Director of Governance Risk and Compliance📣 Job Ad

About ******* and the Role

******* is Saudi Arabia's leading event ticketing and experience booking platform, recognized for its technology and agility in serving major events across the Kingdom, with sales exceeding 2 billion. We are seeking a Director of Governance, Risk, and Compliance to establish and lead the GRC function. This full-time role, based in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, is foundational for building the necessary frameworks, processes, and culture to manage risk and ensure compliance across all operating markets.

Role Overview and Objectives

The Director will design, implement, and embed comprehensive governance, risk, compliance, policy, and internal control frameworks. This is crucial for supporting *******’s continued growth, international expansion, and transition into a more structured corporate environment. The position requires a highly experienced and hands-on individual capable of operating as an individual contributor initially, drafting policies, building risk registers, preparing board materials, setting up controls, and running compliance reviews. Over time, the Director will build and lead the GRC team as the business scales.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement the enterprise governance framework, including policies, approval authorities, decision-making protocols, committees, and reporting.
• Support the transition to a structured governance model while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Develop and maintain a company-wide policy framework and library covering operational, financial, legal, technology, data, people, and regulatory areas.
• Prepare clear, structured reporting for the Board on key risks, compliance matters, governance gaps, and mitigation plans.
• Build and own the company’s Enterprise Risk Management framework, including the enterprise risk register and assessment methodologies.
• Partner with business leaders to identify, assess, prioritize, and manage risks across functions and geographies, embedding risk management into business planning.
• Establish and manage the company’s compliance framework across all operating and future international markets.
• Identify applicable laws, regulations, licensing requirements, and contractual obligations, monitoring regulatory developments.
• Lead compliance gap assessments, develop remediation plans, and create compliance calendars and reporting mechanisms.
• Design and implement practical internal controls across key business areas, including finance, procurement, data protection, and information security.
• Oversee data privacy and protection compliance (PDPL, GDPR, and equivalent regulations).
• Provide regular GRC updates and risk reports to executive leadership and the Board.

Qualifications and Experience

• 10+ years of experience in governance, risk, compliance, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly scaling a GRC function.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks relevant to tech platforms, marketplaces, or e-commerce.
• Familiarity with data privacy regulations, including PDPL and GDPR.
• Experience operating across multiple markets, ideally within the MENA region.
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Relevant certifications are a plus (*, CISA, CRISC, CISM, ICA).
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to operate effectively in a high-growth environment.

Leadership and Work Environment

This role involves building and leading the GRC team from the ground up, acting as the internal subject matter expert on all governance, risk, and compliance matters. The Director will foster a culture of integrity, accountability, and risk awareness across the organization. The position requires a pragmatic approach to GRC, ensuring frameworks are practical, business-focused, and suitable for a fast-moving growth environment.