Governance & Compliance - Manager

1. JOB DETAILS:Position Title:Governance & Compliance – ManagerReports to:Governance & Compliance – Senior ManagerDivision:Business Transformation & Business ExcellenceDepartment:Business Excellence & Risk Management2. POSITION SUMMARY:The Governance & Compliance – Manager is responsible for driving the organization’s compliance program to ensure adherence to all applicable laws, regulations, internal policies, Standard Operating Procedures and ethical standards. This role provides strategic direction for compliance management and drives digital adoption across the operations.3. JOB DIMENSIONS:Number of Staff SupervisedDirect Reports:Total Reports:4. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:Position-Specific AccountabilitiesPolicy Definition & GovernanceDevelop and maintain a comprehensive enterprise policy framework across all functions.Ensure alignment of policies with strategic goals, regulatory requirements, and best practices.Establish governance structures and mechanisms to enforce policy adherence, including audits, reviews, and reporting.Collaborate with department heads to institutionalize policies and procedures effectively.Integrate risk management into core business processes, ensuring proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of operational risks.Develop frameworks for enterprise risk management (ERM), with clear accountability and monitoring mechanisms.Support internal audits and regulatory compliance efforts across business units.Monitoring, Auditing & ReportingDesign and implement compliance monitoring and internal control systems to ensure ongoing regulatory adherence.Prepare regular compliance reports for senior management and the board.Drive effective monitoring, reporting and escalation mechanisms for compliance breaches.Investigate and oversee resolution of compliance issues, ensuring appropriate corrective actions.Process Improvement & OptimizationIdentify opportunities to improve business processes, enhance quality, reduce costs, and increase productivity.Design and implement process frameworks, KRIs, and performance dashboards.Ensure effective risk management acting as a proactive risk & compliance support function across the organisation to improve operational efficiency and organizational compliance and risk managementPerformance Metrics% of core processes documented & measured as per Wasl’s BPM standardsNumber of policies and procedures reviewed and updatedNumber of audit findings and % of non-conformities closed within SLA% of core processes executed without deviation from approved SOP/policy.Implement risk management framework integrating site, enterprise and strategy risks.5. COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:InternalCXOsDepartmental HeadsInformation Technology departmentOther departments as requiredExternalGovernment and Regulatory EntitiesIndustry Partners and AssociationsTechnology VendorsConsultants and AdvisorsSuppliers and Service ProvidersOther external organizations as required6. CONTEXT, WORK ENVIRONMENT AND DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY (DELEGATIONS):.7. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:Not applicable8. SELECTION CRITERIA:Qualifications, Skills, and Experience (Essential and Desirable):Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.Proven track record in policy development, risk governance and compliance.Strong knowledge of international quality frameworks and enterprise governance models.Strong knowledge of conducting effective risk assessments, review operational processes to detect control gaps and inefficiencies, providing effective solutions to close gaps if/where required to mitigate potential risks.Strong knowledge in control design and implementation to mitigate operational risks.Control monitoring & testing (design, implementation, execution) knowledge and experience.5+ years of progressive business excellence, process excellence, governance, compliance, legal, audit, or risk management experience.Experience working in highly regulated industries (e.g., financial services, real estate, healthcare, energy, or government entities). Proven track record of regulatory engagement, policy development and compliance program implementation.Experience in handling compliance/risk management within Dubai's real estate sector would be considered highly advantageous.Position-Specific Skills (Generic/Technical):Technical Knowledge :Strong understanding of global and regional regulatory frameworks.Expertise in AML, data protection, anti-bribery, sanctions, corporate governance and industry-specific compliance.Familiarity with compliance technologies, GRC tools, and monitoring systems.Leadership & Management :Ability to influence, guide, and build consensus with executive leadership and regulators.Strong people management skills, with experience building and mentoring compliance teams.Work as a trusted advisor to the businesses, recommending risk mitigation solutions to ensure