Senior Managing Director, IT Front Line Controls Officer

If you’re looking for a meaningful career, you’ll find it here at Webster. Founded in 1935, our focus has always been to put people first--doing whatever we can to help individuals, families, businesses and our colleagues achieve their financial goals. As a leading commercial bank, we remain passionate about serving our clients and supporting our communities. Integrity, Collaboration, Accountability, Agility, Respect, Excellence are Webster’s values, these set us apart as a bank and as an employer.  

Come join our team where you can expand your career potential, benefit from our robust development opportunities, and enjoy meaningful work!

Position Summary

The IT Front Line Controls Officer (SMD) at Webster Bank will play a critical leadership role in overseeing and strengthening the bank’s control environment. The IT Front Line Control Officer will be responsible for the strategic and day-to-day oversight of technology-related risk management and control practices across the entire organization. This role will lead a team that works closely with IT, operations, Front Line Units (FLUs) and Front Line Control Officers (FLCOs) to ensure robust control frameworks that meet industry best practices, compliance with regulatory requirements, and alignment with Webster Bank’s overall risk appetite. The IT Front Line Control Officer will report directly to the Chief Controls Officer and is expected to provide thought leadership, guidance, and direction to enhance the bank’s risk and controls posture. The ideal candidate will bring significant expertise in technology risk, operational risk, enterprise risk, internal audit, internal controls and testing within the banking sector. This individual will also be involved with strategic and transformational initiatives and the delivery of critical, large-scale, complex, high-visibility, regulatory remediation programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Oversight: Manage strategic and day-to-day oversight of technology-related risk management and control practices across the entire organization, including management of the IT Front Line Control Office team.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Advisory: Collaborate with various business, IT, and operational teams to promote a strong risk culture, offering guidance on control design and risk mitigation strategies. Serve as the primary liaison between the Chief Controls Officer, front line units, and external auditors/examiners on technology control matters.
• Control Framework Development & Oversight: Design, implement, and maintain IT control frameworks, ensuring alignment with industry best practices (e.g., NIST, COBIT, COSO) and regulatory standards. Oversee ongoing control assessments to facilitate timely remediation of identified gaps.
• Risk Identification & Management: Partner with IT and Front Line Unit stakeholders to identify emerging technology risks, evaluate potential impacts, and develop mitigation strategies. Drive continuous monitoring of key risk indicators (KRIs) to maintain proactive identification and resolution of risk areas.
• Policy & Regulatory Compliance: Ensure adherence to internal policies, regulatory requirements, and cybersecurity standards applicable to the bank’s technology environment. Coordinate with the Legal and Compliance teams to stay abreast of new or changing regulations and provide guidance to front line units
• Controls Design & Inventory: Design and implement effective controls to mitigate identified risks, providing recommendations for improvement where necessary.
• RSCA Program Management: Lead the execution and documentation of RSCA processes across the IT Front Line Units (FLU) to ensure it aligns with regulatory requirements and industry best practices. Assist with designing and enhancing the RCSA program, ensuring compliance with internal policies, industry best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Risk Assessment: Coordinate and facilitate risk assessment workshops and activities to identify potential risks and control gaps. Analyze risk data to assess the likelihood and impact of risks on the bank’s operations.
• Proactive Oversight: Ensure proactive identification of potential control issues and deficiencies, determine root causes, and develop and execute on necessary remediation plans.
• Team Leadership & Development: Supervise and mentor a team of IT control professionals, setting performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and fostering professional growth. Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning within the team and across front line units.
• Reporting & Communication: Prepare comprehensive reports for senior management, regulatory bodies, and board committees with clear insights into IT risk exposure and control effectiveness, and action plans for identifi