Director, Risk

Alkami Technology•Bentonville, AR

1d•$151,000 - $189,000•Remote

About The Position

Alkami is seeking to hire a Director of Risk to lead and mature the technology risk management program, which includes but is not limited to AI governance as a core area of responsibility. This role will maintain risk governance practices; facilitate risk identification, assessment, mitigation, monitoring, and reporting; evaluate the effectiveness of controls; and partner with risk owners, and cross-functional teams to manage risk within Alkami’s risk appetite. The Director will bring sufficient experience in managing a standard risk assessment program and have technical fluency in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and generative AI to effectively address emerging technology risks. The Director will continue to drive evolution of AI governance practices to ensure expectations are timely translated into practical policies, standards, controls, review processes, and product or platform requirements. The role may also support the Chief Compliance Officer and overall Compliance function, as needed, with business continuity and disaster recovery governance, regulatory management, compliance advisory matters and incidents, and related cross-functional initiatives. These support responsibilities are secondary to the role’s core risk management and AI governance accountabilities and do not constitute primary ownership unless otherwise assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required, master’s preferred, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
15+ years of progressive experience in risk management, internal audit, compliance, IT audit/security risk, or related control functions, including at least 5 years leading risk, control, compliance, or governance programs.
Working knowledge of risk and control frameworks, standards, and regulatory expectations such as NIST, SCF, ISO, COSO, COBIT, FFIEC, FDIC, NCUA, CFPB, OCC, GLBA, SOC, PCI DSS, and other applicable financial services requirements.
Knowledgeable of IT security and privacy risk principles, technology controls, and emerging-technology risk.
Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or overseeing AI governance, AI risk management, or responsible-AI practices, with technical fluency in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and generative AI.
Experience translating regulatory, risk, privacy, security, or control requirements into practical business, product, technology, platform, or process requirements.
10+ years experience in the banking, financial services, FinTech, or a regulated technology environment.

Nice To Haves

One or more of the following certifications preferred, such as CRCM, CIA, CPA, CISA, CRMA, CRISC, CISSP, CISM, CBCP, CGRC, or an AI governance/ responsible-AI certification such as IAPP AIGP or equivalent. Other GRC, ISC2, ISACA, or comparable credentials are also a plus.
Strategic and pragmatic risk leader with sound judgment, appropriate independence, strong follow-through, and a practical approach to balancing risk with business objectives.
Ability to lead and facilitate risk and control discussions, challenge assumptions constructively, clarify accountability, and drive timely decisions and remediations.
Ability to serve as a lead reviewer and subject matter expert in applicable enterprise, technology, information security, privacy, and emerging-technology risk, including AI/ML and generative-AI risks.
Ability to translate AI governance principles and regulatory expectations into practical policies, controls, review processes, and operational practices.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing concise, defensible materials for executive, board, audit, client, or regulatory audiences.
Experience using GRC or related risk management tools, including Optro/AuditBoard or comparable platforms.

Responsibilities

Lead and mature Alkami’s enterprise and technology risk management program, including risk identification, assessment, mitigation, acceptance, monitoring, reporting, and escalation.
Provide strategic direction for risk frameworks, methodologies, metrics, and reporting.
Apply recognized frameworks and standards such as ISO, COSO, NIST, COBIT, and applicable financial services requirements.
Identify and monitor key risks against Alkami’s approved risk appetite and support the IT risk assessment, including threat identification and analysis.
Develop and maintain IT risk and control assessments; identify, document, evaluate, and rate risks and controls, and partner with risk owners to assess control design and effectiveness.
Analyze risk ratings and control decisions, including mitigation, remediation, risk acceptance and avoidance; review monitoring and testing results and report on the adequacy and effectiveness of the risk and control environment.
Promote risk awareness, accountability and responsibility throughout Alkami.
Lead the governance lifecycle for AI, machine learning, and generative-AI use cases, including intake, risk classification, assessment, controls, monitoring, issue management, and reporting.
Evolve AI governance documentation to ensure practical policies, standards, review criteria, and control requirements.
Evaluate AI-related risks across data, privacy, information security, system behavior, third party providers, regulatory obligations, and client/customer impact.