We are delighted to be partnering with a Hertfordshire based consumer lender to assist them with the appointment of a newly created Compliance and Risk vacancy within their First Line.

You'll play a key role in supporting the Customer Services Department (Customer support at each step of the customer journey; including but limited to General Contact, Complaints, Collections, End of Agreement options, Remarketing and Operational Resilience) in embedding its first line of defence risk management framework.

You will collaborate with risk owners, Management and senior stakeholders to identify, assess, and mitigate risks across the Customer Services Department, ensuring independence from daily business as usual operations while providing tailored risk management support.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Risk Identification and Documentation:

• Support the identification and documentation of risks in line with the organisation’s framework, responsible for the completion and assessment of Risk and Control Self Assessments (RCSAs).
• Lead identification of root causes of risk events and incidents and deliver remediation of risks and issues.
• Review and draft department policies, procedures, and processes to ensure regulatory alignment and business effectiveness.
• Mapping of customer journeys to identify, assess and mitigate risks across key processes to ensure appropriate controls.
• Review of key customer communications.

Advisory and Support

• Collaborate with risk owners and Head of Departments to provide risk oversight for change and transformation projects, including defining risks and controls and ensuring effective governance and documentation is in place to demonstrate customer outcome considerations.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders and the Compliance Function to conduct regulatory impact assessments and support the department in implementing and adapting to new rules and expectations.

Governance and Reporting

• Represent risk in department governance committees, forums, and working groups, and provide insights and management information to support effective decision-making and risk oversight.
• Analyse department Risk Appetite, Customer Outcomes and management information and data to assess and identify risks for mitigation, presenting reports to relevant committees and forums.
• Identify and monitor the departments Top Risks, Emerging Risks and Issues Under Management for reporting to Operations Committee and Executive Risk Committee; including preparing papers for the Operations Committee.
• Responsible for department external regulatory reporting.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Strong experience working across multiple risk domains in a first line capacity, with a good understanding of banking and customer operations, especially lending, financial crime, underwriting, IT and operational resilience.
• Sound knowledge of the FCA handbook, particularly CONC and Consumer Duty.
• Proven experience in a consumer credit, or a similar FCA-regulated financial services firm/sector.
• Experienced in advising business stakeholders, providing advice and guidance on internal matters, procedures and policies, and participating in internal committees and contributing risk insights.
• Experience in managing/supporting business projects/initiatives, particularly relating to operational efficiency, business change transformation and regulatory change.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and collaboration, and influence/problem-solving skills.
• Previous experience of leading and managing others is highly desirable.