Payments Business Risk Manager

PagoNxt (a Santander company); Boadilla del Monte; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

PagoNxt Payments in Madrid, Spain is seeking a Payments Business Risk Manager to lead risk and compliance for Payments Hub. The role requires strong knowledge of payments, data risk, and regulatory requirements, with engagement across senior stakeholders.

You will help evolve the risk framework and tooling, while promoting a culture of risk awareness and governance throughout the business.

Qualifications

• Degree level education; professional risk qualifications are beneficial but not required.
• Strong knowledge of risk and compliance in payments or financial services.
• Experience engaging with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee risk and compliance for Payments Hub (2LoD) and drive risk governance.
• Translate regulatory requirements (e.g., DORA, PSD2, GDPR) into business controls.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, IT, Cyber, and Legal to manage risks.
• Lead upskilling initiatives and foster a proactive risk culture.
• Support the Head of Risk & Compliance in evolving the risk framework.

Skills

Fluent English

Fluent Spanish

Education

Degree in relevant field

Job description

WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY

PagoNxt Payments is Santander Group's global payments platform, focused on providing tailored financial infrastructure for companies, banks, and fintechs — both inside and outside the Santander ecosystem.

With operations in over 10 countries, our mission is clear: to simplify payments and empower businesses through secure, flexible, data-driven technology.

We operate on a cloud-native architecture designed to scale and adapt to the needs of global organizations. Our platform supports international transactions, FX, multi-currency accounts, regulatory compliance, and fraud prevention — all under a unified approach.

PagoNxt Payments combines the agility of a fintech with the reliability of a global bank. With teams across Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, the UK, we are building the future of payments at global scale.

If you want to be part of the next generation of financial solutions — this is the place. Imagine your future. Care for your career. Simplify your journey.

This means you'll have the opportunity to build impactful solutions, grow with real development opportunities, and thrive in a culture that values well-being, inclusion, and clarity. We combine flexibility, autonomy, and global collaboration — so you can focus on what matters, connect with purpose, and shape what's next. You'll find space to grow, real opportunities to lead, and a culture where everyone belongs and contributes. Are you ready to be a Nxter?

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

As a Payments Business Risk Manager (2LoD) you will be responsible for combining your knowledge of payments businesses and risk and compliance to oversee Payments Hub, a fast-growing Payment-as-a Service business supported by a cloud native, resilient and scalable platform for the Santander Group and the open market.

You will be responsible for understanding the risk management and compliance requirements of Payments Hub, supporting the 1LoD business to identify, assess, manage and report their risks, while also helping the risk and compliance function to evolve the risk and compliance framework and supporting risk toolsets/methodology, in line with the strategic direction agreed with the Head of Risk & Compliance.

The role requires a strong track record in learning and applying practical knowledge of complex payments technology and operations, and related topics such as data risk management, new products and change governance, and translating this into risk and compliance requirements for the business and its control environment. Familiarity with external certifications such as SOC 1 and SOC 2 is also desirable.

The role also involves leading cultural initiatives such as the education and upskilling of the business' risk culture / risk mindset, and establishing and maintaining effective risk governance.

In addition to being technically strong, success in this role requires:

• A proven ability to influence and build strong working relationships with senior stakeholders from various functions, such as Product Owners, IT architects and other supporting business areas such as SMEs in Cyber, Compliance and Legal.
• A proactive, pragmatic, innovative and collaborative mindset to find the right risk management and compliance outcomes in a fast moving business environment
• Strong writing and communication skills

The line manager of the role is the Head of Risk & Compliance, PagoNxt Payments Hub.

EXPERIENCE

Minimum 8 years of experience incorporating management positions in Risk and Compliance, governance and control roles in the payments or related sectors e.g. Financial Services. Experience working with senior management, with knowledge and authority to effectively engage, influence and challenge senior stakeholders. Ideally the experience should cover both 'Line 1' and 'Line 2' risk roles, i.e. experience in development and implementation of frameworks and methodologies, as well as hands‑on identification and management of risks in the business.

EDUCATION

Degree level education, with relevant academic qualifications desirable. Recognised risk professional qualifications / certifications are beneficial but not a must, practical experience will be prioritised.

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Fluency in English and Spanish.

Up to date knowledge of payments services and technology

Strong knowledge of best practices in risk management

Experienced in developing and implementing risk frameworks and risk tools/methodologies

Track record in interpreting and providing guidance on complex regulatory requirements, with good knowledge of regulations such as DORA, PSD II, GDPR, EBA Outsourcing, and other relevant supervisory statements desirable.

Proven ability to learn and develop new knowledge and skills at the intersection of risk management and IT & Cyber topics

Ability to contribute to the technical and personal development of Risk & Compliance team members and educate and upskill key stakeholders in the business

OTHER INFORMATION

The position is based in Spain (Madrid), with some remote working flexibility Occasional travel requirements (single digit overall per annum)

If you want to know more about us, follow us on:

https://es.linkedin.com/company/pagonxt

https://es.linkedin.com/company/banco-santander