Operational Risk Manager

Wise•Austin, TX

21h•$112,500 - $152,500•Hybrid

About The Position

We're looking for an Operational Risk Manager to own the day-to-day operational risk and issues management for Wise US Inc and Wise Canada. You'll be a data analyst, process coordinator, and AI-powered problem solver—gathering and synthesizing data to support quarterly Risk Committee and Board materials presented by senior risk leadership. You'll work closely with Product, Compliance, and various business teams to understand issues and risk trends to build that into board and committee-ready reporting.

Requirements

Comfortable pulling data from multiple systems and dashboards
Can synthesize disparate data sources into clear, actionable insights
Experienced with manual data gathering and identifying opportunities to automate it
Able to spot trends and ask the right follow-up questions
Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables)
2-4+ years in operational risk, risk assessments, incident or issues management, or operational controls
Understanding of operational risk fundamentals (incidents, issues, controls, risk ratings, KRIs)
Familiarity with risk frameworks and how they connect to business outcomes
Experience with risk assessments, incident management, or similar risk functions
Experience preparing materials for senior leadership or governance committees preferred
Comfortable interviewing business owners and asking clarifying questions
Can translate technical risk concepts into business language for varied audiences
Able to chase down stakeholders and coordinate across teams
Strong written communication for executive-level reporting
Must be based in Austin, TX or willing to relocate to Austin
Hybrid work arrangement with team collaboration expectations (Not 100% remote)

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated use of AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) for analysis, documentation, and automation
Comfortable learning and adapting to new GRC and risk tools
Interest in exploring AI applications for operational efficiency and reporting automation
Data-driven mindset with ability to translate complex data into clear insights
Background in fintech (payments, lending, BNPL, crypto, trading platforms), or similar financial services environment
Familiarity with Auditboard or other GRC platforms (ServiceNow, Archer, LogicGate) is a plus, but willingness to learn is more important
Deep understanding of payment ecosystems, including ACH, card networks, cross-border remittances, and the mechanics of disputes and chargeback recoveries.
Proven background managing operational risk within a high-growth fintech, payment processor, or digital-first financial services environment.
Experience overseeing the end-to-end issues management lifecycle, from initial identification through to effective remediation tracking.
Hands-on experience with risk assessment methodologies, including RCSAs, RAUs, and comprehensive process-level control mapping.
Ability to develop meaningful Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and translate complex data into executive-ready risk reporting.
Background in control testing, quality assurance (QA), or continuous monitoring to ensure operational resilience.
Proficiency in AuditBoard, Optro, or comparable GRC platforms to drive centralized risk visibility.
Technical skill set utilizing SQL, Tableau, Power BI, or Superset to synthesize data into actionable visualizations.
Interest in leveraging AI-powered tools for advanced analysis, automated documentation, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

Support the monthly issues management process by coordinating with issue owners, obtaining timely status updates, maintaining data quality, and helping ensure issue records meet Wise documentation standards.
Support first-line teams in documenting issues and entering them into AuditBoard / Optro, including guidance on required fields, issue descriptions, risk ratings, action plans, due dates, and remediation evidence.
Help teams navigate AuditBoard / Optro workflows, including target date extensions, workflow routing, status updates, and issue closure requirements.
Compile and maintain the monthly Issues Forum materials, working with business functions to ensure updates are complete, timely, and decision-useful.
Support documentation of issue risk acceptances where senior leadership determines a risk should be accepted, ensuring risks, mitigating factors, residual risk, approvals, and review expectations are clearly captured.
Identify opportunities to improve issue management routines so they are less administrative and more useful for risk visibility, accountability, and remediation.
Support quarterly Operational Risk assessments for Wise US Inc. and Wise Payments Canada by gathering KRIs, issues, incidents, operational loss data, and stakeholder narratives.
Analyze operational loss, incident, and issue data to identify trends, root causes, emerging risks, and potential control weaknesses.
Help prepare clear, concise narratives for Risk Committee and Board materials, with appropriate review from first-line stakeholders and senior Risk leadership.
Coordinate KRI data collection from stakeholders and maintain supporting materials for committee reporting.
Support maintenance of governance materials, ensuring reporting is timely, accurate, and useful for decision-making.
Gain exposure to board governance processes and learn how risk reporting flows to senior leadership and entity-level governance forums.
Review product documentation and complete operational risk assessment templates - identifying risk scenarios and documenting controls
Support Wise’s control framework buildout by conducting interviews with process owners, documenting existing controls, and completing control mapping templates across material processes
Collect and compile Key Risk Indicator (KRI) data from teams and fold into ongoing risk monitoring and tracking materials
Support incident deep-dives, process improvement initiatives, etc.