Assistant Manager Structuring & Deal Documentation

This role focuses on providing expert guidance on Shari’ah-compliant structures for various Islamic finance transactions, including bespoke bilateral deals, syndications, and Sukuk issuances. The incumbent will ensure all transactions adhere to relevant Shari’ah standards, UAE Central Bank regulations, AAOIFI guidelines, and ISSC instructions. Collaboration with internal teams, external legal counsel, and counterparts in other Islamic banks is essential to resolve issues and finalize documentation. The role also involves supporting management in obtaining necessary approvals from the ISSC and maintaining accurate tracking of all Islamic banking deals within the corporate and investment banking group.

Key Responsibilities

- Advise on the most appropriate Shari’ah structure for transactions, taking into account the overall deal dynamics and compliance with Higher Shari’ah Authority UAE, Central Bank regulations, AAOIFI standards, ISSC guidelines, and supervisor instructions.
- Collaborate with internal and external legal counsel during the drafting of facility documents to ensure Shari’ah compliance is accurately reflected in relevant clauses.
- Liaise with counterparts in other Islamic banks during syndications and club deals to resolve disagreements and develop final drafts.
- Manage Shari’ah compliance for all bespoke bilateral transactions, syndications, and debt capital market (Sukuk) deals generated across the bank.
- Assist the Line Manager in preparing and delivering presentations to the ISSC to secure approvals for recommended solutions and documentation.
- Present concepts and documentation to Executive Members or the ISSC, respond to queries, and obtain necessary approvals as required.
- Maintain a comprehensive deal tracker for all Islamic banking transactions related to corporate and investment banking customers, following the agreed template.
- Demonstrate strong knowledge of Shari’ah parameters relevant to Islamic banking practices.
- Ensure compliance with local and regional Islamic banking regulations in daily operations.

Training Responsibilities

- Conduct global induction training for managing branch staff and provide training on various products such as personal finance and credit cards.
- Maintain and refresh e-learning materials as needed.
- Deliver wholesale banking-related training as part of the annual training plan.
- Provide training support for new product launches.

Required Qualifications

- In-depth understanding of Shari’ah principles applicable to Islamic finance and banking.
- Strong familiarity with UAE Central Bank regulations, AAOIFI Shari’ah standards, ISSC guidelines, and related supervisory instructions.
- Experience working with legal documentation and the ability to liaise effectively with legal counsel and banking counterparts.
- Proven ability to manage complex syndications and structured finance transactions within an Islamic banking framework.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills for engaging with senior management and regulatory committees.
- Proficiency in maintaining detailed tracking and reporting of Islamic finance deals.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

- Prior experience in Islamic banking syndications, Sukuk issuance, and debt capital markets is highly desirable.
- Experience in training and development within a banking environment.
- Strong command of local and regional regulatory environments related to Islamic finance.
- Opportunity to work in a dynamic environment that supports professional growth in Islamic finance and banking compliance.

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity for professionals seeking to deepen their expertise in Islamic finance while contributing to the bank’s compliance and product development efforts.