Lead BRC Risk Advisor

KeyBank • Cleveland, OH

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead BRC Risk Advisor is a first-line risk partner embedded within the Commercial Bank, supporting business leaders and peers across Commercial Banking. The role helps identify, assess, and manage risk; strengthen the control environment; and translate enterprise risk requirements into practical solutions for Commercial Bank processes, products, and client activities.

The advisor leads and project manages cross-functional risk efforts, including issues and remediation, control design and enhancement, risk assessments, regulatory and audit support, and stakeholder reporting. The role coordinates business, 1LOD, 2LOD, and other partners to drive timely decisions, clear accountability, sustainable remediation, and transparent updates to leadership.

The position is based in Cleveland, Ohio or Buffalo, New York preferred. Candidates residing within KeyBank’s geographic footprint are expected to work onsite three days per week at the nearest non-branch KeyBank office. Candidates outside the footprint may work fully remotely.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent experience required.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in risk management, controls, compliance, audit, project management, or Commercial Banking.
• Strong knowledge of first-line risk management and the Commercial Bank environment, including lending, deposits, payments, servicing, products, and related operational processes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead issues management and remediation efforts, organize complex work, manage milestones and dependencies, and drive work through completion.
• Strong control-design and risk-assessment capabilities, including RCSA, risk identification, control evaluation, testing results, residual risk, and risk metrics.
• Effective project-management skills, including coordinating multiple stakeholders and workstreams, establishing accountability, managing timelines, and escalating barriers appropriately.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex risk topics into clear recommendations and concise updates for business leaders and risk partners.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships across business, 1LOD, 2LOD, Compliance, Legal, Audit, Operations, Product, and Technology teams.
• Strong analytical judgment and attention to detail, with the ability to identify trends, evaluate risk implications, and recommend practical, sustainable solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic Commercial Bank environment while maintaining high standards of accuracy and execution.
• Working knowledge of regulatory, audit, and compliance expectations applicable to Commercial Banking.
• Ability to connect enterprise risk requirements to Commercial Bank strategy, processes, client activities, and business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted first-line risk advisor to Commercial Bank leaders and peers, providing practical guidance on risk, controls, governance, and enterprise risk requirements.
• Lead and project manage issues and remediation from identification through closure, including root-cause analysis, remediation-plan development, milestones, stakeholder coordination, status reporting, escalation, and closure documentation.
• Draft new controls and review or enhance existing controls in accordance with RCSA and enterprise risk standards, partnering with business owners to ensure controls are practical, sustainable, and appropriately mitigate risk.
• Support Commercial Bank RCSA and risk-profile activities, including risk and control assessments, testing results, residual risk, risk metrics, emerging risks, and executive-level reporting.
• Coordinate cross-functional risk initiatives across Commercial Bank businesses, bringing together business, operations, product, 1LOD, 2LOD, Compliance, Legal, Audit, and other partners as appropriate.
• Provide regular, concise updates to business and risk stakeholders on project status, risks, decisions, dependencies, remediation progress, and items requiring escalation.
• Lead or support risk activities associated with business and process changes, products and services, regulatory requirements, and other Commercial Bank initiatives; track timelines and deliverables to keep work on schedule.
• Support internal audits, regulatory examinations, and second-line reviews by coordinating information requests, business responses, remediation, and follow-up activities.
• Monitor findings, control performance, risk metrics, and trends to identify emerging concerns and opportunities to strengthen the Commercial Bank control environment.
• Build strong relationships across the Commercial Bank and enterprise risk functions, helping peers navigate risk processes and promoting consistent, accountable risk management.
• Mentor teammates and share risk-management knowledge, tools, and practices across the team.
• Perform other duties as assigned and comply with all KeyBank policies, procedures, and standards of professional and ethical conduct.

Benefits

• Eligible for incentive compensation, which may include production, commission, and/or discretionary incentives.
• Benefits are available; the posting refers applicants to a separate benefits list for details.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior