Chief Risk Officer
MERJE are delighted to be supporting a member owned, niche lending business with a loyal regional customer base and a business that has thrived in Yorkshire for well over 100 years as they look to appoint a Chief Risk Officer.
Reporting to the Chief Executive and Chair of the Risk Committee, you will lead the risk and compliance team and be responsible for the oversight and maintenance of the risk management framework, compliance oversight, financial crime and data protection holding SMF 4, 16 and 17. The business operate a very flexible hybrid working policy with 2 days required in the office per week.
Key deliverables of the role:
- Responsibility to shape, communicate and deliver an appropriate and effective risk and compliance management framework.
- Oversee the identification, assessment, monitoring and reporting of all material risks.
- Maintain a robust independent second line of defence and secure effective third line of defence arrangements, aligned to the key risks of the organisation, providing effective challenge to management where appropriate.
- Key Primary risk categories are strategic, credit, conduct, operational (inc. Technology and people), financial and legal/regulatory.
- Support the Chair of Risk in delivering an effective quarterly Board Risk Committee, ensuring clear, concise reporting and management information focussed on key risk areas, to enable effective decision making.
- Overall responsibility for the firm’s policies and procedures for countering the risk that the firm might be used to further financial crime, including Money Laundering.
- Oversee and manage the annual compliance and risk review workplan, agreed with the Risk Committee.
- Chair of the Executive Risk and Executive Retail Credit Risk Committees.
- Lead, motivate and develop the risk and compliance team.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Significant experience within risk, compliance, audit or governance functions in financial services, preferably savings, mortgages and / or lending.
- Previous SMF experience desirable.
- Strong understanding of the regulatory framework applicable to banks, building societies or other regulated deposit-taking institutions.
- Strong knowledge of prudential, conduct and financial crime regulation.
- Experience engaging with Boards, senior executives and regulators
- Proven track record in designing and implementing risk management strategies, policies, and frameworks.
- In-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements and best practices related to risk management in the financial sector (mortgage lending and retail savings being key).