Northam Enterprise and Operational Risk Lead

Wise•Austin, TX

3d•$197,500 - $282,500

About The Position

Wise is seeking a Risk Lead to manage its Northam Enterprise and Operational Risk Management team and drive the implementation and day-to-day management of enterprise and operational risk frameworks across its US and Canada entities. The role leads control mapping, control monitoring, risk appetite statements, key risk indicators (KRIs), and issue management, while promoting proactive self-identification and accountability for remediation. It also partners with Product Managers to identify product risks and develop scalable controls that support safe, timely product launches. The role manages and mentors four risk management professionals and works with senior stakeholders across Product, Engineering, Operations, Banking, and Compliance. It oversees risk assessments, controls, incidents, remediation, and regional risk reporting, helping embed a proactive risk culture throughout Wise.

Requirements

Experience managing, coaching, and mentoring a team.
Experience in financial services, banking, or fintech.
Keen interest in and proven experience with payment services, operational controls, and reporting.
Working knowledge of the OCC regulatory regime relating to enterprise and operational risk management.
Experience in enterprise and operational risk management, risk and control self-assessments, and risk reporting.
Ability to understand complex operational processes in depth and identify risks and controls.
Experience designing and implementing control monitoring, risk appetite statements, and KRIs.
Comfort with AI, data analysis, and data-driven problem-solving and solutioning.
Experience with new product risk assessments and operational risk event analysis, and finding innovative ways to work.
Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and analytical skills to navigate complex situations and make data-driven decisions.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including drafting concise executive-style narratives for risk committees and board reporting.
Curiosity, collaboration, and the ability to ask incisive questions, learn quickly, and act on findings.

Nice To Haves

Regulatory remediation experience.
Understanding of Federal Reserve Bank payment rails and scheme rules.
SQL, Looker, or Superset experience.
Experience with payment products, ACH payment rails, and payment operations.

Responsibilities

Manage, coach, and mentor a team of four risk management professionals.
Partner with and influence senior regional stakeholders across Product, Engineering, Operations, Banking, and Compliance to embed the risk function and risk management program.
Lead implementation and ongoing management of Enterprise and Operational Risk Management frameworks across the US and Canada entities, including regulatory compliance, risk and control self-assessments, and issue management.
Conduct in-depth reviews of material processes to identify risks and map controls; help design scalable controls and a control monitoring and testing program.
Lead development and implementation of risk appetite statements, risk tolerance thresholds, and key risk indicators; work with data analysts and Product Managers to create monitoring dashboards.
Support first-line teams in documenting, solutioning, and prioritising control gaps.
Oversee issue remediation, including regulatory remediation; use AuditBoard to support risk-focused prioritisation, validate issue closure, and advise on risk acceptance where appropriate.
Analyse incidents and produce actionable insights.
Partner with first-line teams to support new product launches by identifying and mitigating key risks and balancing pre-launch and post-launch checks.
Coordinate quarterly residual risk assessments across the risk taxonomy, including loss and incident reporting, to inform regional risk profiles for local and global risk committees and local boards.
Promote and help embed a proactive risk culture, making risk meaningful and relevant throughout Wise.