Senior VP - IT Infrastructure Risk and Control in London

VP Risk & Control, Technology

Central London International Bank c. 120k base + bonus + good package Hybrid (3 days a week on-site) close to Moorgate tube

As a long-established partner and recipient of a supplier award for our delivery into this international banking group, Deerfoot is assisting with a Senior VP Level opportunity where you can shape risk, governance and control across a major technology function. This is a unique role for a high-calibre practitioner who can bridge the gap between deep technical infrastructure environments and executive board reporting, with a clear trajectory to Director level within 12 to 24 months.

This role requires a 50/50 balance between strategic evolution and hands-on execution. Acting as a trusted partner and a robust governance function, you will ensure technical risks are accurately identified and remediated while translating complex data into decision-ready insights for executive leadership.

What you'll be doing:

• Driving 50/50 strategy and delivery, working line-by-line with infrastructure Product Owners to challenge, identify, and mitigate risks while building practical end-of-life roadmaps.
• Governing the Digital Engineering Risk & Control framework, ensuring alignment with wider Technology risk appetite, operational resilience, BCP, and EMEA strategies.
• Producing high-quality board packs and executive summaries, translating detailed technical risks into concise, high-level reporting for MD-level leadership and risk committees.
• Partnering with Product, Platform, Cyber Security, IT Risk and Internal Audit teams to assess risks arising from new product implementations and change activities.
• Managing audits, assurance activity, loss events and control checks across the infrastructure estate, ensuring product teams are held to account.
• Operating initially as a senior individual contributor with the mandate, capability, and vision to introduce line management and scale the team as the function matures.

What you'll need:

• Substantial experience managing risk within IT infrastructure environments (covering the infrastructure stack, networks, and storage) within financial services or a similarly large, regulated estate.
• The technical credibility and confidence to challenge, ensuring you understand the environment well enough to robustly challenge technical teams and product owners.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to navigate smoothly between technical floor-level details and executive-level presentations.
• Hands-on experience with delivery and execution in a lean team environment; this is a role for a doer who can drive solutions, not a purely advisory consultant.
• Familiarity with technology risk frameworks, controls, and compliance requirements relevant to a major banking infrastructure environment.
• Strong line management capability, with the desire to take on people management responsibilities as the team expands.

Qualifications:

• Desirable: CRISC, CISA, CISM, ITIL, or equivalent practical experience demonstrating a transition from a technical infrastructure background into risk and control.

Why this role stands out:

This is a pivotal role with massive internal visibility, offering a direct path to a Director position within 12 to 24 months as the department continues its upward growth trajectory. If you are a senior risk professional who misses being close to the detail and wants the autonomy to evolve a function from the ground up, this role offers the perfect balance of strategic influence and tangible delivery.