Director, Risk Management

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle, Paze℠, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses.

Positions located in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York follow a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

We are seeking a Technology Regulatory Risk Leader to develop and lead a strategic regulatory/audit program, including pre-exam readiness, post-exam activities, and remediation management. This role will manage the technology business engagements with financial services regulatory agencies and internal/external audit organizations. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving cross-functional collaboration to address regulatory and audit expectations. The leader will also oversee remediation efforts, ensuring timely and successful resolution to identified audit and exam findings.

Overview

The Director, Risk Management is responsible for the development, implementation and coordination of a centralized first-line of defense (LOD1) regulatory and audit management program for Early Warning’s business lines. This role is designed to ensure 1LOD regulatory and audit management risk program is implemented consistently and operating effectively across designated business line(s). The role will be required to align with the company’s Enterprise Risk Management leadership around the structure of the 3LOD (three lines of defense) Program to ensure the consistency in the implementation and operationalization across the enterprise.

Essential Functions

• Build and manage assigned business line’s centralized LOD1 regulatory and audit management function, including strategic vision and implementation plans, acting as the assigned business liaison to Enterprise Risk Management, Operational Risk Management, and Compliance in support of the company’s 3LOD program.
• Work with Compliance and other Risk functions to understand and monitor applicable regulations and requirements, assess business impact and drive appropriate projects and processes to address needed changes.
• Partner with Enterprise Risk Management in the execution of Risk and Control Self Assessments.
• Partner with Business Continuity Management on business’ participation in BC/DR tests, and own and maintain required process and technical recovery plans.
• Oversee and monitor the business-lines’ third-party relationships, including both performance and risk management.
• Assist the business-line in the design and build of process maps in alignment with Early Warning’s Process Classification Framework. Own and maintain assigned business-lines’ process inventory and internal control environment inventory. Design, maintain, and report metrics (KPIs and KRIs) demonstrating control effectiveness.
• Identify and self-report issues through the ERM Self-Identified Issue Process; individually and together with other LOD1 business-line members.
• Ensure risk remediation plans exist and are sufficient; track remediation plans to completion and ensure remediation is on-time and sustainable; ensure action plans and remediation of issues by risk owners.
• Support assigned business-line Risk Acceptance Forms (RAF) process, when applicable.
• Drive periodic executive level reporting regarding business risk management activities, working closely with assigned business-line leadership.
• Develop, in alignment with ERM’s frameworks, a 1LOD risk management governance process across the business lines to support decision making and escalation regarding risks that may be not be consistent with the business’ risk tolerance.
• Deliver education and awareness of risk ownership essentials.
• Continually monitor and update assessments of the control environment, keeping abreast of significant control issues, trends and developments. Perform internal control effectiveness test plans and procedures.
• May lead or mentor risk professionals.
• Ensure assigned business line regulatory and audit activities are conducted in accordance with ERM requirements.
• Support the company’s commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Technology, Security or other related field of specialty.
• 10 or more years of risk related experience in the financial services industry or experience within a three-lines of defense program.
• Demonstrated success leading regulatory, audit or risk functions in a 3LOD environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a complex, highly regulated environment.
• Excellent problem solver with effective change management skills.
• Working knowledge of regulatory requirements specific to the assigned business line, financial services or payments industry, where applicable. For technology specific roles, may require knowledge of technology related requirements.
• Excellent communication, organization and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to collaborate and build trust in business partners, internal/external and regulatory agencies.
• Effective influence management skills.
• Background and drug screen.

For CDO focus area:

• Knowledge and experience with model risk management and first line support for Chief Data Office.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing effective risk solutions for data management.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow instructions and perform other related duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience interacting with executive management.
• Demonstrated experience working in multiple risk disciplines including but not limited to product, regulatory and compliance, third party, reputation, competitive, etc.
• Knowledge of COSO’s Internal Control – Integrated Framework, or similar.
• Risk management, internal control, or internal audit certification(s).
• First line of defense risk management experience in a regulated financial institution.
• Proficient in writing policies and procedures.
• Direct experience as the accountable risk leader manager 1LOD regulatory and audit activities.

Physical Requirements

Working conditions consist of a normal office environment. Work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive use of a computer and involves sitting for periods of approximately four hours. Work may require occasional standing, walking, kneeling and reaching. Must be able to lift 10 pounds occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently. Requires visual acuity and dexterity to view, prepare, and manipulate documents and office equipment including personal computers. Requires the ability to communicate with internal and/or external customers.

Employee must be able to perform essential functions