Operational Risk Senior Manager - Commercial Banking

The Senior Manager of Operational Risk is responsible for the independent risk oversight of the Commercial and Business Banking business units. This role is responsible for ensuring that the business First Line of Defense function appropriately manages the risks relative to the units’ business activities. This includes all aspects of material risk related to how the business develops, launches, sells and processes products and services. This role ensures the First Line unit establishes an effective “end-to-end” risk management program including risk identification, assessment and quantification, aggregation reporting, monitoring and control improvement for relevant product/capability groups. This role is focused on ensuring the risk management framework, processes and practices executed comply with internal policy and US Regulatory requirements and expectations, while supporting a credible, principle based risk strategy. This position constitutes a key component within a team of skilled, engaged and customer focused colleagues with a broad span of responsibilities. The role may must be actively engaged to support the business with providing independent expert advice, monitoring, and credible expert challenge to ensure the independent Operational Risk Program is effectively implemented.

Primary responsibilities include

• Partner and collaborate for success with management, Risk, and Legal colleagues to ensure timely identification, mitigation, resolution and reporting/escalation of existing, emerging and upstream risks and issues.
• Drive accountability, and work with business units to ensure a strong Risk and Compliance culture and control environment awareness.
• Serve as an independent advisor to the business unit and risk management; participate in business management, risk and strategy meetings and provide risk advice, update on risk developments and report on risk profile to respective Oversight Head.
• Drive risk identification, assessment and quantification, aggregation reporting, monitoring and control improvement for product /capability groups and client and industry infrastructure. This includes ensuring the risk management framework, processes and practices executed comply with internal policy and US Regulatory requirements and expectations.
• Provide day to day support to Operational Risk leadership with knowledge and expertise on the appropriate implementation of Regulations, Rules and industry standards through procedures, other guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Provide regulatory expertise and solutions on complex risk and compliance issues based upon understanding of business unit's activities and products.
• Advise and challenge the Business in regards to issue and exposure identification, quantification and action plan design to address the relevant risk.
• Research and analyze risk trends and industry benchmarking to prepare for and monitor upstream risks and issues while reporting to executive management at Business Line Risk Committees, as appropriate, on effective mitigation strategies.
• As a key individual contributor, drive engagement within the team to ensure the business unit remains current with risk frameworks in a well-controlled environment in tandem with Citizens’ strategic goals as well as industry best practices.
• Demonstrate capabilities associated with stakeholder management, influence, motivation, and oversight to enable effective challenge to the Business Division(s).
• Take a proactive approach to advance teamwork, transparency, and accountability.
• In tandem with other Operational Risk partners, as appropriate, develop and review Operational Risk policies and business procedures, and new business initiatives to ensure a strong Operational Risk control environment is adhered to as the business: develops, launches, sells and processes products and services.
• Establish and continuously improve upon framework implementation strategy with Business management, Business Unit risk management, and other Risk colleagues to ensure an open, adequate and effective risk mitigation culture.
• Ensure appropriate exam outcomes through exam management protocols.
• Maintains strong relationships with the second line of defense, Internal Audit and the Regulators.

Qualifications, Education, Certifications and/or Other Professional Credentials

• 8+ years of Risk management experience from working in financial services industry, specifically providing oversight to the Commercial Bank
• Expert knowledge of the OCC guidelines for establishing Heightened Standards 
• Experience in an organization that is under strong regulatory oversight and scrutiny
• Proven ability to develop and maintain high impact relationships 
• Expert knowledge of internal controls and risk assessment