VP & Head of Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight

First Abu Dhabi Bank FAB; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

First Abu Dhabi Bank FAB is seeking a VP-level professional to head Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight for Group Technology & Transformation. The role provides independent challenge, risk insight, and governance oversight across technology services, data analytics, AI, and resilience initiatives.

You will collaborate with GT&T senior leadership to ensure risk is identified, assessed and governed in line with Group frameworks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related discipline (Comput er Science, IT, Engineering, Risk Management, Data Analytics).
• 12–15+ years' experience in financial services or regulated tech risk roles.
• Strong capability in technology, information, data risk, and resilience domains.
• Proven experience engaging senior technology stakeholders and risk committees.
• Certifications in CRISC/CISM/CISA/CISSP or equivalent are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead second-line ORA coverage for GT&T portfolio across technology, data and AI-enabled initiatives.
• Provide independent challenge, governance alignment and risk insight to senior GT&T leadership.
• Oversee risk assessments, control effectiveness, and remediation for technology and data initiatives.
• Challenge material risk acceptance decisions and ensure evidence-based challenge.
• Support enterprise thematic reviews, regulatory responses and supervisory engagements.

Skills

Technology risk

Information risk

Operational resilience

Executive reporting

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

JOB SUMMARY / INTRODUCTION

VP, Head of Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight — Group Technology & Transformation

The VP, Head of Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight — Group Technology & Transformation operates as a Second Line of Defence role within the Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight (ORA) function, under the direction of the SVP, Head of Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight.

The purpose of the role is to lead portfolio-specific ORA coverage for the Group Technology & Transformation (GT&T) portfolio, ensuring that operational risks relating to technology services, platforms, infrastructure, data analytics, AI-enabled capabilities, information risk, change and transformation are effectively identified, assessed, challenged, escalated and governed in line with the Group Operational Risk Framework, risk appetite and regulatory expectations.

The role executes the ORA coverage model and priorities defined at Group level, providing independent challenge and subject matter expertise to senior GT&T stakeholders, while maintaining clear separation from first-line ownership, technology delivery, control operation, remediation and independent assurance.

The role acts as the designated portfolio lead and subject matter expert within ORA for technology, information risk, technology resilience, data and analytics risk and AI-related operational risk considerations, escalating material matters to the SVP where enterprise-level alignment, interpretation or governance positioning is required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• The role operates within Group Risk policies, approved governance standards, delegated authorities and the Group Operational Risk operating model.
• The role is accountable for portfolio leadership, independent second-line challenge, stakeholder engagement, issue escalation, policy implementation oversight, thematic review execution and risk insight generation across the GT&T portfolio.
• Lead second-line Operational Risk Advisory & Oversight coverage for the GT&T portfolio, aligned to Group-wide operational risk priorities, minimum standards and the ORA coverage model.
• Act as the primary ORA point of engagement for senior GT&T leadership across BAU technology operations, platforms, infrastructure, data analytics, AI-enabled capabilities and change initiatives.
• Maintain a risk-based portfolio coverage plan reflecting technology service criticality, transformation activity, data and analytics priorities, AI-related operational risk considerations, third-party dependencies, resilience matters, incidents, open issues and regulatory developments.
• Provide portfolio insight and recommendations to the SVP where matters are material, systemic, cross‑portfolio, regulatory‑sensitive or require enterprise‑level governance alignment.
• Provide independent second-line challenge over technology, information, data and transformation-related operational risks, including risk identification, assessment, control design, control effectiveness, risk acceptance, issue remediation and tolerance breaches.
• Challenge material risk acceptance decisions, control weaknesses, remediation plans and closure evidence, escalating to the SVP where risks are material, systemic or cross‑cutting.
• Ensure challenge activity is evidence-based, proportionate, clearly documented and aligned to the Group Operational Risk Framework and applicable operational risk policies.
• Technology and information risk assessments
• RCSA outputs and control assessments for GT&T
• Technology change, transformation and digital initiative assessments
• Data management, analytics and AI‑related operational risk assessments
• Operational resilience assessments for technology services
• Third‑party and outsourcing risk matters relating to technology dependencies
• Material incidents, root cause analysis and remediation plans
• KRI breaches, tolerance exceptions and policy exceptions
• Act as the designated Line 2 subject matter expert within ORA for GT&T‑related technology risk, information risk, technology resilience, data analytics risk and AI‑related operational risk considerations.
• Provide SME input covering information confidentiality, integrity and availability, data protection, information security risk, technology control alignment, data management controls, analytics risks and operational risks associated with AI‑enabled processes or technology capabilities.
• Provide SME input to enterprise thematic reviews, regulatory responses, supervisory engagements and material incident assessments led by the SVP or relevant governance owner.
• Support consistent second‑line interpretation and challenge across technology platforms, change programmes, data and analytics capabilities and strategic transformation initiatives.
• Provide operational risk advisory and independent challenge over major technology programmes, digital initiatives, platform changes, data and analytics initiatives and AI‑enabled transformation activities.
• Support second‑line oversight of operational resilience within technology estates, including technology service mapping, dependency analysis, control embedding and scenario challenge, without assuming first‑line ownership.
• Challenge whether material technology changes and transformation programmes appropriately consider operational resilience, information risk, data risk, third‑party dependencies, control design and sustainable remediation.

Desired Candidate Profile

REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Risk Management, Data Analytics, Information Systems or a related discipline.
• 12–15+ years' relevant experience in financial services, technology risk, operational risk or complex regulated organisations.
• Significant experience in technology risk, information risk, operational risk, operational resilience, third‑party technology risk, data management, data analytics risk or second‑line risk advisory roles.
• Proven experience engaging with senior technology stakeholders, technology governance forums, risk committees, Internal Audit, assurance functions and regulators.
• Exposure to large‑scale technology change, digital transformation, technology platforms, infrastructure, cloud or third‑party technology dependency risk.
• Strong technology risk judgement and advisory capability.
• Strong understanding of information risk, data risk, technology resilience and technology control environments.
• Ability to challenge senior stakeholders effectively while preserving constructive business engagement.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including executive‑level reporting and governance papers.
• Collaborative leadership, stakeholder management and coaching capability.
• Strong understanding of second‑line risk responsibilities, operational resilience expectations and regulatory expectations.
• Ability to identify systemic risk themes, root causes and emerging risks across technology, data, analytics and transformation environments.

Preferred / Beneficial

• Professional certifications preferred, including CRISC, CISM, CISA, CISSP, FRM or equivalent technology, cyber, data, resilience or risk qualifications.
• Experience providing challenge over data and analytics capabilities, AI‑enabled technology initiatives or emerging technology risks is desirable.

Skills

• Strong technology risk judgement and advisory capability.
• Strong understanding of information risk, data risk, technology resilience and technology control environments.
• Ability to challenge senior stakeholders effectively while preserving constructive business engagement.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including executive‑level reporting and governance papers.
• Collaborative leadership, stakeholder management and coaching capability.
• Strong understanding of second‑line risk responsibilities, operational resilience expectations and regulatory expectations.
• Ability to identify systemic risk themes, root causes and emerging risks across technology, data, analytics and transformation environments