Wealth Operations 2nd Line of Defense - Operational Risk Vice President

Citi•Getzville, NY

5d•$92,000 - $138,000

About The Position

The Vice President serves as a second-line operational risk lead for Citi Wealth Operations, reporting to the 2nd Line Operational Risk Director responsible for Wealth Operations oversight. The role works closely with first-line business partners, including in-business Operational Risk and Control Managers, and with Independent Risk and other control functions. It supports effective oversight and independent challenge so the first line can demonstrate strong operational risk identification, control, and monitoring practices. The position independently evaluates data informing the first line’s risk profile and provides insights on trends, themes, control failures, and operational loss event drivers. Oversight is conducted through ongoing engagement with business partners, independent assurance, and participation in business risk and control forums. The role also contributes to operational risk policies, strategies, tools, and governance processes designed to limit losses from inadequate controls, fraud, failed processes, and other operational risks across areas such as technology, processing, cyber, and fraud risk. The coverage scope is Wealth Operations and includes first-line process and risk owners; Wealth Operations in-business risk and control leaders; Wealth ORM; other Wealth business and function coverage leads; ORM executive leadership, foundational program and policy teams; Wealth Compliance; senior operational risk managers; and enterprise risk-category subject matter experts. The role supports audits and regulatory examinations, communicates significant risks and breaches to senior management, and partners with senior leaders on reporting risk status and developments to boards, regulators, and other stakeholders as applicable. It also promotes accountability, collaboration, sound risk decisions, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience.
At least 7 years of financial services industry work experience with in-depth knowledge of Wealth Operations processes and risks.
At least 3 years of prior Risk Management experience in Operational or Credit Risk; second-line experience is preferred.
Robust understanding of operational risk management frameworks, industry standards, regulatory requirements, and risk mitigation practices.
Strong understanding of Wealth product regulations, obligations, and requirements.
Expertise and experience with business risk and control self-assessment processes.
Experience interacting with Internal Audit and engaging with regulators.
Demonstrated leadership coordinating with business units and senior management to address operational risk issues and implement solutions.
Experience working on complex firm-wide projects or processes.
Ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to dynamic environments while maintaining focus on risk objectives.
Ability to think strategically and align operational risk management with organizational goals and regulatory obligations.
Ability to credibly challenge and influence first-line stakeholders and senior leaders, including without direct authority.
Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, collaboration, and communication skills; ability to present complex information clearly at all levels.
Proactive, no-surprises approach to communicating issues and ability to sustain independent views.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, including identifying high-impact risks, breaking complex matters into root causes, and analyzing objective data.
Ability to articulate business processes, controls, issues, and operational risks, identify gaps, and develop solutions.
Exceptional organization, communication, and presentation skills in a fast-paced environment.
Superior writing skills for risk summaries and regulatory or senior governance updates.
Expert proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel.
High integrity and ability to handle highly confidential data.
Bachelor’s or university degree.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Prior second-line-of-defense Risk Management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Contribute to oversight of operational risk policies, technology, tools, and governance processes to minimize losses from failed processes, inadequate controls, and emerging risks.
Oversee and assess first-line implementation of effective control measures to mitigate identified risks.
Independently assess business operational risks against the acceptable risk appetite.
Review and challenge the effectiveness of first-line risk mitigation strategies and controls.
Build effective relationships with business partners by understanding their business, needs, strategic priorities, and challenges.
Support internal and external audits and regulatory examinations, as applicable.
Promote risk awareness, connectivity across ORM, and business accountability; escalate risks as appropriate.
Report significant risk issues and breaches to executive management.
Partner with senior management to report and present operational risk status, trends, and developments to boards, regulators, and other stakeholders, as applicable.
Encourage constructive change, curiosity, learning from failures, alternative viewpoints, and improved organizational outcomes.
Help align priorities with business goals and enterprise success, streamline work, and improve processes and efficiency.
Take accountability for identifying, escalating, and managing potential risk; implement controls that enhance client experience and operational effectiveness.
Anticipate problems, identify root causes, and develop solutions that deliver meaningful improvements.
Set high standards and deliver high-quality work that meets or exceeds performance goals.
Model ethical conduct and sound decisions for clients and Citi, including compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and policies.
Engage stakeholders early and promote collaboration toward shared goals.
Support community programs and advocate for solutions that meet clients’ and the community’s needs.
Support colleagues’ well-being, development, and career opportunities; promote diverse talent and ensure that colleagues’ perspectives are heard.
Assess risk in business decisions, protect the firm’s reputation and assets, manage and report control issues transparently, and supervise team activity with accountability.
Provide leadership in optimizing and improving business control practices.
Foster collaboration across businesses and ORM teams to resolve cross-business issues.
Influence business and functional managers to mitigate risks, including through independent challenge without direct authority.
Plan and organize priorities to deliver timely, high-quality work; support other global ORM priorities and initiatives.
Make well-reasoned decisions under pressure, remain open to others’ ideas, and own mistakes to support learning.
Continuously evaluate organizational design and optimize it to meet ORM needs, business objectives, and people-development goals.
Produce high-quality presentations and written risk summaries for business leaders, regulators, risk assessments, regulatory updates, and senior governance forums.