Senior Compliance Manager
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 6+ years
- Category
- Legal
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- 6+ years of compliance experience in financial services, including direct experience inside a SAMA-regulated entity.
- In-depth knowledge of KSA financial services regulation applicable to fintechs and payment / open banking providers, specifically the Law of Payments and Payment Services and its Implementing Regulati
- Demonstrated track record building and running compliance programs and policies from the ground up.
- Direct experience managing SAMA inspections and audits, and liaising with regulators.
- Meets SAMA’s Fit and Proper requirements. Appointment is conditional on SAMA’s written non-objection. A current or prior SAMA non-objection for either position is a strong advantage.
- Relevant compliance certification (for example CAMS) or an equivalent AML / financial crime qualification.
- Experience preparing licence applications or regulatory business plans, and working with counter-fraud frameworks and anti-fraud tooling, is highly desirable.
- Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to interpret complex regulations and turn them into workable controls.
- Clear written and verbal communication in Arabic and English.
- Ability to work independently and run multiple concurrent regulatory workstreams under commercial pressure.
- Saudi national (required for AML/CFT function holders under SAMA rules).
Full description
About the role
Lean is hiring a ‘Senior Compliance Manager’ to own and lead the compliance function for Lean Technologies KSA (Lean KSA), a SAMA-licensed Major Payment Institution. You will ensure adherence to the regulatory framework of SAMA (Saudi Central Bank), act as the primary interface with regulators, and embed compliance into how the business ships products. You will hold SAMA’s approved Compliance Officer position and the AML / Financial Crime Officer (MLRO) position for Lean KSA. You will lead the compliance workstreams for Lean’s pending payment services and payment initiation licence applications. This role is perfect for someone who is a seasoned compliance professional with a passion for fintech, eager to play a key role at the heart of one of Saudi’s fastest-growing fintechs.
This role reports directly to the Board of Directors of Lean KSA and to the Board’s ‘Governance, Legal, Risk and Compliance Committee’ (GLRCC), with day-to-day reporting to the Group Chief Legal, Risk and Compliance Officer and administrative reporting to the CEO. You will present the quarterly Compliance and Financial Crime report to the GLRCC and the Board and have direct, unrestricted access to both. The KSA Compliance Officer reports to this role.
About Lean
Lean is the leading financial infrastructure provider in the Middle East. We power some of the region’s largest companies with APIs that enable payments, account verification, financial data access, and other critical financial infrastructure.
What started as the region’s pioneering Open Banking platform and quickly became the de facto leader in account aggregation and payment initiation in the region is now becoming something bigger: a multi-product infrastructure company powering payments, data, and lending across MENA.
We’ve processed billions of dollars in transactions. We’re trusted by 350+ clients - from Tabby and Tas’heel to Hungerstation - and backed by General Catalyst, Sequoia, and Shorooq. Our $67.5M Series B was just the beginning. We’re expanding into new markets, opening offices, acquiring businesses, and building capabilities that didn’t exist here before.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement comprehensive compliance policies and procedures aligned to the Law of Payments and Payment Services and its Implementing Regulations, SAMA’s Open Banking Framework and Counter-Fraud Framework, the Financial Consumer Protection Principles and other applicable KSA regulation, and own the KSA policy set through its annual GLRCC review and approval cycle.
- Monitor and assess regulatory change across SAMA, SDAIA (data protection), and other relevant authorities, and translate it into clear, actionable guidance for the business.
- Own the KSA Compliance Annual Plan and the compliance risk assessment, and report progress against them quarterly to the GLRCC and the Board.