Business Risk Manager

Our client, a leading global bank, is seeking a Business Risk Manager to join their first line of defence, reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer. This role will collaborate closely with senior stakeholders across multiple business functions to identify, manage, and mitigate risk.

Key responsibilities include embedding effective controls and fostering a strong risk culture across the organisation.

About the Role

• The position requires significant experience in senior first-line business risk, operational risk, or control roles, ideally within financial services or another highly regulated environment.
• Candidates must have hands-on experience leading Risk & Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs), control assurance, and issues management across a business area or function.
• Thorough experience in an emerging markets banking environment and a previous role at a small to medium-sized UK-regulated bank is mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior business leaders across Operations, IT, Cyber Security, Data, Payments, Trade Finance, Facilities, and Client Services to embed a strong first-line risk culture and uphold effective risk ownership.
• Lead Risk & Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs) to ensure operational risks, controls, and mitigation plans are identified, documented, and maintained in alignment with the Bank’s Risk Management Framework.
• Drive operational resilience and incident management, overseeing risk events, root cause analysis, and regulatory compliance across critical business services.
• Provide proactive risk advice on technology, outsourcing, change initiatives, and new products to ensure risks are identified early and managed effectively throughout delivery.
• Deliver meaningful risk insights through key risk indicators (KRIs), executive reporting, and stakeholder engagement, collaborating closely with Risk, Compliance, and Internal Audit to reinforce governance and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the continuous enhancement of first-line risk management tools and processes.
• Offer practical risk advice and constructive challenge to facilitate risk-informed decision-making. This includes strategic assessment of change initiatives, new product development, outsourcing arrangements, technology projects, and process re-engineering, ensuring risks are tackled from the design stage.
• Apply deep expertise in first-line operational risk management within a UK-regulated financial services environment. The ability to embed effective risk practices across complex, diverse business areas concurrently is critical.
• Understand FCA/PRA expectations, including SYSC, Operational Resilience (SS1/21 and PS6/21), Outsourcing (SS2/21), ICT and cyber risk expectations, and SMCR Conduct Rules.
• Apparent ability to interpret and apply risk appetite, frameworks, and policies to both strategic and operational decision-making.
• Demonstrate credibility in advising and constructively challenging senior stakeholders while ensuring alignment between risk management and commercial objectives.