Trade Finance Manager - Operations
Posted date [2026-05-28]
(ID: 45705)
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As the largest bank in the UAE, FAB has taken decisive steps as a regional pacesetter in the financial industry to bind both ambition and action together to accelerate the pace of positive environmental change. As the first bank in the MENA region to have committed to a target of net-zero emissions by 2050, we're making advances across our own operations in addition to walking alongside our clients as their strategic partner to ensure they can achieve their climate goals.... |
Job Description and Requirements
Trade Finance Manager - OperationsJob Snapshot
* Role: Trade Finance Manager - Operations
* Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
* Industry: Banking
* Function: Import-Export Administration
* Experience: 5-8 years
* Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
Trade Finance Manager - Operations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates is a Banking trade operations role focused on processing, checking, verifying, authorizing, and controlling trade finance transactions across Wholesale Banking, Islamic Banking, Financial Institutions, and Consumer Banking channels. This opportunity is suited for an experienced trade finance professional with strong knowledge of ICC rules, UCP600, URC522, ISBP, URDG758, URR725, Incoterms 2020, SWIFT, sanctions compliance, operational risk controls, and transaction processing standards.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi
Industry: Banking
Function: Import-Export Administration
Salary: 18000-28000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Trade Finance Manager - Operations will support FAB Centralized Operations within the Business Support Group by ensuring trade finance transactions are processed in a controlled, accurate, compliant, and timely manner. The role supports transactions originated primarily by Wholesale Banking, including Corporate and Investment Banking, Commercial Banking, Financial Institutions, Investment Banking, Islamic Banking, and Consumer Banking.
This position is responsible for maintaining high standards of operational control, risk oversight, customer turnaround time, SLA adherence, sanctions compliance, transaction authorization, records custody, and process improvement. The successful candidate will support daily trade operations while helping reduce operational losses, improve processing quality, strengthen controls, and maintain satisfactory audit outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
* Process, check, verify, and authorize trade finance transactions according to the approved authority matrix.
* Ensure trade finance transactions are handled accurately, efficiently, and in a controlled manner.
* Support trade transactions originated through Wholesale Banking, Islamic Banking, Financial Institutions, and Consumer Banking.
* Provide inputs and implement policies, systems, and procedures for assigned trade operations activities.
* Ensure procedural, legislative, compliance, and quality requirements are fulfilled while delivering cost-effective service.
* Maintain zero operational loss through strong controls, accurate processing, and timely escalation.
* Ensure adherence to service level agreements and customer turnaround time standards.
* Update transactions in relevant systems within required timelines.
* Attend incoming messages within SLA and support system upgrades or technical assistance for team members.
* Liaise with customers, counterparties, and other banks to respond to trade finance queries and resolve issues.
* Handle routine correspondence with customers, internal contacts, external stakeholders, and counterparties.
* Identify operational risks in daily activities and bring them to management attention.
* Escalate unusual transactions and support review of high-risk or exceptional cases.
* Monitor compliance with regulatory guidelines, local and international sanctions, AML rules, Central Bank requirements, and internal policies.
* Ensure unusual transactions are reported to the appropriate escalation levels.
* Conduct investigations to rectify errors and strengthen controls.
* Review and revise SOPs in line with industry developments, audit requirements, and operational needs.
* Recommend and implement changes in policies, procedures, processes, and systems where required.
* Develop and introduce tools and process improvements to identify and mitigate operational risks within the department.
* Prepare sectional statements, statistical data, operational reports, and relationship updates accurately and on time.
* Maintain safe custody of records in line with designation memo and bank requirements.
* Support departmental initiatives, projects, system development, and process improvement activities.
* Provide technical guidance to customers and internal teams when needed.
* Support the line manager in employee satisfaction, staff coaching, performance monitoring, and remedial training.
* Help ensure staff adhere to FAB Standard Operating Procedures, training requirements, and operational standards.
* Support multi-desk and multi-function activities within the Trade Finance department.
* Work toward zero complaints, strong TAT adherence, high internal customer satisfaction, and satisfactory audit ratings.
* Maintain clean housekeeping across reconciliations, tracers, DCFCL, records, and control checks.
* Contribute useful process improvement proposals and support successful implementation.
Ideal Profile
* Graduate qualification, preferably in Commerce, Financial Services, Banking and Finance, or a related discipline.
* CDCS, CSDG, or CITF certification is preferred.
* Minimum 5-8 years of experience in Trade Finance with hands-on exposure to all trade finance products.
* Strong practical experience with core banking solutions.
* Specialized knowledge in own trade finance area with working knowledge of all trade products.
* Thorough understanding of ICC rules, local laws, legal risks, trade documentation, and shipping terms.
* Extensive knowledge of UCP600, URC522, ISBP, URDG758, URR725, Incoterms 2020, and ICC Banking Commission opinions.
* Working knowledge of associated activities such as IMB, insurance business, SWIFT, and related trade operations.
* Good understanding of AML, sanctions screening, Central Bank guidelines, operational risk, audit controls, and compliance requirements.
* Ability to process and authorize trade transactions accurately under time-sensitive conditions.
* Strong knowledge of MS Office and analytical tools.
* Good communication skills for dealing with customers, counterparties, internal teams, and other banks.
* Detail-oriented, control-focused, service-driven, and able to manage transaction volumes without compromising quality.
* Able to support staff guidance, operational improvement, audit readiness, and customer service standards.
Skills Set
* Trade finance operations
* Trade transaction processing
* Funded trade products
* Unfunded trade products
* Import finance
* Export finance
* Trade documentation
* Transaction checking
* Transaction verification
* Transaction authorization
* UCP600
* URC522
* ISBP
* URDG758
* URR725
* Incoterms 2020
* ICC rules
* ICC Banking Commission opinions
* SWIFT
* Core banking solutions
* AML compliance
* Sanctions compliance
* Central Bank guidelines
* Operational risk control
* SLA management
* Customer turnaround time
* SOP review
* Trade finance reporting
* Reconciliation control
* Records custody
* Process improvement
* Audit readiness
* Customer query resolution
* Counterparty coordination
* Team coaching
Why Join Us
This role offers strong exposure to trade finance operations within a leading Banking institution in Abu Dhabi. It provides the opportunity to work across high-value trade transactions, strengthen operational controls, support regulatory compliance, and contribute to service quality across multiple banking business lines.
The position is ideal for a trade finance professional who wants to grow in transaction processing leadership, import-export banking, compliance-focused operations, risk control, and process improvement within a major regional financial institution.
About the Company
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is one of the UAE’s leading financial institutions, offering a wide range of Banking services across corporate, investment, retail, private banking, and global markets. FAB supports clients through advanced transaction banking solutions, strong governance, reliable operations, and customer-focused financial services across the UAE and wider region.
