Emirati Talent – Senior Associate, Compliance – Majid Al Futtaim

Majid Al Futtaim’s Development Business is hiring for a Senior Associate, Compliance role under its Emirati Talent program, based in Dubai. This position sits within the compliance function supporting the group’s development and real estate operations, working across third-party risk and broader governance matters that touch Legal, Risk, Internal Audit, Procurement, and Human Capital teams.

The role involves supporting compliance processes related to third-party risk management, meaning the vetting, monitoring, and governance of vendors, contractors, and other external parties the Development Business works with. Because real estate and development work involves a wide network of contractors, suppliers, and partners, third-party risk is a genuinely significant compliance area, covering everything from anti-bribery and corruption checks to broader due diligence on who the business is working with. The role requires close coordination across multiple internal functions, since compliance work rarely sits in isolation from legal, procurement, and audit processes.

This role suits someone early-to-mid career with a genuine interest in compliance, risk, or governance, ideally with some exposure to third-party risk management, due diligence processes, or corporate compliance more broadly. As part of Majid Al Futtaim’s Emirati Talent program, it’s designed to build UAE National talent within a structured, well-supported career track, with genuine investment in professional development alongside the day-to-day compliance work.

It’s a strong opportunity for UAE National talent looking to build a career in corporate compliance and governance within one of the region’s most prominent conglomerates.

Third-party risk and compliance functions protect a large, diversified business like Majid Al Futtaim's Development Business from a wide range of serious exposures, including regulatory penalties, reputational damage from working with a poorly vetted contractor or supplier, and the kind of governance failures that can derail a major development project. Getting this compliance work right means the business can engage new vendors and partners confidently, knowing the appropriate due diligence has been done, which protects both the specific projects those partners are involved in and the broader group's reputation with regulators and stakeholders. Because development and real estate work involves particularly complex networks of contractors and third parties, often with significant financial exposure per relationship, the third-party risk function is one of the more consequential compliance areas within the business, not a peripheral checkbox exercise. This role also supports Majid Al Futtaim's Emiratisation commitments, meaning its impact extends beyond compliance outcomes into building UAE National talent within governance and risk functions, which matters both for the company's regulatory standing and its long-term talent pipeline in a function that's often historically been led by expatriate specialists. Strong compliance execution at this level ultimately protects the trust that partners, regulators, and internal stakeholders place in how the Development Business manages risk.

Compliance and third-party risk experience within a major conglomerate's development business builds a genuinely specialized and increasingly in-demand skill set, since governance and risk functions across the region are growing in sophistication and companies are actively looking for talent with real due diligence and compliance process experience. For UAE National talent specifically, this role offers structured entry into a function that has traditionally been dominated by more senior, often expatriate specialists, giving early exposure to genuinely complex governance work rather than starting in a purely administrative capacity. Being part of Majid Al Futtaim's Emirati Talent program also typically comes with structured mentorship, training, and career development support, which accelerates the learning curve considerably compared to picking up compliance skills without that kind of institutional backing. The cross-functional exposure to Legal, Risk, Internal Audit, Procurement, and Human Capital also builds a broad understanding of how a large organization manages risk holistically, which is valuable preparation for future roles in either specialized compliance leadership or broader corporate governance and risk management. For someone building a long-term career in compliance, risk, or governance within the UAE, this role provides both the technical grounding and the institutional credibility of having worked within one of the region's most respected conglomerates, positioning them well for more senior compliance or risk leadership roles over time.

• UAE National, in line with the Emirati Talent program this role sits within
• Genuine interest in or early experience with compliance, risk management, or corporate governance
• Familiarity with third-party risk management or due diligence processes is an advantage
• Strong analytical and documentation skills, since compliance work depends heavily on accurate record-keeping and clear reporting
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Legal, Risk, Internal Audit, Procurement, and Human Capital teams
• Bachelor’s degree in law, business, finance, or a related field
• Strong attention to detail and a genuinely methodical approach to process-driven work