Compliance Associate - Builders Program - (Emirati National)

Role Overview

Compliance Associate - Builders Program at Tamara, based in the United Arab Emirates. This role is open to Emirati Nationals only.

Company Overview

Tamara is Saudi Arabia's first FinTech unicorn. The mission is to help people own their dreams by building the most customer-centric financial super app in the world. Teams are made up of innovators, problem-solvers, and learners who thrive on curiosity, ownership, and collaboration.

The Flagship Builders Program is designed for ambitious graduates ready to step into real responsibility from day one. It is a career accelerator, not a rotational observer program, built for those who want to build, own, and raise the bar early. The program is designed for recent graduates and early-career talent with up to two years of experience, placed directly into high-impact roles across Product, Engineering, Design, Commercial, Risk, Compliance, and beyond. You will contribute immediately and grow at an accelerated pace.

Role Purpose

As a Compliance Associate, you will ensure that Tamara's operations, products, and communications align with applicable regulatory requirements in the United Arab Emirates and Tamara's internal governance standards. You will support compliance activities across frameworks governed by UAE regulators including the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), DFSA (where relevant), ADGM FSRA (where relevant), and other applicable consumer protection, AML, privacy, and payments regulations. You will help maintain a strong compliance framework that promotes accountability, transparency, and readiness for regulatory oversight, safeguarding Tamara's regulatory standing while enabling responsible business growth and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory Engagement & Reporting

• Support as a point of contact with UAE regulators by helping the team prepare responses, track requests, and organize regulatory communications and inspections.
• Help prepare and submit regulatory reports, both periodic and ad hoc, by coordinating with internal teams to collect and verify required information.
• Ensure all compliance activities, reports, and communications with regulators are clearly documented and easy to trace for future reference.

Compliance Monitoring & Reviews

• Assist in conducting compliance reviews and monitoring activities to ensure internal practices meet UAE regulatory requirements and company policies.
• Review policies, contracts, products, customer journeys, and marketing materials with guidance from senior team members to ensure alignment with regulatory and consumer protection requirements.
• Track and follow up on open compliance observations to ensure they are resolved within agreed timelines.

Business Enablement & Awareness

• Work closely with business teams to help them understand regulatory expectations and ensure new initiatives are compliant before launch.
• Help develop and update compliance guides, trackers, and awareness materials to support different departments.

Planning & Documentation

• Support in maintaining and updating the Annual Compliance Plan, tracking deadlines, progress, and follow-up actions.

Risk Management

• Support AML/CFT, sanctions screening, and customer protection initiatives where required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Law, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• 0–2 years of experience in Regulatory Compliance, ideally within FinTech, Consumer Finance, Banking, or Payments.
• Good understanding of the UAE regulatory landscape, particularly frameworks relevant to payments, lending, consumer finance, and fintech businesses.
• Familiarity with CBUAE regulations, AML/CFT obligations, and consumer protection expectations is an advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Basic understanding of UAE financial services regulations, with eagerness to learn through hands-on experience.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills to review information, identify gaps, and support regulatory reporting.
• Good documentation and reporting skills, ensuring accuracy and traceability in all compliance activities.
• Clear and professional communication skills in both Arabic and English for working with internal teams and regulators.
• Strong collaboration and coordination abilities to support cross-functional teams in meeting compliance requirements.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining complete records of compliance reviews, submissions, and communications.

Additional Information

• Organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with a strong sense of responsibility.
• Curious and eager to learn, especially about regulatory compliance and the UAE financial services landscape.
• Adaptable and solution-oriented, able to handle changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Team player who values collaboration, accountability, and clear communication.
• Motivated by Tamara's mission to uphold trust, transparency, and excellence in compliance and governance.
• January and June cohorts available for entry into the Builders Program.