Senior Risk Management & Controls Manager

National Digital Trust Company (In Organization)•New York, NY

4h•Remote

About The Position

National Digital Trust Company has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to open as a federally chartered trust bank to provide a broad range of digital asset services. We are building a specialized financial institution addressing the growing demand for digital asset services. Our primary business will focus on digital asset custody, providing secure, efficient custodial and fiduciary services for a variety of digital assets. You will work with foundational systems and processes to help shape our operating model and influence how a new category of financial infrastructure comes to market. We are looking for builders who handle complexity with confidence and tackle ambitious opportunities while keeping pace with this rapidly evolving industry.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Risk Management, Computer Science, Business, or a related discipline.
Minimum 8–12 years of progressive experience in operational risk, business controls, internal controls, internal audit, or regulatory compliance within a bank, broker-dealer, fintech, or digital-asset firm; at least 3 years in a senior or lead role within a first-line control function (CCO/COO organization).
Demonstrated ownership of a first-line control program — including procedure drafting, control testing/QA, RCSA execution, and issue management.
Working knowledge of digital asset / cryptocurrency operational risk: custody models, key management, on-chain analytics, stablecoins, DeFi exposure pathways, smart-contract risk, and Travel Rule compliance.
Strong command of COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework, COSO ERM, ISO 31000, FFIEC IT and BSA/AML examination handbooks, OCC Heightened Standards, SR 11-7 / SR 26-2, and SOX (where applicable).
Demonstrated success briefing C-suite, board committees, examiners, and internal/external auditors with clarity, candor, and credibility.
Advanced Microsoft Excel (modeling, dashboards), Word, PowerPoint, and Visio.
Working proficiency with SQL, Python, or PowerBI/Tableau for control analytics.
Familiarity with model risk management (SR 11-7), AI/ML governance, and emerging guidance on AI-enabled controls and monitoring.
Senior judgment and operational pragmatism — the ability to design controls that are effective, efficient, and executable within real business processes.
Exceptional written and verbal communication, including the ability to translate technical findings into board-level narratives.
Ownership mindset, regulatory poise, and discretion in handling sensitive information.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree (MBA, MS Finance, MS Risk Management, MS Financial Mathematics) or equivalent advanced training.
Professional certifications: CRISC, CISA, CIA, CRCM, CAMS, CFE, CRM, FRM, CCRO, or PRM.
Crypto-focused credentials (CCAS – Certified Cryptocurrency Auditor Specialist, CCFC, CDAA) strongly preferred.
Direct experience supporting OCC, FRB, FDIC, NYDFS, SEC, FINRA, or state-banking examinations and consent-order remediation as a first-line owner.
Direct experience standing up the operational control environment of a de novo bank, trust company, or digital-asset-licensed entity (BitLicense, state trust charter, OCC trust charter, or comparable).
Hands-on use of GRC platforms (ServiceNow IRM, RSA Archer, MetricStream, LogicGate, OneTrust) and blockchain analytics tooling (Chainalysis, TRM Labs, Elliptic).

Responsibilities

Build, maintain, and continuously improve the first line's control framework — including the inventory of key controls, control narratives, control owners, evidence standards, and testing cadence.
Translate second-line policies, frameworks, and standards into first-line procedures, work instructions, and operational control designs.
Lead first-line control testing, control quality assurance (QA), and self-identified issue management.
Own the first-line side of the Risk and Control Self-Assessment (RCSA): drive first-line participation, calibrate ratings within the operations group, and ensure RCSA outputs reflect operational reality.
Maintain traceability between processes, risks, controls, issues, key risk indicators (KRIs), and remediation plans within the bank's GRC platform.
Perform senior-level analysis of operational losses, near-misses, control breakdowns, customer complaints, and emerging risk events; lead root-cause analysis and ensure lessons learned are codified into updated controls and procedures.
Develop and refine first-line KRIs, control health dashboards, and composite risk views that quantify inherent risk, control effectiveness, and residual risk at the process, product, and business-unit level.
Conduct deep-dive risk reviews on new products, new markets, material process changes, third-party relationships, and technology releases prior to launch.
Serve as the Operations group's senior subject-matter expert on digital asset and cryptocurrency controls, including custody models, hot/warm/cold wallet architecture, key management and HSM controls, on-chain/off-chain settlement, stablecoin operations, blockchain analytics, smart-contract operational risk, and counterparty exposure to digital-asset intermediaries.
Design and operate first-line controls addressing FinCEN, OFAC, SEC, CFTC, OCC, FRB, FDIC, NYDFS, and state-level expectations applicable to digital-asset banking.
Operationalize controls aligned to evolving guidance such as SR 26-2, FFIEC bulletins on digital assets, Basel BCBS prudential treatment of crypto exposures, OCC Interpretive Letters on bank custody of digital assets, and emerging federal market-structure legislation.
Partner with Treasury, Operations, Technology, and Compliance on key control points across the digital-asset trade lifecycle.
Serve as the Chief Control Officer's principal delegate in interactions with the Chief Risk Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, General Counsel, and Chief Auditor, and with their respective second- and third-line teams.
Prepare and present first-line risk and control reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, executive committees, and the Risk Committee of the Board.
Coordinate first-line responses to second-line monitoring & testing reviews, internal audit engagements, and regulatory examinations.
Track 2LoD challenges, audit findings, and regulatory observations through closure; validate remediation evidence before submission for independent validation.
Advise fellow first-line leaders on risk identification, control design alternatives, control rationalization, and remediation strategies, balancing risk reduction with operational efficiency.
Embed risk-aware design into new products, new markets, third-party relationships, and technology changes, with particular focus on digital-asset custody, payments, and settlement workflows.
Deliver targeted training, office hours, and enablement content to first-line control owners, process owners, and risk champions; build a community of practice across the operations group.
Drive continuous improvement of the first line's GRC tooling and workflows to strengthen automation, evidence capture, control testing throughput, and reporting precision.
Champion the use of analytics, automation, and AI-enabled tools to scale first-line control execution while maintaining auditability.