Senior Risk Manager in Edinburgh

The Senior Risk Manager (Senior Risk Business Partner) is a senior role which will be expected to work effectively with the Risk Director, CRO, broader Executive and Board members as well as Senior leaders across the Group. As a Wealth Platform business, the successful candidate will be required to have experience within the sector and the nuances of how we operate. They will play a critical role in partnering with their business function(s) to drive robust risk management practices while driving strategic thought leadership to proactively manage the risk profile of the function and group.

This role will be responsible for guiding the business to implement and embed the company’s Risk Management Framework (RMF), proactively identifying current and emerging risks, and fostering a strong risk and control culture. Additionally, they will provide proactive thought leadership as well as essential coaching to the business function to enhance risk understanding and ensure the maturity of risk management practices across the organisation.

This individual will be a senior individual with the confidence and gravitas to regularly operate at Executive level, and able to deliver the role with minimal direction, acting on their own initiative with drive, excellent judgement, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. They will have an in-depth knowledge and practical experience of what a good RMF looks like and will have extensive experience on implementing it within businesses.

• Risk Business Partnership & Strategic Thought Leadership: Serve as a trusted advisor to the business function (specifically Exco member and SLT), providing expert risk management advice to support strategic objectives and operational decision-making. Act as a Senior Adviser to the Exco member and seen as part of their virtual team. Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure risk is effectively integrated into business planning and decision-making processes. Lead strategic thinking on emerging and evolving risks that may impact the business, providing insights into potential impacts and mitigation strategies. Champion the integration of risk management into business processes and decision making, ensuring the business takes ownership of risks and risk mitigation actions. Use their industry network to bring best practice into the business.
• Risk Management Framework Implementation & Embedding: Work closely with the business to implement and embed the company's Risk Management Framework (RMF) within day-to-day operations. Support the business in identifying, assessing, managing, and monitoring risks according to the RMF, ensuring it aligns with the company's risk appetite and strategic goals. Ensure the timely and effective completion of risk (and harms) assessments, scenario analyses, and control assessments. Continuously monitor the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies and recommend improvements where necessary.
• Emerging Risk Identification & Analysis: Drive the proactive identification of emerging risks that could potentially impact the business and the wider organisation drawing on a strong external network and resources. Stay ahead of industry trends, regulatory changes, and market dynamics to identify new risks that may need to be addressed. Provide regular reports to leadership on emerging risks, including insights on their potential impact and strategic recommendations for management.
• Risk and Control Culture Development: Act as a change agent for promoting a strong risk and control culture within the business function and across the wider group. Collaborate with leaders to ensure that risk awareness is embedded in decision-making processes and day-to-day activities. Develop and deliver risk and control culture initiatives to foster an environment where risk management is seen as a critical and valued part of the business. Influence behaviour by embedding risk-conscious thinking throughout all levels of the business function. Be a role model for the business and the CRO function in terms of behaviours and cultural alignment.
• Training & Development: Design, deliver, and oversee risk management training programs to increase risk literacy and awareness within the group. Provide guidance and mentorship to business leaders and teams on risk management best practices and frameworks. Ensure that all business stakeholders are adequately equipped to identify and manage risks in line with company policies and procedures.
• Risk Reporting & Monitoring: Deliver insightful second line risk reporting, challenging the business on the management of their risks and highlighting where further action is needed. Support the business in the development of accurate and timely risk reports for senior leadership, providing clear insights on the current risk profile and emerging risks. Ensure that key risk and control metrics are tracked and reported consistently. Engage with internal audit, compliance, and other risk teams to ensure effective risk monitoring, reporting, and follow-up on action plans.
• Leadership and team building: Build high performing teams, both within the risk function but also with the ‘virtual’ team from the function you partner.

• Ideally degree qualified or a risk qualification.
• Demonstrable experience in risk management, ideally within a business partner or advisory role.
• Proven experience at operating at a Board and executive level.
• Proven experience in designing, developing and embedding risk management frameworks within business operations.
• Strong track record in leading or supporting the identification and management of emerging risks.
• Experience in designing and delivering training or educational programs related to risk management.
• A strong understanding of business operations, controls, and regulatory environments.

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think critically and strategically about risk management and its integration into the business function's operations and long-term goals.
• Risk Management Expertise: In-depth knowledge of risk management principles, frameworks, and methodologies, including operational, financial, regulatory, and strategic risks.
• Emerging Risk Awareness: Proactive in identifying new and evolving risks and providing insights to business leaders.
• Training & Development: Ability to design and deliver training programs to increase risk management competency across the group that delivers sustained change.
• Change Management: Ability to drive cultural and operational change, embedding risk awareness and practices within the business.
• Leadership: Proven leader and strong team development and performance management skills.

• Proactive & Results-Oriented: A self-starter who takes initiative and drives results with a focus on continuous improvement. Action and delivery focused.
• Resilient & Adaptable: Able to navigate complex and evolving environments and manage multiple priorities effectively to meet agreed deadlines.
• Influence & Collaboration: Strong interpersonal and influencing skills to work effectively with Executive, Board and Senior Leaders to meet agreed deliverables in a collaborative way.
• Ethical & Trusted: Demonstrates high ethical standards, integrity, and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and trust.
• Strong relationship builder: Able to build strong relationships with senior people quickly and maintain them, building trust and fostering an environment of high challenge and high support.
• Excellent communicator: Able to deliver difficult messages in a supportive manner, showing honesty and good intent. Excellent report writing skills with the ability to deliver technical messages in an understandable way.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Self-motivated and organised.
• A flexible and proactive approach with the ability to work under pressure and adapt to dynamic deadlines at short notice.

A little about us: Our purpose at Nucleus is to help make retirement more rewarding, with a vision to build the most loved retirement-focused platform in the UK. It is this purpose that drives everything we do. Whether you are working in a role that is customer-facing or not, you’ll need to be service-obsessed to work here. It’s a fast-paced and exciting environment, and one where we believe you will get the chance to fulfil your potential and do work that really matters, to you and our customers. We believe in you having your own chunk of responsibility and being trusted to make things happen.

Nucleus’ culture is something our people believe sets us apart from other places they’ve worked. We think big, know our stuff and move at pace, but always empowering others along the way and breaking new ground to find better ways of doing things. We know that sometimes the right choice is not the easy one, so empowering each other and celebrating others' successes, as well as our own, is part of what makes us Nucleus #WeAreNucleus.

Inclusion and diversity at Nucleus: As with most things in life, who cares, wins. We really care about inclusion. For us this is not a box-ticking thing, it’s a commercial imperative. It isn’t about being PC. It’s about being future-relevant and durable.

We offer a generous blend of benefits for the things that really matter to our people, including pension, bonus, enhanced parental leave, paid time off for emergencies, health and wellbeing initiatives and flexible working options.

If you’d like to find out more about us or the role, you can get in touch with our people team.