Executive Director, Risk Management - Life Insurance

USAA•San Antonio, TX

10d•$169,880 - $305,780•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting directly to the VP and Chief Risk Officer of USAA Life Insurance Company (LifeCo), the Executive Director, Risk Management will lead several of the organization's most strategic risk functions, serving as a key member of the LifeCo Risk Leadership Team and helping define a modern, business-aligned risk management framework that supports innovation while ensuring the safety and soundness of the Life Insurance business. The Executive Director will provide leadership across Risk Programs, Operational Risk Management, and Model Risk Management, while also overseeing an emerging and highly visible Data & AI Risk function. As LifeCo expands its use of advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and enterprise data capabilities, this leader will play a critical role in establishing practical, appropriately calibrated governance for AI models, data quality, and emerging technology risks. Working closely with first-line business leaders, the Executive Director will help determine where controls should be strengthened, where processes can be simplified, and how risk oversight can enable responsible innovation without impeding business objectives. A central mandate of the position will be simplifying and tailoring the LifeCo risk framework. The Executive Director will help modernize and streamline risk programs, operational risk processes, and model risk governance to create a more efficient, scalable, and sustainable operating model. This individual will possess the judgment to distinguish between minimum viable controls and best-in-class practices, ensuring that governance remains rigorous while appropriately sized for the organization's risk profile, strategic objectives, and pace of innovation. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of risk management for USAA's Life Insurance Company during a period of significant growth, transformation, and modernization. This role is ideally suited for a seasoned life insurance risk executive who combines deep Life Insurance expertise with experience across operational risk, model risk management, enterprise risk management, data governance, and regulatory oversight. The Executive Director will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, influence enterprise-wide priorities, and help establish USAA's long-term approach to AI governance, data quality oversight, and risk management modernization within the Life Insurance business. In doing so, this leader will have the opportunity to build and mature critical capabilities, develop high-performing teams, and leave a lasting impact on the future direction of risk management across LifeCo.

Requirements

Bachelors degree, or 4 years of relevant education and/or experience.
10 or more years of related business/risk experience developing strategies, managing major initiatives and delivering results in a large financial institution or professional business services environment.
4 years of people leadership experience in building, managing and/or developing high-performing teams.
Experience implementing an enterprise-wide risk management program that adheres to regulatory requirements and expectations.
Significant knowledge of risk frameworks including risk governance; risk appetite; process, risk and control analysis; control effectiveness measurement; risk management coverage plan (monitoring, assessment and testing).
Demonstrated ability to influence at senior levels within an organization.
Proven capability to communicate effectively across the 1st and 2nd Lines of Defense and build collaborative relationships.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex analyses to a non-technical audience.
Strong problem-solving, critical thinking and analytical skills.
Deep knowledge of the life insurance regulatory environment, including state insurance regulations, NAIC risk management and solvency frameworks (including ORSA), statutory accounting principles, capital and reserve requirements, model risk governance, product and underwriting risk oversight, third-party risk management, operational resilience, and applicable federal laws, regulations, and supervisory guidance impacting life insurance carriers and their affiliated financial services operations.

Nice To Haves

Deep Life Insurance risk management expertise with a proven track record overseeing complex risk frameworks within a life insurer. Strong understanding of the industry's unique risk profile, including product, actuarial, capital, reserve, investment, liquidity, operational, and regulatory risks, coupled with the ability to balance business growth, customer outcomes, and prudent risk-taking.
Significant leadership experience across both Operational Risk Management and Model Risk Management, including the design, enhancement, and oversight of risk governance frameworks, risk assessments, control environments, model inventories, validation programs, and monitoring processes that strengthen oversight while remaining practical and business-focused.
Demonstrated experience governing emerging technologies, advanced analytics, data quality, and artificial intelligence risks. Strong understanding of the opportunities and risks associated with AI-enabled business capabilities, along with the ability to establish appropriately calibrated governance, testing, monitoring, and oversight frameworks that support innovation while maintaining effective risk management.
Track record of modernizing, simplifying, and transforming risk management programs by reducing unnecessary complexity, improving operating efficiency, and tailoring governance requirements to an organization's risk profile. Ability to distinguish between minimum viable controls and best-in-class practices while implementing solutions that are both effective and scalable.
Strategic leadership and executive influence skills with the ability to translate complex risk concepts into actionable business insights, effectively challenge senior stakeholders, drive alignment across first- and second-line organizations, and enable sound risk-informed decision-making in a rapidly evolving business and regulatory environment.

Responsibilities

Engage in senior leaders' strategy discussions, real-time evaluations of risks, and effective challenge to ensure safety and soundness of the business and accomplishment of objectives.
Establish a best-in-class Risk Management framework to ensure comprehensive oversight and management of risks across the full risk taxonomy.
Ensure the risk aligns within appetites tolerances and strategic goals, product plans, forecasts, and adjusts to variances.
Lead a team of employees dedicated to managing risk in alignment with a strong effective risk governance and oversight.
Set the agenda, build diverse high-performing teams, and sell the vision.
Ensure training and coaching of employees and provides the team with development opportunities.
Maintain a long-term view of how risk systems should be adapted and integrated to maximize the ability to manage risk in an environment shaped by regulatory change and disruptive, emerging technologies.
Ensure effective and appropriate policies, procedures, and controls are in place supporting all risk processes, systems, strategies, and implementations.
Establish trust and rapport with senior business leaders to sustain oversight of the second line risk role.
Partner with the senior risk executives in managing overall risk appetite to include the identification and definition of key methods, metrics, and limits.
Partner across Risk Management, Finance, and the business while effectively challenging variances to plan and strategies to mitigate.
Provide advice to other key business partners and drive key decisions assessing risk and reward through effective challenge.
Actively engage line of business leaders to ensure all risks are appropriately addressed consistent with policy and the Risk Appetite.
Liaise with Compliance and CLO on legal & regulatory considerations that impact business operations and product offerings in accordance with federal and state regulations.
Liaise with Compliance and CLO to influence sound governance structure for oversight of risks and business operations.