Chief Risk & Compliance Officer (CRCO) - Saudi National

The Executive Mandate: Strategy, Governance, and InnovationThe Chief Risk and Compliance Officer (CRCO) will be a core member of the Executive Leadership Team, responsible for establishing and overseeing the complete Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Compliance framework. This role transcends traditional risk management; it is a strategic function tasked with safeguarding the firm's balance sheet, reputation, and license to operate while enabling the aggressive, compliant adoption of new technologies (AI/ML, alternative data) to achieve our financial inclusion mission across the GCC.The CRCO must act as the ultimate gatekeeper and strategic advisor, ensuring that our innovative credit models and products are robust, ethical, and fully compliant with SAMA, AML, Data Privacy, and consumer protection regulations.Key Areas of Accountability1. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) & Strategic OversightEstablish and Champion ERM: Design, implement, and continuously refine an integrated Enterprise Risk Management framework that covers Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, Cyber Risk, Model Risk, and Strategic Risk.Balance Growth and Risk Appetite: Work directly with the CEO and Board to define the firm's risk appetite statement and ensure all product development and market expansion strategies operate within defined tolerance levels.Model Risk Governance (A Critical Focus): Establish a robust Model Risk Management framework, specifically addressing the unique risks of AI/ML-driven alternative credit scoring models. This includes independent validation, performance monitoring, explainability (XAI), and managing model drift/bias.Executive Reporting: Provide regular, high-impact risk intelligence and data-driven insights to the Board and executive team, translating complex risk metrics into strategic business implications.2. Regulatory Compliance & GovernanceRegulatory Leadership: Serve as the final authority and internal expert on all regulatory matters, including but not limited to SAMA (Saudi Central Bank) regulations, AML/CFT, Sanctions screening, Data Privacy (e.g., PDPL in KSA), and Consumer Protection laws.Compliance Program Ownership: Build, manage, and continuously audit a comprehensive, proactive compliance program covering all internal operations, technology, and external third-party relationships.Licensing and Regulatory Liaison: Act as the primary interface with regulators (SAMA, etc.). Oversee regulatory submissions, reporting, and management of examinations/audits.Ethical Innovation: Ensure the ethical use of alternative and proprietary data, building compliance checks directly into the product development lifecycle (e.g., Privacy by Design).3. Credit Risk Management (Advanced)Portfolio Health: Own the strategic direction for managing the entire credit portfolio quality. Establish forward-looking loss forecasting, provisioning, and portfolio segmentation strategies.Data & Underwriting Integrity: Oversee the independent review and challenge of the core underwriting logic and data sources (as outlined in the existing role). Ensure the integrity and statistical validity of the alternative scoring models.Collections & Recovery Strategy: Define and monitor high-level strategies for collections, recovery, and workout procedures to maximise value while ensuring regulatory and ethical adherence.Ideal Candidate Profile: The Executive Talent Experience & ExpertiseMinimum 15+ years of progressive experience in Risk Management, Compliance, or Audit within a regulated Financial Institution, Fintech, or Digital Bank.A minimum of 5 years in an executive or C-level leadership capacity (e.g., CRO, CCO, Head of ERM) for a high-growth, technology-forward firm.Mandatory Deep Expertise: Proven track record of navigating the regulatory landscape of the GCC, with specific and deep experience with SAMA (Saudi Central Bank) regulations, SIMAH, and KSA market dynamics.Advanced Risk Domain Knowledge: Demonstrated expertise in Model Risk Governance, Data Governance, and Cyber Security Risk in a cloud-native or digital environment.Leadership & CompetenciesStrategic Visionary: Ability to transition from deep tactical compliance details to broad strategic discussions about market entry and product innovation.Board & Stakeholder Management: Exceptional presence and communication skills required to articulate complex risks and strategies to the Board of Directors, executive team, and external regulators.Technology Fluency: Must be technically fluent and able to challenge data science and engineering teams on model design, data lineage, and security architectures.Cultural Architect: Track record of building a strong, risk-aware, and ethical compliance culture throughout the organisation, fostering a collaborative, non-punitive relationship between risk, compliance, and product teams.Why Join Us: The Value PropositionDefine the Future of Credit: Lead the risk strategy for a company fundamentally redefining credit access and financial inclusion in a high-growth region.Executive Impact: Serve as a pivotal member of the Executive Team, with direct influence over strategic decisions, capital allocation, and market entry.Greenfield Opportunity: Build a "best-in-class" risk and compliance infrastructure from the ground up, utilizing modern technology and data governance principles, free from legacy burdens.