Senior Associate, Domestic Compliance Strategy & Supervision

Job Summary

The incumbent will be responsible for helping in conducting/managing the compliance function for the Group’s domestic Strategic and supervisory activities on a pro-active basis covering both Business and Regulatory domestic activities of all Business divisions & Subsidiaries operating in the State of Qatar. All efforts should be made to identify and assess the compliance risks associated with domestic activities of Business and Operations divisions & Local Subsidiaries in light of applicable regulations of QCB, QFMA, QFCRA, QE and any other applicable statutory requirements, Group policies/procedures and industry standards and best practices

Main Responsibilities

Shareholder & Financial:

• Assist in identifying and assess the Regulatory Compliance risk involved in the activities of Business and Operations divisions & Local Subsidiaries conducted by QNB Group in the state of Qatar and provide the strategic and supervisory vision and directions and solutions to both Domestic and Operations regulatory compliance departments and thereby reduce the risk of regulatory sanctions, which could result in financial losses/penal actions and the associated damage of reputation of QNB Group

• Assist in promoting cost consciousness and efficiency and enhance productivity, to minimise cost, avoid waste, and optimise benefits for the bank.

• Implements KPI’s and best practices for Senior Associate, Domestic Operations & Support Regulatory Compliance

• Promote cost consciousness and efficiency and enhance productivity, to minimise cost, avoid waste, and optimise benefits for the bank.

• Act within the limits of the powers delegated to the incumbent.

Customer (Internal & External):

• Assist the senior manager Strategy and Supervision in Setting-up the compliance strategy for the domestic activities including both Business and Operations.

• Assist the Senior manager Strategy and Supervision in identifying the strategic issues and the related solutions resulting from the performance of the tasks/activities as per the Group’s annual compliance plan for the domestic activities of Business and Operations divisions & Local Subsidiaries to provide assurance to the Group Board

• Audit & Compliance Committee, the Board and Executive Management on the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies, procedures systems and controls in place to ensure compliance with the relevant laws/ regulations impacting the domestic activities of Group’s Business divisions & Subsidiaries

• Assist in Providing timely feedback and support to the VP Domestic Compliance Strategy and Supervision and the EVP Domestic Compliance on ad hoc matters, short or mid-terms projects to achieve the Group Compliance objectives as and when directed.

• Participate in managing, guiding and instructing all direct report staff to ensure meeting individual and departmental objectives and monitor their compliance with internal policies, rules and code of ethics and conduct.

• Assist to provide all the necessary support to Group Compliance business & Operations departments to achieve their objectives related to the domestic activities in line with the regulatory requirements as and when required.

• Assist to Provide information/inputs with regards to the Strategic plans on the domestic activities of Group’s Business and operations Divisions & Local Subsidiaries to the VP Domestic Compliance Strategy and Supervision, the EVP Domestic Compliance and to the Group Chief Compliance Officer in the former’s absence to resolve the related strategic queries/issues raised by the regulatory authorities including but not limited to the following:

  • Qatar Central Bank.

  • Qatar Financial Market Authority

  • Qatar Exchange.

  • Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority.

  • Other government bodies in Qatar like Ministries and General Authorities.

• On quarterly basis, collect/provide input data and information of the strategic activities performed related to all Business and operations divisions & Local Subsidiaries to the Chief Domestic Compliance in order to construct Management reports by the Group Chief Compliance Officer to the Group Board Audit and Compliance Committee and Executive Management.

• Maintain activities in accordance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with internal departments/units to achieve improvements in turn-around time.

• Build and maintain strong/effective relationships with related departments/units to achieve the Group’s objectives.

• Provide timely/accurate data to external/internal Auditors, Compliance, Financial Control and Risk when required.

Internal (Processes, Products, Regulatory):

• Participate in building and maintaining the Compliance Self-Assessment Framework related to Qatar operations and activities. Participate in building the Compliance annual and Strategic Training and Awareness Plans, materials and technologies. Assist in establishing the Risk Mapping register and update it periodically. Participate in preparing the Compliance Annual and Mid-Term plan.

• Assist to build the new methodologies and automated tools related to the Compliance Self-Awareness Questionnaires. Participate in the periodic review the compliance strategy based on the most recent risk assessments and change in priorities.

• Assisting in build and enhance the outsourcing framework and establish the key control monitoring tools and checklists covering this function.

• Assist the senior analyst to assess and evaluate QNB Divisions & Local Branches considering the yearly KPIs related to Group Compliance.

• Assist in performing regular and comprehensive compliance risk assessment for all domestic activities of Business and Operations divisions and high-level assessment of the domestic subsidiaries to provide inputs to the annual Group Compliance plan.

• Assist to execute approved Group compliance annual plan related to the strategic initiatives within Business and Operations divisions & Subsidiaries and inform the senior analyst Strategy and Supervision of any deviation of meeting the assigned target dates along with the reasons for the deviations.

• Participate to provide, as and when required, impact assessment studies on the domestic activities of business and Operations divisions & Local subsidiaries of QNB Group due to new laws and regulatory requirements issued/received.

• Assist to Review the compliance-monitoring program developed for domestic activities and subsidiaries in light of regulatory changes and applicable best practices.

• Participate in promoting employees awareness of compliance issues by conducting in-house trainings in conjunction with Training Department for all employees with aim to promote an effective bank-wide compliance culture and educates/encourages managers and staff to be aware of the benefits of ethical conduct and compliance.

• Participate in the development of training materials/programs (both in English and Arabic) with focus on the domestic compliance issues such as but not limited to Code of Ethics, the concept of “Chinese Walls” and “Whistle Blowing” to prevent insider trading, fraud in addition to fostering the concept of “need to know” to manage “Conflict of Interest”.

• Assist in updating the Group Compliance policy manual/ charter in light of changes in regulatory requirements affecting the domestic activities of Group’s business divisions & Subsidiaries, by provision of relevant inputs to the incumbent’s superiors.

• Participate in the implementation of new systems to enhance/augment the Group’s compliance efforts, and subsequent enhancements to the same, in conjunction with the vendor support team and the Group’s IT personnel.

• Support the VP Domestic Compliance Strategy and Supervision, the VP Domestic Business Regulatory Compliance and the VP Domestic Operations Regulatory Compliance and their teams and act as a backup in their absence as and when required.

• Participate in special assignments, projects and investigations as and when required.

• Submit draft reports to VP of Domestic Compliance Strategy, Supervision, and Chief Domestic Compliance on the activities performed within the division. Assist the VP of Domestic Compliance Strategy and Supervision in managing the affairs of the Domestic Compliance function.

Learning & Knowledge:

• Maintain very good understanding of all relevant laws, regulations, policies/ procedures and applicable best practices pertaining to the domestic activities of Group’s Business divisions & Subsidiaries.

• Be fully aware and up-to-date on all Central Bank & Financial Market Authority rules and regulations, maintain register for laws and regulation, and ensure they are reflected in the related policies and procedures as appropriate.

• Diverse knowledge of Corporate, Retail, Private and Investment Banking and familiar with the Mutual Funds, Investment Products, Financial Services (Brokerage, Custody, Advisory, Managing Investment and Issuance).

• Sound knowledge of the objectives, main roles, and prudential controls of the regulatory authorities mainly QCB, QFMA and QFCRA in addition to the regulatory framework and structure, relationship and regulatory environment in the state of Qatar.

Legal, Regulatory, and Risk Framework Responsibilities:

• Comply with all applicable legal, regulatory and internal compliance requirements including, but not limited to, Group Compliance Policies and Procedures (AML & CTF, Sanctions Policy, Data Protection Policy, Fraud Control Policy, Whistle Blowing Policy, Conflict of Interest and Insider Dealing Policy).

• Understand and effectively perform your role under the Three Lines of Defense principle to identify measure, monitor, manage and report risks.

• Ensure systematic good outcomes for clients in accordance with Conduct Risk policy.

• Support the framework of RCSA, KRI, Incident reporting and remediation, as appropriate, in accordance with the Operational Risk Management requirements.

• Maintain appropriate knowledge to ensure full qualification to undertake the role.

• Complete all mandatory training provided by the Bank, attain, and maintain the required levels of competence.

• Attend mandatory (internal and external) seminars as instructed by the Bank.

Other:

• Ensure high standards of data protection and confidentiality to safeguard commercially sensitive information.

• Maintaining utmost confidentiality concerning customer and internal bank information obtained during the course of business and provide such information on a need-to-know basis only to Senior Management of QNB, Audit and Compliance functions, and relevant Regulators.

• Maintain high professional standards to uphold QNB's reputation and to strengthen its market leadership position.

• All other ad hoc duties/activities related to QNB that management might request from time to time.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor degree with professional qualifications such as /CIA/CCO/CISI.

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a major banking institution or in a consultancy firm.

• Generation and application of unique business insights and opportunities.

• Have a great capacity for both analysis and synthesis.

• Sound interpretation ability of the banking and financial services laws and regulations

• Good oral and written communication skills (including reports/letters writing) in English and Arabic.

• Ability to analyse the impact of changes in the relevant regulations on the Group’s compliance risk profile for domestic activities of Business divisions & Subsidiaries.

• Good judgments and criticism abilities with abilities to drive solutions that serves the domestic business divisions and subsidiary’s needs.

• Ability to identify and render advice on compliance related issues pertaining to the Group’s domestic activities of Business and Operations divisions & Subsidiaries.

• Ability to ensure complete and proper implementation of QCB,QFMA,QFCRA regulations and other relevant regulatory pronouncements.

• Ability to build and maintain good relationship with Business divisions, Subsidiaries and regulatory authorities.

• Sound knowledge of investment and banking policies, procedures, corporate governance regulations and best practice pertaining to compliance, to the extent these relate to the domestic activities of the Group’s divisions & Subsidiaries.

• Personal integrity and self-management.

• Self-starter with project management skills.

• Literate with MS Office; Professional in Access, Excel, Word and Power Point