Consumer Banking Business Unit Risk Officer

WSFS Bank

About The Position

The Business Unit Risk Officer at WSFS Bank is a dedicated risk leader embedded within the Consumer Banking Division. This role is crucial for promoting a strong risk culture and integrating effective risk management practices throughout Consumer Banking operations. The incumbent will act as a subject matter expert within the Consumer Bank and a primary contact for the Risk Division (ERM, Compliance, etc.) and Internal Audit. Key responsibilities include ensuring timely identification, assessment, escalation, and remediation of all applicable risk categories (Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Price/Market, Operational, Compliance, Strategic, Reputational, and emerging risks) in accordance with Risk Division policies. The role involves owning risk management responsibilities and deliverables for the Consumer Banking division, collaborating with senior leadership to ensure timely and accurate completion. This position is essential for fostering risk-informed decision-making, aligning business initiatives with the organization’s risk appetite, and fulfilling regulatory and internal expectations. WSFS Bank emphasizes an inclusive and supportive culture, competitive salaries, and advancement opportunities, consistently being recognized as a Top Workplace.

Requirements

Must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a business-related field.
Must have a minimum 7-10 years of relevant experience in financial services (risk management, compliance risk management, or internal audit are acceptable).
Must have analytical skills and an eye for detail.
Must have strong oral and written communication skills.
Knowledge and awareness of Division business unit functions, key processes, systems, and products and services.
Knowledge of Division risk management functions and strategies in a financial services environment.
Must stay up to date and knowledgeable on ERM and ORM Policy/Program, practices, and current and emerging Division internal and external risks to the organization.
Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations impacting the Division.
Knowledge of financial services, banking products and operations, key processes, controls, and exposure.
Knowledge and experience working within the three lines of defense risk management framework.
Ability to think critically/independently and communicate effectively.
Ability to work with others effectively and collaboratively at all levels in the organization.

Nice To Haves

MBA, graduate degree in business, or professional certification a plus.

Responsibilities

Act as the Consumer Bank’s primary contact for all risk matters and ensure alignment between front-line activities and risk management expectations.
Build and successfully manage relationships with key stakeholders and senior leadership within the Consumer Bank to maintain knowledge and awareness of departmental operations, risk management developments, and new/changes to processes, products, services, and initiatives.
Periodically meet with business unit ELT and senior leaders to complete and review risk monitoring activities (quarterly risk assessments) and other risk management deliverables as needed.
Identify and escalate business risk related issues and ensure issues self-identified by others in the Consumer Bank are timely, properly escalated and reported through the appropriate business unit channels (e.g. self-identification process, ERM, management committees, SOX 302 certifications, etc.)
Identify and escalate control failures, breaches or suspicious activity in accordance with established procedures.
Recommend updates to business policies, procedures and/or practices, consistent with established or identified risk protocols.
Support timely remediation and track corrective action plans to closure.
Develop and manage Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) against established thresholds/risk limits to ensure compliance with risk appetite on a quarterly basis.
Investigate threshold breaches and create a formal action plan to remediate breaches.
Own Risk and Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) process by creating and validating process flow(s) that document the process, identifies controls, and control gaps.
Partner with applicable stakeholder(s) to address issues or recommendations based on RCSA output.
Proactively identify opportunities to strengthen risk controls and improve operational processes.
Identify and escalate instances of emerging risks to Consumer Banking leadership and ERM partners for consideration and discussion.
Participate in the annual review/evaluation of risk appetite(s) applicable to the Consumer Bank.
Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure the risk appetite(s) accurately reflect the organization’s willingness to take on specific risk(s).
Report monthly Operational Risk Event activity by reviewing provided general ledger activity and engaging stakeholders throughout assigned business unit(s).
Document associated lessons learned around circumstances and root cause(s) to ensure events are properly understood and remediate.
Provide updates on ongoing remediation efforts.
Review action plans and remediation evidence for business issues (Audit, Regulatory, Compliance, Operational, or self-identified issues) for adequacy prior to business submission as complete for validation testing.
Serve as a visible risk leader within the Consumer Banking Division, ensuring fellow Associates understand their risk responsibilities and they are completed timely (including Third Party Risk Management, Model Risk Management, etc. deliverables).
Promote a culture of risk awareness and compliance including ERM and Operational Risk Management (ORM) policies/programs, processes, and best practices.
Serve as a formal member of and actively engage in Risk Council meetings with fellow Business Unit Risk Officers and Risk partners.
Responsible for presentation of KRIs, risk assessment summary, and associated action plans for remediation to the Management Risk Committee (MRC).