Risk & Payments SME (Contractual)

Location: United Arab Emirates
Type: Contractual Position

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Risk & Payments Subject Matter Expert (SME) to lead and support risk-based supervision activities for payment system operators. The role will focus on identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational, settlement, and systemic risks. As a technical advisor, the SME will contribute to policy formulation and the development of frameworks for oversight of both major and emerging payment infrastructures.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement risk-based supervisory frameworks for payment system operators, including real-time gross settlement (RTGS), retail payment systems, and digital payment platforms.
• Develop comprehensive risk assessment methodologies, identifying and monitoring operational, settlement, and business risks that could impact system stability.
• Prepare and maintain risk registers and contribute to scenario analyses for settlement failures, cyber incidents, and operational disruptions.
• Review compliance with international standards and recommend best practices in operational resilience, business continuity, data security, and consumer protection.
• Develop frameworks and SOPs for on-site and off-site supervisory reviews, including management interviews, technical assessments, and reporting of findings, KPIs, and supervisory concerns to oversight committees.
• Collaborate with supervisory colleagues to ensure a consistent and proportionate approach to risk-based supervision, especially for systemically important operators.
• Provide technical advice on regulatory developments, international standards (e.g., CPMI-IOSCO Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures), and industry best practices.

Skills and Qualifications

• Advanced understanding of payment systems, risk-based supervision methodologies, and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of PFMI principles, including self-assessment, gap analysis, and compliance roadmaps.
• Proven experience with risk assessment techniques, risk registers, and scenario-based supervision.
• In-depth knowledge of operational resilience requirements, including business continuity, disaster recovery, and information security controls.
• Strong analytical skills in assessing payment system operations, governance structures, and financial stability linkages.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience advising senior management and regulatory authorities.