Business Controls Oversight, Senior Specialist

Vanguard•Malvern, PA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Issues Management leader plays a critical role in strengthening the company’s risk framework by designing, implementing, and executing the Issue Management program across multiple Personal Wealth subdivisions. This role ensures the division proactively identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks plus maintains effective internal controls. Specific Responsibilities 1. Issues Management Program Leadership Ensure Issue Management activities align with enterprise risk policies and financial‑sector regulatory guidance Establish standardized methodologies and ensure consistent adoption across first‑line teams. Develop and manage the end‑to‑end Issues Management lifecycle for the specific Personal Wealth subdivisions 2. Issue Identification, Assessment, and Remediation Develop and manage routines with business leaders to consistently open and close unmitigated risks (issues) on time with sustainable solutions Develop standards and quality routines to ensure issue rating, root cause, and action plans meet quality expectations supporting effective risk management 3. Reporting & Governance Prepare high‑quality Issue Management summaries, dashboards, performance metrics, and profiles for senior risk committees, business executives, and regulators. Provide meaningful insights and trends related to emerging risks and cross subdivision control weaknesses or concentration areas Support governance activities such as risk committee meetings, compliance reviews, and exam preparation. 4. Stakeholder Engagement Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders, risk partners, compliance, internal audit, and other risk management teams Educate front‑line and control owners on issue management requirements, regulatory expectations, and best practices. Build strong relationships across first‑line and second‑line functions to ensure a culture of risk awareness and accountability. Core Responsibilities Leads enterprise-level control initiatives across multiple business lines. Designs and implements scalable control frameworks that ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies. Provides strategic guidance on risk identification, measurement, and mitigation. Develops and refines control management programs that align with enterprise risk tolerance and business objectives. Influences divisional and enterprise-wide control strategy by identifying gaps, proposing solutions, and driving continuous improvement initiatives. Ensures alignment with industry standards and evolving regulatory expectations. Builds and maintains strategic partnerships with senior stakeholders across business, risk, compliance, and audit functions. Facilitates cross-functional collaboration to ensure consistency and effectiveness of control activities. Serves as a subject matter expert in business controls and operational risk. Provides mentorship and thought leadership to peers and junior specialists. Represents the function in enterprise forums and regulatory discussions as needed. Maintains deep knowledge of Vanguard’s business operations, regulatory landscape, and industry trends. Applies this knowledge to anticipate risks and proactively shape control strategies. Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum of ten years related work experience.
Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience.
Deep risk management expertise, control frameworks and operational risk.
Experience in line of business risk, control assurance or internal audit, ideally in a regulated financial services environment.
Strong relationship management and influencing skills across all levels of the organization.
Ability to analyze data and translate it into meaningful insights and recommendations.
Strong data literacy and ability to translate data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
Demonstrated ability to lead through complexity and ambiguity while delivering sustainable outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree preferred.
Experience with GRC platforms (e.g., Archer) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Ensure Issue Management activities align with enterprise risk policies and financial‑sector regulatory guidance
Establish standardized methodologies and ensure consistent adoption across first‑line teams.
Develop and manage the end‑to‑end Issues Management lifecycle for the specific Personal Wealth subdivisions
Develop and manage routines with business leaders to consistently open and close unmitigated risks (issues) on time with sustainable solutions
Develop standards and quality routines to ensure issue rating, root cause, and action plans meet quality expectations supporting effective risk management
Prepare high‑quality Issue Management summaries, dashboards, performance metrics, and profiles for senior risk committees, business executives, and regulators.
Provide meaningful insights and trends related to emerging risks and cross subdivision control weaknesses or concentration areas
Support governance activities such as risk committee meetings, compliance reviews, and exam preparation.
Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders, risk partners, compliance, internal audit, and other risk management teams
Educate front‑line and control owners on issue management requirements, regulatory expectations, and best practices.
Build strong relationships across first‑line and second‑line functions to ensure a culture of risk awareness and accountability.
Leads enterprise-level control initiatives across multiple business lines.
Designs and implements scalable control frameworks that ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies.
Provides strategic guidance on risk identification, measurement, and mitigation.
Develops and refines control management programs that align with enterprise risk tolerance and business objectives.
Influences divisional and enterprise-wide control strategy by identifying gaps, proposing solutions, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
Ensures alignment with industry standards and evolving regulatory expectations.
Builds and maintains strategic partnerships with senior stakeholders across business, risk, compliance, and audit functions.
Facilitates cross-functional collaboration to ensure consistency and effectiveness of control activities.
Serves as a subject matter expert in business controls and operational risk.
Provides mentorship and thought leadership to peers and junior specialists.
Represents the function in enterprise forums and regulatory discussions as needed.
Maintains deep knowledge of Vanguard’s business operations, regulatory landscape, and industry trends.
Applies this knowledge to anticipate risks and proactively shape control strategies.
Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.