Executive Director - Non-Financial Risks, Governance & Internal Control

Executive Director – Non-Financial Risks, Governance & Internal Control

We are seeking an accomplished executive to lead the Governance, Internal Control, Regulatory Compliance, and Non-Financial Risk agenda for a prominent financial institution.

This role is designed for a leader who understands that effective risk management goes beyond compliance—it is a strategic capability that protects the franchise, strengthens stakeholder confidence, enables sustainable growth, and supports long-term value creation.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping the organization's control environment, driving regulatory excellence, strengthening governance practices, and proactively managing non-financial risks across the enterprise.

Partnering closely with senior leadership, governance committees, regulators, and business leaders, this executive will influence key decisions impacting the organization's risk profile, operational resilience, and strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Non-Financial Risk Leadership

• Lead the identification, assessment, monitoring, and mitigation of non-financial risks across the organization.
• Strengthen risk frameworks covering operational risk, conduct risk, regulatory risk, compliance risk, reputational risk, and control effectiveness.
• Promote a culture of accountability, prevention, and ownership throughout the institution.
• Provide executive visibility on emerging risks and organizational vulnerabilities.

Governance & Internal Control

• Lead the evolution of the internal control framework and governance model.
• Ensure the organization maintains a robust and effective control environment aligned with industry best practices.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on risk mitigation, operational efficiency, and control effectiveness.
• Provide independent challenge to business processes, strategic initiatives, and control structures.

Regulatory Affairs & Compliance Oversight

• Maintain strong, credible relationships with regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders.
• Lead regulatory examinations, inspections, audits, and supervisory reviews.
• Ensure timely remediation of findings and sustainable corrective action plans.
• Monitor regulatory developments and assess their impact on the organization.

Strategic Business Partner

• Participate in the assessment of new products, business initiatives, and transformation programs from a risk and control perspective.
• Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on risk, governance, and regulatory matters.
• Contribute to strategic decision-making by balancing growth opportunities with prudent risk management.

Operational Resilience

• Drive initiatives that enhance operational integrity, resilience, and business continuity.
• Strengthen monitoring capabilities and risk reporting processes.
• Ensure effective escalation and management of significant control events and operational incidents.

Ideal Candidate

We are seeking a senior executive with extensive experience managing non-financial risks within complex and highly regulated financial institutions.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with executive influence, business judgment, and the ability to drive organizational change.

Required Experience

• 15+ years of experience within Banking, Brokerage, Asset Management, Wealth Management, Investment Banking, Financial Groups, or other regulated financial institutions.
• Proven leadership experience in:
• Non-Financial Risk
• Operational Risk
• Regulatory Compliance
• Internal Control
• Governance
• Regulatory Affairs
• Audit or Control Functions
• Strong exposure to regulatory authorities and executive governance bodies.
• Experience presenting to Boards, Audit Committees, Risk Committees, and Executive Committees.
• Track record of building and enhancing enterprise control environments.

What Will Differentiate You

• Deep understanding of financial services regulation.
• Strong knowledge of governance and control frameworks.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong business acumen and strategic mindset.
• Executive presence and exceptional communication skills.
• Proven ability to create risk-aware cultures while supporting business growth.

Why This Opportunity?

This is a highly visible leadership role with significant influence across the organization.

The successful candidate will help protect, strengthen, and shape the future of a leading financial institution by ensuring that governance, risk management, and control frameworks evolve alongside business growth and strategic ambition.

If you are passionate about building resilient organizations, influencing executive decision-making, and elevating risk and governance standards across a complex financial institution, we would like to hear from you.