Risk Lead in Bedford

Are you a senior risk leader ready to shape decision making at the heart of a purpose‑led organisation? As Risk Lead at MaPS, you’ll play a pivotal role in strengthening our enterprise risk framework, influencing strategic delivery, and embedding a positive risk culture across the organisation. Reporting directly to the Corporate Director of Risk, you’ll work closely with Executives, the Board and senior stakeholders to ensure risks are understood, managed proportionately and aligned to our risk appetite – enabling MaPS to deliver with confidence.

Role Overview

Risk Lead will report directly to Corporate Director of Risk. In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Representing Risk at key project, programme, and delivery‑focused meetings across the Change Portfolio.
• Leading on maintaining a positive Risk Culture throughout the organisation.
• Producing and managing Risk Management Information (MI), identifying, measuring, monitoring, and reporting on actual or emerging risks and key themes to the Executive Committee, Audit Risk & Assurance Committee (ARAC), Change Portfolio, and external stakeholders.
• Providing second line of defence (2LoD) risk reviews as required by the Executive Committee, ARAC and Risk Review Boards.
• Overseeing the preparation of reports and papers for the Executive Committee, ARAC, and other governance committees.
• Supporting the execution of the Internal Audit plan, ensuring it is completed on time and within budget.
• Maintaining and enhancing the enterprise risk management framework, ensuring continuous improvement and effective communication across the organisation.
• Leading and facilitating a network of Risk Champions to ensure a constructive risk culture is embedded across the organisation.
• Analysing and reporting on both existing and emerging risks, ensuring they are managed in accordance with the organisation's risk appetite.
• Performing risk and control assessments, producing detailed risk reports.
• Educating and building risk awareness among colleagues, providing support and guidance on risk management responsibilities.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Line Management: Must have direct line management experience.
• Risk Management Expertise: Strong understanding of risk management principles, risk appetite, risk registers, and specific expertise in managing risks within a complex Portfolio.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse complex data, draw conclusions, produce detailed reports, and make well‑founded recommendations to management concerning delivery.
• Strategic Thinking: Excellent abstract thinking with the ability to view the big picture, identify linkages and dependencies between activities, and bring key stakeholders together to address risk dependencies.
• Technical Proficiency: High level of PC literacy, particularly proficient in PowerBI, dashboards, MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to challenge constructively and confidently to drive positive change within the organisation.
• Independent and Collaborative Work: Extensive experience operating both independently and collaboratively with peers.
• Experience in Risk Management: Highly experienced in managing and facilitating risk management processes across a Change Portfolio.
• Presentation Skills: Proven experience presenting reports and findings to senior management both virtually and in person, ensuring clear communication and effective decision‑making.

Legal and EEO Statement

The Money and Pensions Service requires all candidates to have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Benefits and Working Environment

• Generous Annual Leave – 30 days plus Bank Holidays
• Pension scheme – contributions matched 2 to 1 (up to 10% of your salary)
• Interest‑free loan for season tickets for buses and trains
• Cycle to work Scheme
• Subsidised eye tests & flu jabs
• Life assurance scheme
• Give as you earn scheme
• Employee assistance programme (EAP)
• PAM Assist and PAM Life scheme (Wellbeing)
• Enhanced family and sick pay
• Paid volunteering (2 days a year)
• Recognition Scheme
• Discounts portal to numerous retailers

At MaPS, we take pride in a flexible approach to work. We work on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in the office per month. The number of days anyone works at home is determined primarily by business needs and personal circumstances.