Global Head of 1st Line Risk

Accountable for the delivery of first‑line operational and regulatory risk management across all areas of the business. Lead a global team of first‑line risk managers and analysts to maintain consistent communication with senior leadership, ensuring risk management and control obligations are met in line with policy and regulation.

Responsibilities

• Provide input to risk management strategies and objectives, leading the organization in proactive risk identification, continuous control improvement, and issue mitigation.
• Partner with business units to ensure adherence to ORM minimum standards, including Risk Event Management (REV), Risk and Control Assessments (RCSA), Control Effectiveness Testing (ISAE/SOC‑1/2), Operational Soundness, Operational Resilience, and KRI/Dashboard population and reporting.
• Drive operational soundness on a cross‑functional basis, ensuring consistency of standard adoption across CTI and supporting staff groups.
• Lead the development of risk management strategies that drive identification, quantification, and mitigation of risk within the business, providing depth of knowledge and influence.
• Ensure inherent risks, controls, and residual risks are identified and documented per RCSA process.
• Coordinate ISAE and SOC‑1 testing, ensuring completion within RCS / external audit timelines.
• Lead the identification and review of control inventories, maps, and KRIs from a first‑line perspective.
• Lead the Operational Resilience program in the UK, collaborating with Enterprise Resilience and BCP partners where required.
• Own select policies and procedures, recommending updates as needed; own the ISAE3402 report and manage integrated ISAE reporting.
• Provide risk & controls thought leadership across functions and in conjunction with second‑line risk.
• Drive consistency in the application of the operational risk framework across the first‑line risk team, enhancing risk identification and reporting.
• Offer expertise in managing complex risk incidents, ensuring thorough communication, timely remediation, root‑cause identification, and control ownership.
• Analyze internal risk trends and leverage industry knowledge to recommend actionable solutions.
• Oversee first‑line testing of ISAE controls, ensuring remedial actions are effective.
• Manage governance of Business Control Meeting outputs, ensuring follow‑ups on critical items and contributing to risk forums.
• Benchmark industry data, staying up‑to‑date on trends and best practices, and maintain deep knowledge of operational risk, controls, and operational soundness.
• Influence stakeholders to deliver on operational risk responsibilities through strong thought leadership.
• Demonstrate experience in operational risk, controls, business management, or audit.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing first‑line operational risk, regulatory risk, and control frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of RCSA, ISAE/SOC, operational resilience, and KRI dashboards.
• Background in operational risk, controls, business management, or audit.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Ability to influence and lead cross‑functional teams.
• Experience with integrated governance frameworks and risk forums is preferred.

Working Hours and Remote Policy

Full‑time role with expectation of in‑office presence at least four (4) days per week; one (1) day per week may be worked from home, with flexibility discussed during the hiring process.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Columbia Threadneedle Investments is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to racial or ethnic background, religion or belief, sex or gender, nationality, genetic information, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, or any other basis prohibited by law. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for individuals with disabilities and welcome requests for reasonable accommodation.