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- Tasks: Lead the SME banking product risk culture and governance to ensure customer success.
- Company: Join Starling, a disruptive UK bank transforming how people manage their money.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission-driven team reshaping banking with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Qualifications: Expertise in SME product risk and strong communication skills are essential.
- Other info: We value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Hello, we’re Starling. We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. We’re a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. We’re a bank, but better: fairer, easier to use and designed to demystify money for everyone. We employ more than 3,000 people across our London, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester offices.
This is a key leadership role in the SME banking leadership team, primarily responsible for developing the SME banking product risk culture, governance, policy, controls and MI, to help ensure good outcomes for customers. Additionally, this role also involves supporting the SME segment’s financial crime and operational risk objectives.
- Enabling SME banking to execute its strategy in line with product risk appetite and demonstrate compliance
- Empowering product teams to build compliant products through early involvement and combination of customer centricity with adherence to regulatory requirements
- Ensuring all new product initiatives are steered through the governance structure and that we move swiftly and safely
- Ensuring existing and back book product reviews are completed by 1st line product owners at the right cadence and to the requisite standard
- Support the SME business in delivering good outcomes and maintaining a strong control environment – with regular documentation, calibration, review, testing and timely action completion
- Ensure relevant, up to date and accurate MI to measure and monitor risk and report to relevant committees
- Mature and embed training and development framework for product risk
- Collaborate with Second Line risk across the bank and Group Head of Internal Audit to create a coherent risk view.
Requirements
- Go-to expert on SME product risk through experience of managing it in 1st LOD environments covering Conduct Risk topics across product governance, marketing and finprom, vulnerable customers, complaints etc.
- Communication skills; a team player able to work across teams with and without direct management responsibility
- Strong attention to detail
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Diplomacy and emotional intelligence to build strong professional relationships at all levels
- Versatile and flexible
- Deep experience working in a regulated financial institution
- Strong desire to solve problems – using regulation and data to drive business decisions
- Ability to analyse and interpret complex regulatory frameworks, including the interaction between multiple regulations/frameworks
- Hands-on, resilient and adaptable to a fast moving environment
- Bias to action, through curiosity and collaboration
Benefits
- 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
- An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
- Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
- 16 hours paid volunteering time a year
- Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme
- Life insurance at 4x your salary & group income protection
- Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton
- Generous family-friendly policies
- Incentives refer a friend scheme
- Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
- Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing
About Us
You may be put off applying for a role because you don’t tick every box. Forget that! While we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’re always open to discussion. So, if you’re excited about working with us, but aren’t sure if you’re 100% there yet, get in touch anyway. We’re on a mission to radically reshape banking – and that starts with our brilliant team. Whatever came before, we’re proud to bring together people of all backgrounds and experiences who love working together to solve problems.
Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
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Head of Product Risk & Governance - SME employer: Starling Bank
Contact Detail:
Starling Bank Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Product Risk & Governance - SME
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with the specific regulatory frameworks that govern SME banking. Understanding these regulations will not only help you in interviews but also demonstrate your commitment to compliance and risk management.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the financial services industry, especially those who have experience in product risk and governance. Engaging with them can provide insights into the role and may even lead to referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving skills by preparing examples of how you've used data and regulation to drive business decisions in past roles. This aligns perfectly with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
✨Tip Number 4
Highlight your ability to collaborate across teams. Since this role requires working with various stakeholders, demonstrating your teamwork and communication skills will set you apart from other candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Product Risk & Governance - SME
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and qualifications required for the Head of Product Risk & Governance role. Tailor your application to highlight your relevant experience in managing product risk in regulated environments.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasize your experience with SME product risk, particularly in 1st Line of Defense environments. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and ensure compliance.
Showcase Communication Skills: Strong communication skills are essential for this role. Make sure to provide examples of how you've effectively collaborated across teams and built professional relationships. Highlight any experience in training or mentoring others in risk management.
Express Your Problem-Solving Ability: Demonstrate your strong desire to solve problems by discussing how you've used regulation and data to drive business decisions in the past. This will show that you have the analytical skills necessary for the position.
How to prepare for a job interview at Starling Bank
✨Understand the SME Banking Landscape
Familiarize yourself with the current trends and challenges in SME banking. Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to developing a strong product risk culture and governance framework that aligns with Starling's mission.
✨Showcase Your Regulatory Knowledge
Demonstrate your understanding of complex regulatory frameworks and how they impact product governance. Prepare examples from your past experience where you've successfully navigated these regulations to drive business decisions.
✨Highlight Your Communication Skills
Since this role requires strong communication and collaboration across teams, be ready to share instances where you've effectively built relationships and influenced stakeholders, even without direct management authority.
✨Emphasize Problem-Solving Abilities
Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in previous roles related to product risk and how you approached solving them. Highlight your bias for action and adaptability in fast-paced environments.
