Finance Manager

About the role

As Finance Manager, UAE, you ll take full ownership of finance for our UAE entity and act as Airwallex s primary finance contact with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). You ll make sure our UAE financial reporting, prudential, and regulatory obligations are met accurately and on time, and you ll be the person the regulator turns to on all financial reporting matters. You ll join the EMEA Finance team and work closely with Compliance, Treasury, Tax, FP&A, and local management. This is a role for someone who wants to build: our UAE operating model and reporting cadence are still maturing, so you ll shape how finance runs in the market from the ground up.

What you ll do

• Act as the designated finance contact with the CBUAE for all financial and prudential reporting, including regulatory returns, ad hoc information requests, and supervisory meetings.
• Own the preparation, review, and submission of CBUAE regulatory returns, working with Compliance on interpretation and the regulatory calendar.
• Monitor and report on regulatory capital, liquidity, and safeguarding of client funds, flagging risks early and recommending action.
• Own the monthly close and financial control procedures for the UAE entity, including journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and P&L reviews before submission to FP&A.
• Prepare financial performance, capital, and cash commentary for local board packs and management reporting.
• Lead the annual statutory audit under IFRS and liaise with external auditors and advisors to resolve issues.
• Oversee UAE Corporate Tax and VAT compliance with our Tax team and external advisors.
• Support new product launches in the UAE by making sure they re reflected correctly in our reporting structure and regulatory submissions.
• Drive process improvement and automation across UAE finance, and collaborate with the wider Controllership team on department-wide projects.
• Responsibilities of the role may develop over time.

What you bring

• A professional finance or accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CA, CFA, or equivalent.
• 8+ years of finance experience, including senior-level experience in a finance function, ideally within financial services, payments, or another regulated environment. Big Four experience is advantageous.
• Strong working knowledge of IFRS, regulatory capital requirements, and prudential reporting obligations for payment service providers in the UAE.
• Direct experience engaging with a financial regulator, ideally the CBUAE.
• Experience in a financial controlling role, with a track record of building and expanding finance capabilities in a growing organisation.
• Clear, confident communication with stakeholders at every level, including regulators, auditors, and boards.
• Comfort working independently and navigating ambiguity in a hyper-growth environment.

Regulatory requirements Because this role is a regulated position, the successful candidate must meet the CBUAE s Fit and Proper criteria, and any offer will be subject to regulatory approval. You ll need to:

• Hold a clean regulatory and criminal record, with no past disciplinary action, dismissal for cause, or adverse findings by any financial regulator.
• Have no history of fraud, dishonesty, or material misrepresentation.
• Be financially sound: not an undischarged bankrupt, not subject to any insolvency proceedings, and with no outstanding unsatisfied judgments.
• Be resident in the UAE and able to dedicate sufficient time to the role, with a meaningful on-the-ground presence.
• Disclose any other directorships or roles you hold, so the CBUAE can confirm you have the bandwidth for this position.

Desired Candidate Profile

• A professional finance or accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CA, CFA, or equivalent.
• 8+ years of finance experience, including senior-level experience in a finance function, ideally within financial services, payments, or another regulated environment. Big Four experience is advantageous.
• Strong working knowledge of IFRS, regulatory capital requirements, and prudential reporting obligations for payment service providers in the UAE.
• Direct experience engaging with a financial regulator, ideally the CBUAE.
• Experience in a financial controlling role, with a track record of building and expanding finance capabilities in a growing organisation.
• Clear, confident communication with stakeholders at every level, including regulators, auditors, and boards.
• Comfort working independently and navigating ambiguity in a hyper-growth environment.

Regulatory requirements Because this role is a regulated position, the successful candidate must meet the CBUAE s Fit and Proper criteria, and any offer will be subject to regulatory approval. You ll need to:

• Hold a clean regulatory and criminal record, with no past disciplinary action, dismissal for cause, or adverse findings by any financial regulator.
• Have no history of fraud, dishonesty, or material misrepresentation.
• Be financially sound: not an undischarged bankrupt, not subject to any insolvency proceedings, and with no outstanding unsatisfied judgments.
• Be resident in the UAE and able to dedicate sufficient time to the role, with a meaningful on-the-ground presence.
• Disclose any other directorships or roles you hold, so the CBUAE can confirm you have the bandwidth for this position.