Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer , UAE (COMLRO)

We are seeking a highly experienced Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (COMLRO) to lead our financial crimes program in the UAE. This role reports to X and sits within the Financial Crime, Compliance & Risk Oversight (FinCRO) organization.

As the principal decision-maker on financial crime risk management, you will be a formally approved officer with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the public face of Stripe's AML/CFT program in the region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a robust AML/CFT compliance strategy across Stripe's UAE regulated retail payment services and stored value facility entities, aligned with global FinCRO objectives.
• Leverage AI, data science, and automation to scale the program.
• Provide regular reporting to UAE Boards and Senior Management on program health and effectiveness.

• Own and continuously enhance Stripe's AML/CFT program, ensuring it effectively prevents, detects, and reports money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, and other financial crimes in line with Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018, Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019, and CBUAE's AML/CFT Standards, Retail Payment Services and Card Scheme Regulations, and Stored Value Facilities Regulations Framework.

• Ensure ongoing compliance with all applicable CBUAE licensing conditions, payment services regulations, and broader UAE financial services laws across both entities.

• Monitor the regulatory environment for changes, assess business impact, and drive timely implementation of compliance obligations.

• Maintain a regulatory obligations register and own the internal compliance assurance framework.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the CBUAE and UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (UAEFIU) for all inspections, inquiries, and examinations.

• Own the end-to-end STR/SAR process via the goAML platform and all other mandatory regulatory submissions.

• Oversee UAE sanctions compliance across both entities, including screening against the UAE Local Terrorist List, UN Security Council Consolidated List, and applicable international regimes (OFAC, EU, UK).

• Design and maintain AML/CFT risk frameworks tailored to the distinct risk profiles of both license types , including high-volume payment flows (PSP) and e-wallet abuse, prepaid instrument layering, and anonymous loading risks (SVF).

• Ensure transaction monitoring typologies are appropriately calibrated across both product sets.

• Provide expert AML/CFT and regulatory compliance guidance to product, engineering, and business teams on new products and market expansion.

• Represent Stripe in external forums, regulatory consultations, and industry groups across the UAE and GCC.

• Champion a strong compliance culture across UAE teams.

• Oversee delivery of UAE-regulatory-compliant training programs covering PSP and SVF-specific risks.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years in financial crime or regulatory compliance, with significant focus on fintech, payments, e-money, or stored value products.
• Prior experience as a designated Compliance Officer or MLRO or Deputy MLRO under a CBUAE-regulated or comparable GCC-regulated entity strongly preferred.
• Deep knowledge of UAE AML/CFT laws (Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018, Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019), CBUAE AML/CFT Standards, PSP and SVF regulatory frameworks, and relevant FATF Recommendations.
• Familiarity with broader UAE financial services regulation and licensing requirements.
• Must satisfy CBUAE fit and proper requirements and be willing to undergo formal regulatory approval prior to commencement.
• Exceptional ability to articulate complex regulatory concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Able to translate regulatory requirements into practical, scalable compliance solutions in a high-growth environment.
• High data literacy; able to work closely with data and engineering teams to identify emerging financial crime patterns and validate detection model effectiveness.
• CAMS, ICA International Diploma in AML, or equivalent strongly preferred.
• Fluency in English required; Arabic is a significant advantage.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in a global, matrixed fintech organization across multiple jurisdictions.
• Existing relationships with CBUAE and UAEFIU officials.
• Familiarity with the UAE's Financial Infrastructure Transformation programme and its AML/CFT implications.
• Experience designing AML/CFT and regulatory compliance controls for high-volume payment and stored value products at scale.