Head of Risk (Insurance) *12 month FTC* in Folkestone

Join Saga's Risk and Compliance function within Insurance and Money at a pivotal moment in our journey. As a brand trusted by millions of people over 50, we continue to lead the market with innovative insurance and financial solutions, delivered through powerful affinity partnerships with Ageas, NatWest, Just Group, BUPA and Collinson.

As Head of Risk, you'll report to the Insurance Risk Director and play a central role in shaping how risk is managed across Saga Services Ltd, Saga Money, and our partner landscape. You'll lead the operation, oversight and continuous evolution of our risk and control framework, ensuring it remains robust, forward-looking and aligned to our strategic ambitions.

This is a high-impact leadership role where you'll be the trusted advisor to the SSL management team on all aspects of risk and control management - spanning strategic, financial, non-financial and reputational risk, as well as operational resilience.

With a strong presence and credibility, you'll influence confidently at all levels of the business and act as a key point of contact with the FCA, helping to safeguard Saga's reputation as one of the UK's most trusted brands.

Hybrid working: We work in a hybrid way at Saga both at home and in the office. This role requires you to be working from our Folkestone office weekly, as well as visits to our London office, allowing us to collaborate and share success as a business.

Responsibilities:

• Design, implementation and oversight of the risk and control framework used throughout SSL and Saga Money, covering all risk types.
• Ensuring there is a fit-for-purpose, comprehensive, efficient and effective framework covering all risk, controls and procedures adopted by the first line.
• Leading the risk business partnering team across SSL, liaising with the Head of Compliance and working as one with the compliance business partners.
• Ensuring a clearly articulated and approved framework for risk appetite, with appropriate risk appetite measures and tolerances to support senior management decision making and strategy formation.
• Identifying, developing and deploying operational risk management tools, techniques and strategies to ensure operational risk management across Saga is value adding and contributes to the overall strategy and performance of the business.
• Leading risk partners to work with the first line to map risks, processes, and control ownership clearly and accurately.
• Designing and performing risk-based control testing, documenting results, issues and remediation actions.
• Actively promoting a risk culture that encourages appropriate risk taking, aligned to strategy and risk appetite, with effective and timely response to risk events.
• Assisting in the formation, review and ongoing delivery of appropriate risk governance.
• Presenting to relevant committees on topics in enterprise or operational risk management.
• Conducting targeted risk opinions and/or deep dives across material risks or projects as requested by the Board or leadership team.
• Maintaining continuous development by reviewing risk management maturity through evaluating core framework components in operation by the first line and partners.
• Leading the development and delivery of specific risk projects, either on behalf of the CRO or first line functions.
• Providing risk advice, leadership and stewardship to material transformation and change programmes and projects to support the business's objectives.
• Supporting the Insurance Risk Director in day-to-day management of the CRO Function and the first-line Risk Champion community.
• Ensuring an open and collaborative relationship between all lines of defence and group colleagues.

The Ideal Candidate:

As our new Head of Risk, you will have proven experience leading a team that operates a risk framework covering the entity and oversight of significant third-party partners/providers. While experience within the Insurance or Financial Services industry would be advantageous, we are open to considering candidates with relevant risk experience in other regulated areas.

Operational Skills required include:

• Experience presenting clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Understanding of technology landscapes and system concepts.
• Understanding of data legislation and regulatory environment.
• Ability to constructively challenge the status quo.
• Stakeholder management skills, including senior management.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Resilient, adaptable, and open to change in a fast-paced environment.
• Unquestionable integrity, professionalism, and commitment to ethical practice.

Saga Values: Make it Happen, Do the Right Thing, Customer First, Excellence Every Day, Our People Make Us Special.

Package Description: At Saga, we recognise that our people make us special. We believe our colleagues deserve rewards for the excellence they demonstrate every single day, that's why we have put together an amazing benefits package for all colleagues.