Head of IT Risk - Banking - Influence Board & ExCo in Slough

Senior Head of IT Risk opportunity with a major UK bank undergoing significant technology transformation. This is a high-impact leadership role with direct exposure to ExCo, Board Risk and senior technology leadership, focused on shaping the IT risk strategy, influencing complex change programmes, strengthening risk forums and ensuring technology risk is properly understood, challenged and managed across the bank. The emphasis is on real risk leadership, not controls administration.

Main Responsibilities

• Forge strong partnerships with ExCo, UKTL and senior leadership to ensure IT risk is considered as part of all IT activity with risks identified, assessed and managed.
• Develop and implement the IT Risk Management Strategy, aligned to overall IT strategy, business strategy and Risk Management Framework.
• Oversee complex IT Change programmes to influence and maintain objective view of the effectiveness of Risk mitigation being delivered by the Change programme and any Operational risks expected to be introduced by the Change programme.
• Oversee the implementation of new GRC system within – gathering and prioritising requirements, implementation, training & support.
• Embed and maintain oversight of the effectiveness of the application of the Operational Risk Management Framework to support the identification, assessment and oversight of ICT related risk across the Bank and support their articulation to risk forums and committees in terms of impact, priority, cause and treatment plans.
• Ensure strong controls focus.
• The development and operation of Key Risk Indicator Reporting to cover key Level 2 UKT risk reporting into management forums.
• Develop materials and represent Tech Management and Board Risk committees as required.
• Own and drive the success of Risk Forums and facilitate strong summary/thematic reporting capability across key risks applicable to Tech.
• Manage a team of resources and capabilities to deliver the responsibilities of the department, which includes recruitment, people management and career development in line with HR requirements.
• Take responsibility to identify, diagnose, establish facts and solution complex technical and organisational issues, ensuring documented transparent risk management.
• Receive and resolve complex technical and organisational escalations.
• Receive complex risk escalations, work with stakeholders to ensure robust and workable plans are developed and agreed.
• Influence at Roadmap steerco and risk committees to achieve good risk outcomes.
• Maintain and operate a robust community of practice for IT Risk partners embedded into UKT Departments.
• Ensure headcount and skills demand and supply, training and development of staff.
• Take long term strategic ownership of capabilities within area of responsibility defining and agreeing current and target state and multi-year plans to achieve them.

Ideal Candidate

• Deep understanding and experience of IT risk management frameworks and methodologies and experience of leading risk functions.
• Deep understanding and experience of IT Risk management within Change.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills including the ability to analyse complex data and develop effective solutions.
• Senior level IT Leadership experience, deep understanding of IT Engineering, Development & Operations in a Financial Services organisation, and an understanding of regulatory requirements.
• Ability to establish facts, develop & document potential solutions and ensure views are aligned with pragmatic transparent risk management.
• Ability to build and deploy matrix teams empowered to act autonomously but aligned to core methods and controls.
• Be able to take responsibility and act autonomously, influence decision making to surface and enable resolution of issues and risks across a wide range of stakeholders, up to and including senior management/executive.
• Be able to interact proactively and confidently with all areas of business, including senior management and product owners.
• Pragmatic, and effectively balances risk and control requirements with commercial drivers and customer outcomes.
• Ability to prepare senior management and board level briefing papers.
• Excellent attention to detail, tracking and coordination of actions and plans.
• Excellent verbal communication skills, with experience presenting at C-Level.
• Ability to work well within teams both within the UK and internationally.
• Ability to work on several initiatives at any given time, and prioritise effectively.