: operations, product, engineering, compliance, finance, and partnerships, to identify risks, design strong controls, and ensure we remain safe, resilient, and compliant. You’ll lead our engagement with the Central Bank on risk related matters, provide regular risk reporting to senior management and the Board, and help shape how Taptap Send scales safely across the GCC.
• You will be hands-on, proactive, and solutions-oriented—comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, able to anticipate emerging risks, and capable of balancing regulatory expectations with practical business realities.
  
  

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and execute the UAE risk management framework, including the Risk Register, Risk Appetite, and risk assessment processes.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with the Central Bank of the UAE for all risk-related matters and ensure full compliance with CBUAE regulations.
• Identify, assess, and monitor key risks across operations, technology, product, finance, and customer journeys.
• Oversee operational incident reporting and root-cause analysis, ensuring corrective actions are implemented.
• Lead regulatory risk reporting, prepare submissions, and coordinate responses to supervisory queries.
• Monitor technology, cybersecurity, and data protection risks in partnership with Engineering and Security teams.
• Assess settlement, liquidity, and financial risks related to funds flows, reconciliation, partners, and payout operations.
• Manage third-party and outsourcing risk, including due diligence, risk assessments, and ongoing monitoring of key vendors and partners.
• Provide regular risk updates and reports to senior management and the Board, highlighting trends and mitigation status.
• Promote a strong risk culture internally through training, guidance, and cross-functional collaboration.
  
  

Requirements

• 6+ years’ experience in risk management within fintech, payments, or financial services
• Strong knowledge of CBUAE regulations and practical experience managing regulatory interactions.
• Proven ability to build and maintain risk frameworks, controls, and incident management processes.
• Clear communicator with strong analytical skills and ability to work cross-functionally in fast-paced environments.
  
  

A good fit for this role is

• Proactive and structured, able to manage multiple risks, fraud alerts, and workstreams independently.
• Calm and clear thinker who makes sound decisions under pressure.
• Solutions-oriented, balancing regulatory expectations with practical business needs.
• Strong communicator who collaborates well across teams and levels.
  
  

Taptap Values

Impact first

Team next

Accept reality

Propose solutions

Win with grit

Be proactively candid, with yourself and others

Love the particular

Own it

Create positive energy

Maybe, even have fun

Taptap Send is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. All employment decisions are decided on the basis of qualifications, experience and business need. We strongly encourage applications who are members of underrepresented communities to apply.

If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know. Any information you provide us in this respect will only be used to accommodate your requirements.

Note: we recognize imposter syndrome is real - any candidate that does not perfectly fit every characteristic of this role is still strongly encouraged to apply.

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