Fraud Operations Leader

Vanguard•Charlotte, NC

34d

About The Position

The Fraud Operations leader will play a foundational role in building and leading the organization's fraud operations capability as it transitions from a reactive model to a proactive, prevention-driven operating framework. This role is responsible for transforming the existing fraud alert servicing and client-call experience into a scalable, technology-enabled, and analytically informed operations function that aligns with industry best practices across leading financial institutions. This position requires a blend of operational leadership, process design, technology enablement, and people management skills- ideal for a leader who thrives in an evolving environment and can architect "what good looks like" for fraud operations. Global Risk and Security (GR&S) at Vanguard enables business strategy, protects client and Vanguard interests (e.g. assets and data), and stewards a strong risk culture. Our teams leverage enterprise-wide insights, deep expertise, and trusted advice so that across Vanguard leaders and crew drive faster, stronger, risk-informed decisions. Within GR&S, the Enterprise Security and Fraud (ES&F) sub-division is responsible for the global protection of Vanguard crew, property, data, and client assets. We are the trusted advisors that protect the pride of Vanguard with state-of-the-art security and fraud capabilities. We are a world-class destination of highly engaged, passionate, and diverse talent expected to continuously learn and develop in an ever-changing security landscape. Our crew are our greatest resource - by joining our team you will build collaborative long-term relationships and enjoy a suite of benefits that includes comprehensive health and wellness care, work-life balance, and an investment in your future at its core.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, Risk Management, Operations, or related field.
8+ years of experience in fraud operations, preferably within retail banking, payments, or fintech.
Proven experience in building or transforming fraud operations functions.
Deep understanding of fraud types (new accounts, account take over - ACH, wire, check, debit, digital), client authentication, and case management workflows.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams through operational change and technology adoption.
Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and control environments.

Responsibilities

Fraud Operations Design & Transformation
Lead the design and build out of an end-to-end fraud operations model covering prevention/detection alert servicing, investigations, client communication, and recovery processes.
Define operating model blueprints - including team structure, workflow segmentation (e.g. by fraud typology or by payment type such as ACH, wire, check, digital vs non-digital), and performance metrics.
Introduce call-handling frameworks, fraud escalation procedures, and client experience standards aligned to regulatory and customer-centric expectations.
Collaborate with fraud strategy and technology teams to operationalize new controls, alerts, and authentication layers.
People Leadership & Capability Building
Recruit, train, and lead a team of fraud analysts, investigators, and team leads with a focus on analytical thinking, client empathy, and operational excellence.
Develop a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration.
Create training and certification programs for fraud operations staff to ensure readiness for new tools and evolving typologies.
Tooling & Process Optimization
Partner with technology, data, and fraud strategy teams to select, test, and implement core fraud-management tools in operations (e.g., case management, CRM integration, call authentication solutions).
Redesign legacy processes and manual touchpoints into streamlined, automated, and well-controlled workflows.
Define functional requirements for tooling enhancements and integrations with upstream (detection) and downstream (servicing, client outreach) systems.
Risk Management & Controls
Implement control frameworks for case handling, customer verification, loss prevention, and escalation management.
Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements as applicable (FINRA, Reg, AML/Fraud overlap) and internal audit standards.
Partner with risk/compliance to define thresholds, decisioning authority, and documentation standards.
Client Experience & Communication
Partner with Vanguard client experience teams to design a fraud operations servicing experience that balances security and client satisfaction.
Establish SLAs and KPIs around response times, fraud alert decision quality, Average case handle time etc.
Cross-Functional Partnership
Work closely with fraud prevention, product, and client facing operations teams to support new product launches and digital features.
Collaborate with finance, and other internal functions to track and report fraud losses and recovery performance.