Remote Head of Operational Risk

Summary

Join us in our mission to empower small businesses and help them save time and money as the Head of Operational Risk.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience in Operational Risk
• Experience in a technology company and regulated financial services
• Experience implementing Operational Resilience / DORA in your organisation
• A strong understanding of operational risks in a fast-growing, global technology company
• Second line of defence (2LOD) experience, including setting risk appetite, policies, and conducting oversight
• In-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements related to operational risk, including operational resilience frameworks where applicable
• An understanding of regulatory expectations for operational risk management in the markets where we operate, particularly the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and ideally also Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and European regulators

Responsibilities

• Implement, and continuously refine the operational risk management framework, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and regulatory requirements
• Lead efforts to embed operational resilience across the organisation, ensuring critical business services can withstand and recover from disruptions, with a focus on regulatory compliance and industry standards
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments, including product risk assessments, focusing on aspects such as technology, third-party dependencies, and develop actionable mitigation strategies
• Oversee incident response protocols, ensuring timely resolution, root cause analysis, and the implementation of preventive measures to enhance operational resilience
• Collaborate closely with engineering, Corporate IT and Information Security teams to manage risks associated with IT infrastructure, software development, and third-party technology providers
• Ensure operational risk practices meet regulatory expectations and prepare detailed reports and presentations for regulatory bodies and senior management
• Lead the evaluation and monitoring of third-party providers (vendors), ensuring their operational practices align with the organisation's risk tolerance and compliance requirements
• Enhance and regularly test business continuity and disaster recovery plans to minimise the impact of operational disruptions on critical business functions
• Collaborate with product, engineering, and compliance teams to integrate risk management practices into the product development lifecycle, ensuring proactive risk identification and mitigation
• Develop and deliver operational risk and resilience training programmes to employees, fostering a culture of risk awareness and proactive management
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the operational risk function by leveraging emerging technologies and methodologies (e.g., AI, machine learning) to enhance risk identification, assessment, and mitigation processes
• Form and lead the Operational Risk Working Group, reporting to the Risk & Compliance Committee, and preparing reports for the board
• Establish, expand, and monitor Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and risk appetite for operational risk
• Manage our wind-down and exit plans with key product partners
• Oversee reconciliation and safeguarding processes
• Provide guidance and 2LOD oversight to the People and Culture team on employee screening

Benefits

• A competitive salary
• Share options
• Flexible working options
• 25 days holiday with the option to take 5 extra days of unpaid leave per year
• 3 days paid volunteering or L&D time off per year
• Personal L&D budget of £1,000 professional L&D budget per year
• Group Life Insurance, Vitality Health and Dental Insurance
• Spacious brand-new office by Old Street station, in London, with an all-day snacks bar
• Enhanced family-friendly leave
• Access to a global mental wellbeing platform that provides 1:1 video therapy sessions with accredited therapists and unlimited chat therapy sessions
• Work from home budget
• Team socials - virtual and physical events
• Sabbatical leave