Legal & Compliance Manager

Our client is a regulated financial market infrastructure operator that has received In-Principal Approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to operate as a Recognised Investment Exchange (RIE) and Recognised Clearing House (RCH) for digital asset and related derivatives.Building on its existing status as the first FCA-authorised, centrally cleared digital asset derivatives Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) in the United Kingdom — and with a global operations base — our client is establishing a regulated presence across some of the world’s most significant financial centres. This multi-jurisdictional infrastructure gives institutional participants genuine choice in where and how they access digital asset derivatives under trusted regulatory frameworks.At the core of the business model is central clearing, which resolves the counterparty and credit risk constraints that continue to limit large-scale institutional participation in digital asset markets. By enabling digital assets to be used as margin within a centrally cleared format, and by supporting both cash-settled and physically delivered derivatives alongside other listed products, our client is building the next generation of market infrastructure — one designed to integrate digital assets into mainstream institutional finance.Job PurposeThe Legal & Compliance Manager will serve as the primary legal and compliance presence on the ground in Abu Dhabi, responsible for both the day-to-day regulatory compliance of the ADGM-licensed exchange and central clearing house, and for providing legal counsel across the business. This is an operational, hands‑on leadership role at a genuinely pioneering institution operating at the intersection of institutional finance and digital assets.The postholder will work in close alignment with the Global Head of Compliance based in the United Kingdom, reporting jointly to that individual and to the CEO of the ADGM entity. They will be expected to exercise genuine autonomy across both the legal and compliance functions — drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, managing the firm’s legal affairs, embedding compliance frameworks, and engaging directly with the FSRA and institutional partners.Throughout, they will act as a commercial partner to the business rather than a gatekeeper.This is a build-phase role requiring a dual-qualified or legally trained compliance professional who can identify what needs to be done across both disciplines and get on with it, without waiting to be directed.Duties and ResponsibilitiesLegal Advisory & TransactionalProvide day-to-day legal counsel to the business on a broad range of matters including exchange rules, clearing house rulebooks, member agreements, and participant documentation.Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts including technology agreements, vendor and supplier contracts, partnership arrangements, and institutional client agreements.Advise on corporate governance matters for the ADGM entity, including board resolutions, constitutional documents, and regulatory authorisation conditions.Support the structuring and legal review of new products, including physically delivered derivatives, tokenised collateral arrangements, and real-world asset integration.Manage relationships with external legal counsel across ADGM, the UK, and other relevant jurisdictions, coordinating multi-jurisdictional advice efficiently and cost-effectively.Provide legal input on data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity obligations under applicable ADGM law and relevant international frameworks.Advise on and manage any disputes, claims, or regulatory investigations that may arise, engaging external counsel where required.Monitor legal and regulatory developments in ADGM and the broader GCC, ensuring the business is aware of and prepared for legislative change.Regulatory Compliance & FSRA EngagementAct as the primary regulatory point of contact with the FSRA, managing ongoing obligations under the RIE and RCH authorisations.Monitor all regulatory requirements applicable to the exchange and clearing house and ensure full, timely compliance.Lead regulatory horizon scanning across digital assets in ADGM, the broader GCC, and internationally, and translate this into actionable business guidance.Maintain and develop regulatory reporting frameworks, including incident reporting, breach management, and periodic submissions to the FSRA.Prepare for and manage regulatory examinations, inspections, and enquiries.Compliance Framework DevelopmentDesign, build, and embed compliance policies, procedures, and controls appropriate for a 24/7 centrally cleared digital asset derivatives venue.Develop and maintain AML/CFT frameworks, including transaction monitoring, suspicious activity reporting, and KYC/KYB standards.Establish and operationalise a market abuse surveillance framework suited to both crypto-native and institutional participants.Define an