IDB3414 - Senior Islamic Finance Specialist (Shariah Audit)

Job Grade: E3
Business Unit: President Complex
Division: Shariah Compliance
Department: Not Applicable
Country: Saudi Arabia
Location: Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
Closing date: 14-Jan-2025

Job Purpose:

The Senior Islamic Finance Specialist is responsible for conducting ex-post Shari’ah audit engagements across the IsDB Group to ensure full compliance with Shari’ah approvals and requirements. Operating independently from day-to-day management, the role performs periodic inspections to verify that all transactions operations, policies, and activities are compliant with the Resolutions and Recommendations of the IsDB Group Shari’ah Board. This position is critical in upholding the mandates of the IsDB Group Shari’ah Affairs Division (SDiv) and Article 1 of IsDB's founding Articles of Agreement, ensuring that the IsDB Group's financing, investment, and funding activities adhere to Shari’ah principles.

Key Accountabilities:

Strategic Planning and Implementation:

  • Participate in the timely Development & Implementation of the Strategic Objectives of the Shari'ah Audit Function.

  • Participate to Develop the Annual Work Plan of the Shari'ah Audit Function.

  • Participate to undertake any specialized Shari'ah Review engagements directed by the Assoc. Manager Internal Shari’ah Section (AM).

Policies, Processes and Procedures:

  • Conduct Shari'ah Audit of existing IsDB Group policies, guidelines, processes, rules and regulations etc, (before enactment) to ensure compliance with Shari’ah rules and principles.

  • Monitor new market developments and evaluate their impact upon IsDB Group operations & activities and put up appropriate recommendations to the SDiv Lead.

  • Provide Shari'ah Audit Guidance input to the AM on various high-level policy-related committees established by the management of IsDB Group.

Shari’ah Audit:

  • Participate in the Periodic Shari'ah audit of all IsDB Group transactions, operations and activities as an ex-post independent control function to ascertain that transactions, operations and activities were implemented in accordance with Shari'ah rules/approvals.

  • Participate in the conduct of Shari’ah audit appraisal of IsDB Group annual financial statements and annual report in order to identify and rectify any Shari’ah non-compliance issues before publication

  • Participate to Identify and analyse difficulties faced by IsDBG in implementing the resolutions of the Group Shari'ah Board in the scope of Shari'ah Audit and provide appropriate solutions, whenever possible, and refer very high-level complex issues to the AM.

  • Participate in the Development of a comprehensive annual Shari'ah audit program or plan.

  • Participate in the identification of Shari'ah non-compliance risks and Shari’ah governance lapses in IsDB Group with adequate recommendations to IsDB Group Management.

Shari’ah Advisory:

  • Provide opinion, guidance and clarifications on resolutions of the IsDB Group Shari’ah Board to the concerned departments and entities of the IsDB Group.

Knowledge Sharing and Innovation:

  • Delivery of Innovations or Initiatives or Knowledge Sharing Sessions to improve overall Shari’ah Governance in IsDB Group and to entrench a culture of Shari'ah Compliance in IsDB Group.

  • Benchmark Shari'ah related best practices by participating in Industry standards (AAOIFI, IFSB, IIFM etc..) exposure draft sessions, international round tables and other events in the field of Islamic banking and finance to bring experiences and best practices of other institutions to IsDB Group and vice versa with robust recommendations to AM.

  • Provision of Shari’ah guidance on technical Islamic Finance Matters or Trainings to IsDB Group Clients/Member Countries on a needs basis to promote the developmental initiatives of IsDB Group.

Reporting and Communication:

  • Participate in the preparation of periodic reports, briefings, and presentations for Management.

  • Participate in the presentation of findings of the Shari'ah reports to various stakeholders such as President of IsDB, IsDB Group Shari’ah Board, BED’s and BOG’s.

Operational Excellence and Administration:

  • Ad-hoc assignments of IsDB Group Shari’ah Affairs Division (SDiv).

  • Supervise, coach and mentor subordinates.

  • Propose and implement process improvements within SDiv to increase efficiency, effectiveness, budget control and compliance of the related operations.

Academic and professional qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Shari’ah (Islamic Law) / Islamic Banking and Finance or related fields.

  • Certificate in Shari'ah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA) from AAOIFI is preferred.

  • Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in Islamic Finance/Shariah compliance.

Skills & Necessary Knowledge:

  • Versed in Islamic Fiqh/ Fiqh al Mu’amalat

  • Proven competence in Shari'ah rules and principles

  • Problem Solving & Negotiation

  • International Shari'ah & Shari'ah Governance Standards

  • Research and Analysis

  • Audit, Accounting & Financial Reporting Operations

  • Bank Knowledge

  • MS Office skills

Languages:

  • English - Mandatory

  • Arabic - Preferred

  • French - Preferred