Director, Risk Management - Life Risk

USAA•Charlotte, NC

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

USAA is seeking a Director, Risk Management to lead a high-performing team responsible for identifying, measuring, monitoring, controlling, and reporting key risks across the organization. This role serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, providing effective challenge and oversight to ensure risks are understood and managed appropriately. The position operates in a highly collaborative environment, partnering with business leaders, finance, treasury, audit, compliance, and other control functions to drive risk management initiatives, strengthen the risk and control environment, and support regulatory, audit, and rating agency engagements. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in financial services risk management, with deep expertise in areas such as market risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, asset-liability management (ALM), and balance sheet strategy. Success requires strong analytical and leadership capabilities, including experience leveraging risk analytics and data-driven insights to influence business decisions. Advanced skills in tools such as SQL, Python, Snowflake, and Tableau are expected, along with exceptional communication and executive presence. The leader will have a proven ability to build and mentor talented teams, navigate complex and matrixed organizations, resolve conflicts, and drive cross-functional outcomes that strengthen the organization's overall risk management framework. This role offers a flexible work environment requiring 4 days in the office per week and can be based in San Antonio, TX, Plano, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Charlotte, NC, or Tampa, FL. Relocation assistance is available.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Risk Management, Business, Finance, or related field; OR 4 years of relevant education and/or experience.
8 years of risk management, regulatory or operations experience in a relevant functional area to include banking, insurance, financial services, audit, project management, public accounting or other related operational area; OR advanced degree/designation in Risk Management, Business, Finance, or other discipline relevant to risk management and 6 years of work experience in a discipline relevant to risk management; OR PhD in Risk Management, Business, Finance, or other discipline relevant to risk management and 4 years of work experience in a discipline relevant to risk management.
3 years of direct team lead or management experience.
Advanced risk management experience in a complex institution and/or highly matrixed environment related to banking, insurance and/or financial services.
Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution management and ability to effectively challenge at all levels of management and influence business outcomes.
Experience leading and directing work with both internal and external partners in a highly collaborative environment.
Demonstrated critical thinking and knowledge of data analysis tools and techniques and decision-making abilities, to include demonstrated ability to effectively make data-driven decisions.
Proactively identifies potential concerns and follows-up to resolve issues.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office products including Excel and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

10+ years of experience in financial risk management, including deep expertise across market risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, asset-liability management (ALM), and balance sheet strategy within banking or financial services organizations.
Proven track record of leveraging risk analytics, data analytics, and quantitative methodologies to identify emerging risks, generate actionable insights, and support strategic business and regulatory decision-making.
Advanced proficiency in modern data and analytics platforms, including SQL, Python, Snowflake, Tableau, and related technologies, with demonstrated experience building scalable data solutions, dashboards, and risk reporting frameworks.
Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex risk, financial, and analytical concepts into clear business recommendations for senior leadership, executive committees, and board-level stakeholders.
Demonstrated people leadership and cross-functional influence, including experience leading high-performing teams, mentoring analytical talent, and driving enterprise-wide risk initiatives across finance, treasury, risk management, and business functions.
US military experience gained through military service or gained as a military spouse / domestic partner

Responsibilities

Directs staff and initiatives that support risk management programs, to include governance support, risk oversight, risk infrastructure development, identification, quantification, and aggregation of key and emerging risks and/or operational risks and controls.
Builds and manages a high performing team of risk professionals through recruitment, training, coaching, performance management and related managerial activities.
Partners with key stakeholders in the business and oversees the formulation of stress test plans, identification, assessment and documentation of risks and controls, including risks associated with new or modified products, services, distribution channels, regulations and/or third-party operations.
Challenges assumptions, risk assessments, and proposed risk mitigation strategies to ensure financial risks are appropriately identified, measured, and managed.
Directs teams in the development of risk dashboards and reporting formats in alignment with risk appetite/profile and leads teams in the identification, quantification and aggregation of risks using analytical methodologies.
Reviews, communicates and recommends the development of risk policies and procedures in partnership with senior leaders to ensure appropriateness and adequacy versus industry best practices and regulatory requirements.
Accountable for the development, implementation and oversight of risk management frameworks.
Oversees the preparation of key reports and communications and may present to governance committees, senior leaders, regulatory bodies and the USAA Board of Directors.