AVP – Head of Sharia Consultation and Documentation

Job Purpose

To lead the Sharia documentation services provided for products and transactions across departments, ensuring compliance with Sharia guidelines and principles, and to support related Dar Al Sharia tasks and activities assigned by the Line Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Documentation: Draft and review transaction documents from a Sharia and legal perspective to ensure Sharia compliance in products and transactions.
• Oversight: Review and oversee that effective documentation for Sharia products and transactions is maintained in line with business requirements.
• Sharia Guidance: Work closely with the Chairman of the Internal Sharia Supervisory Committee (ISSC) to obtain Sharia guidance and communicate it to relevant  units.
• Stakeholders: Manage relationships with  departments and Dar Al Sharia clients to ensure smooth coordination and service delivery.
• Team Leadership: Supervise, mentor and coach the Sharia documentation team to maintain optimum workflow and quality of deliverables.
• Team Support: Support other Dar Al Sharia team members to ensure efficient service delivery.
• Targets: Coordinate with the Head of Dar Al Sharia to ensure Sharia documentation and Dar Al Sharia targets are met.
• Other: Perform any additional tasks or responsibilities assigned by the Line Manager.

Job Complexity / Judgment

• Take decisions on complex Sharia and legal matters.
• Independently draft Sharia-compliant documentation.
• Mentor and train team members.
• Deal effectively with internal and external clients.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Business Units, Internal Sharia Supervisory Committee (ISSC), Dar Al Sharia clients.
• External: Clients and vendors.

Job Specification

Education

• Master's Degree in Law (mandatory).
• Additional qualification in Islamic Finance / Sharia (e.g., CIPA, CSAA, or equivalent), preferred.

Work Experience

• 8–10 years of experience in legal documentation.
• Minimum 4 years in the Islamic banking and finance industry.
• Prior experience leading or supervising a team, preferred.

Technical Skills

• Drafting and reviewing legal documents from a Sharia and legal perspective.
• Strong knowledge of Islamic modes of finance (e.g., Murabaha, Ijarah, Musharaka, Mudaraba, Wakala, Sukuk).
• Sound understanding of Sharia principles of Islamic finance and Sharia compliance.
• Knowledge of Islamic banking regulations, standards and guidelines (e.g., Central Bank / Higher Sharia Authority, AAOIFI).
• Regulatory and compliance knowledge relevant to banking.
• Banking products, services and operations knowledge.
• Advisory and support skills for Sharia transactions and clients.
• Budgeting and planning.
• Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken), preferred.

Leadership Skills

• Develop talent and engage people: mentor, coach and train team members.
• Navigate and lead the way: set direction, manage workflow and meet targets.
• Make sound decisions on complex matters.

Behavioral Skills

• Act with ownership: accountable for quality and outcomes.
• Empower to decide: confident, independent judgment.
• Engage the customer: responsive and service-oriented.
• Maintain transparency and communicate clearly.
• Share knowledge and work as one team.