Head of Enterprise RCSA Testing

Banco Santander•Dallas, RI

About The Position

The Head of Enterprise RCSA Testing is a critical leadership role within the First Line of Defense, responsible for building and overseeing a comprehensive, risk-based control testing program across Santander US. This role provides strategic direction and operational oversight for RCSA control testing across both Technology and Non-Technology business lines, ensuring alignment with Santander’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework, internal standards, and regulatory expectations. The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in control testing, strong partnership skills, and the ability to drive high-quality, consistent execution across a complex organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience: Accounting, Business, Statistics, Risk Management, Information Systems, Finance, Economics or equivalent field. - Required.
12+ Years Risk Management. - Required.
12+ Years Previous management experience. - Required.
Extensive experience in control testing, Internal Audit, RCSA, SOX, operational risk, or technology risk within a regulated financial institution.
Strong understanding of control design, evidence evaluation, sampling, and testing documentation standards.
Demonstrated expertise in both Technology and Non-Technology control environments.
Proven ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders and influence across all levels of the organization.
Experience managing teams and driving execution in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment.
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication.
Ability to lead through influence and build strong partnerships.
High attention to detail and commitment to quality.
Strong planning, prioritization, and execution skills.
Ability to manage complexity and navigate competing priorities.
Deep understanding of modern technology environments.
Cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP) and shared responsibility models
AI/ML risk management, including model governance, data lineage, bias detection, and monitoring.
Cybersecurity principles: access controls, vulnerability management, secure SDLC, threat monitoring.
Infrastructure and network controls: segmentation, disaster recovery, change management.
Data governance and data quality controls, including privacy, retention, and classification.
Third-party and SaaS technology risk, including SOC report evaluation and control testing.
Use of automation, GRC platforms, and analytics tools to enhance testing quality and efficiency.
Familiarity with major control and technology frameworks, including: NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), NIST 800-53 and 800-17, ISO 27001/27002, CIS Critical Security Controls, SOC 1/SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria, COBIT Framework, FFIEC IT Handbook and guidance.

Nice To Haves

Established work history or equivalent demonstrated through a combination of work experience, training, military service, or education.
Experience in Microsoft Office products.
Risk Certification - Preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, and execution of the enterprise-wide RCSA control testing program, including testing methodology, sampling approaches, test scripts, documentation standards, and quality assurance.
Oversee execution of control design assessments, operating effectiveness testing, and remediation validation across Technology, Operations, Corporate Functions, and Line of Business activities.
Identify control deficiencies, assess risk impacts, and present clear, evidence-based findings to business and technology leaders.
Produce high-quality reporting and insights for senior management, governance committees, and risk partners, highlighting emerging themes and control environment trends.
Partner closely with Second Line of Defense teams and Internal Audit to ensure alignment on testing expectations, issue identification, and remediation standards.
Ensure testing practices meet or exceed regulatory requirements and internal policy standards.
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing testing organization, fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.