Operational Risk - Executive Director

SMBC: A trusted partner for the long term 

Here at SMBC Group, we want to help you find the next step in your career so read on to discover if this opportunity is the one for you. We like to recognise potential in our people, so we welcome your application even when your experience doesn’t perfectly align with the job description. Whilst we’ll always strive to be better, we’re proud of our inclusive culture, and encourage our applicants and colleagues to be their authentic, unique selves. 

Shape the Future of Operational Risk Across a Global Banking Platform

Location: London, 100 Liverpool Street

Department: Operational Risk, Risk Management Department

We are building a pipeline of exceptional Operational Risk leaders to support the continued growth and transformation of our EMEA Risk Management function.

As an Executive Director within Operational Risk Management, you will play a pivotal role in strengthening the Bank's operational risk framework, driving operational resilience, and providing independent challenge across complex banking, markets, technology, and corporate functions. This is a unique opportunity to influence risk strategy at both regional and global levels while engaging directly with senior executives, Board committees, regulators, and international stakeholders.

Whether your expertise lies in business coverage, operational risk methodology, resilience, assurance, testing, scenario analysis, governance, or risk transformation, we are seeking experienced leaders who can help shape and evolve a best-in-class operational risk function.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Depending on your background and area of expertise, responsibilities may include:

Leading second-line oversight and independent challenge across Corporate & Investment Banking, Financial Markets, Treasury, Operations, Technology and Corporate Functions
Enhancing and maintaining the Operational Risk Management Framework across EMEA
Driving the development of methodologies including RCSAs, scenario analysis, stress testing, control testing, operational resilience and risk quantification
Overseeing the identification, assessment, monitoring and mitigation of operational risk exposures
Providing risk oversight of critical business services, technology platforms, third-party dependencies and transformation programmes
Advising senior management and Board committees on emerging risks, risk appetite and control effectiveness
Leading regulatory engagement with supervisory bodies including the PRA, FCA and European regulators
Delivering thematic reviews, risk assessments and assurance activities that support robust governance and regulatory compliance
Driving data-led risk management through analytics, reporting and the enhancement of risk tooling and technology solutions
Building, leading and developing high-performing risk teams across a complex international environment

What We're Looking For

We're interested in speaking with candidates who bring:

Significant experience within Operational Risk Management in banking or financial services
Deep understanding of operational risk frameworks, governance and second-line oversight
Expertise in one or more areas including operational resilience, methodology, assurance, risk governance, scenario analysis, stress testing, controls assessment, risk quantification or business coverage
Strong knowledge of regulatory expectations including PRA, FCA, ECB, EBA and Basel standards
Proven experience engaging with Executive Committees, Boards and regulators
Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills with the ability to provide credible challenge
Strong analytical capabilities and the ability to translate complex risk concepts into clear business insights
Demonstrated leadership experience, including building and developing high-performing teams

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to join a global financial institution undergoing significant growth, transformation and technology modernisation.

You'll work on some of the most critical risk challenges facing the banking industry today, including:

• Operational resilience and critical service continuity
• Technology, cyber and data risk
• AI governance and emerging risks
• Third-party and outsourced service risk
• Trading and market infrastructure resilience
• Enterprise-wide risk transformation and control enhancement

You'll have the platform, visibility and influence to shape risk management across a complex international organisation while helping to create a resilient, forward-looking and sustainable risk culture.

We have 3 roles to fill:

Head of Operational Risk Methodology and Assurance

Head of Operational Risk Business Coverage

Head of Information and Analytics Risk

Important note - This is an evergreen requisition, your application is to join our talent pool so we know your interested. Applications will be reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team and you'll be contacted by our team if we feel a relevant role is available that you would suit. Due to volumes, we're not able to reach out to every applications.

We recognise our role as a bank to support social change and welcome all applications, including those from groups often under-represented in financial services. We value the uniqueness of professional and personal, backgrounds and perspectives as they play a vital role in continuing the sustainable growth of our organisation. We’ll ensure reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process are offered due to a disability or long-term condition whenever requested.  

We are committed to transparent and equitable pay practices. Compensation is determined using objective criteria, including skills, experience, and role responsibilities, and applied consistently throughout our recruitment processes. We do not request candidates' pay history and are committed to preventing unjustified pay disparities.