Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Head of Compliance Technology Platforms (AML Systems)
- Permanent
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Experience 5 - 10 yrs
Job expiry date: 17/02/2026
Job overview
Date posted
03/01/2026
Location
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Salary
AED 30,000 - 40,000 per month
Compensation
Comprehensive package
Experience
5 - 10 yrs
Seniority
Senior Manager
Qualification
Bachelors degree
Expiration date
17/02/2026
Job description
The Head of Compliance Technology Platforms (AML Systems) is a senior hands-on leadership role responsible for the resilience, performance, security, scalability, and strategic evolution of ADIB’s compliance technology platforms, with full end-to-end ownership of the Anti-Money Laundering technology ecosystem. The role leads a team of subject matter experts delivering 24x7x365 technical support, service stability, and continuous improvement for AML platforms while executing regulatory and strategic change initiatives. The position blends deep technical expertise in data, systems, and enterprise applications with strong knowledge of UAE and international AML/CFT regulations. The role shapes and owns the AML system technology strategy, drives transformation from OMNI to SAS AML, introduces AI-driven detection capabilities to reduce manual alert handling, and ensures platforms are fit for purpose to detect and prevent financial crime. Responsibilities span service resilience, system optimization, full SDLC change delivery, digital enablement, governance, vendor oversight, performance management, and enterprise-wide technology leadership.
Required skills
Key responsibilities
- Shape and own the AML system technology strategy aligned with the bank’s overall technology strategy
- Lead the strategic transformation of AML capabilities from OMNI to SAS AML and maximize system functionality
- Ensure AML system resilience, security, scalability, and performance against agreed SLAs on a 24x7x365 basis
- Manage end-to-end AML service support across batch and online digital journeys
- Configure, optimize, and manage SAS AML monitoring systems to identify unusual transaction patterns and financial crime risks
- Own incident management including major incident response, root-cause analysis, permanent fixes, post-incident reviews, and resilience testing
- Prioritize and manage the BAU business change backlog for AML systems in line with bank strategy
- Deliver regulatory and strategic AML technology projects under tight deadlines using full SDLC governance
- Oversee solution design to ensure compliance with target architecture, security standards, and best practices
- Drive efficiency through CI/CD, test automation, and modern change tooling to improve speed to market
- Collaborate with compliance and IT teams to reduce false positives while maintaining effective suspicious activity detection
- Partner with business stakeholders to digitalize AML operational pain points and reduce customer friction
- Ensure adherence to technology governance frameworks, internal controls, audit standards, and regulatory obligations
- Support financial crime risk assessments, system control evaluations, and remediation of identified deficiencies
- Lead, develop, and coach a team of AML system subject matter experts to reduce vendor dependency
- Manage internal and external AML system stakeholders and run backlog prioritization and planning sessions
- Develop and monitor KPIs covering service availability, vendor quality, team performance, and delivery cadence
- Oversee AML system vendor relationships, conduct performance reviews, and manage SLAs and deliverables
- Contribute as a senior leader to enterprise application platforms and broader technology initiatives
Experience & skills
- Possess 7–10+ years of experience in banking IT or financial crime compliance with significant AML system experience
- Demonstrate expertise in AML software platforms, specifically SAS AML, including monitoring and transaction analysis
- Show strong technical proficiency in data analysis tools, SQL, and cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
- Exhibit in-depth knowledge of UAE AML/CFT laws, CBUAE regulations, and international standards including FATF and OFAC
- Hold or be eligible for professional certifications such as CAMS or ICA
- Have proven experience managing full SDLC delivery, incident management, governance, and vendor oversight
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Computer Science, or a related discipline
