Head of Risk & Governance

Instinet Incorporated; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Nomura Holdings, Inc. in London seeks a seasoned Head of Risk & Governance to lead risk and control activities for the EMEA COO Office.

You will own RCSA, ICARA, and SMF-24, coordinate with internal and external governance, and drive remediation across multiple operational domains. You will chair governance forums, prepare high‑quality board materials, and liaise with Nomura GES Technology and other groups to ensure regulatory compliance and robust risk reporting.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of electronic and broker trading processes from execution through to order and applicable regulations.
• Understanding of risk management frameworks (RCSA, ICARA) and their practical application within a first‑line or COO office context, and prior audit experience.
• Familiarity with DORA, including ICT risk management obligations, third‑party risk requirements, UK Operational Resilience, and incident reporting sufficient to coordinate effectively with Group functions and maintain Instinet's compliance posture.
• Experience of chairing or materially contributing to senior governance committees, with the ability to manage meeting dynamics, drive decision‑making, and ensure accountability for actions.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills with the ability to work across multiple functions and balance competing priorities.
• Ability to translate complex regulatory and technical matters into clear, actionable language for non‑specialist audiences.

Responsibilities

• Own and administer the RCSA process across all areas within the COO's remit, ensuring risks are identified and controlled, and outputs reported.
• Conduct periodic reviews of ICARA process and scenario definitions with evidence of current risk ratings and control assessments.
• Maintain the SMF-24 accountability framework and ensure regulatory handover documentation is timely.
• Coordinate with Nomura service providers to obtain evidence and remediation plans.
• Prepare governance materials for the EMEA COO fora and co-chair the Technology Service Delivery Forum (TSDF).
• Prepare board-level reports and executive briefings with concise action-oriented content.
• Act as primary point of accountability for Internal Audit engagement within the COO Office's remit.
• Monitor and report audit actions and liaise with Group functions to coordinate remediation where needed.
• Support KPI/KRI development for technology and operations service delivery and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

RCSA familiarity

ICARA knowledge

DORA knowledge

Governance committee experience

Audit liaison

Stakeholder management

Board reporting

Strategic thinking

Regulatory reporting

Executive communications

Risk management frameworks

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Reports To: EMEA Head of Operations & Resilience

Location: London

Company overview

Nomura is a financial services group with an integrated global network. By connecting markets East & West, we service the needs of individuals, institutions, corporates and governments through our four business divisions: Wealth Management, Investment Management, Wholesale (Global Markets and Investment Banking) and Banking.

Driven by the insights of some 28,000 people worldwide, we put our clients at the center of everything we do, delivering unparalleled access to, from and within Asia. For further information about Nomura, visit www.nomura.com

Department Overview

Instinet, a subsidiary of Nomura, is a leading global electronic trading platform that offers innovative solutions to institutional clients. With a team of experienced professionals, Instinet provides clients with customized trading strategies and access to liquidity across multiple asset classes. The platform's cutting‑edge technology and commitment to client satisfaction have made it a valuable partner for clients looking to optimize their trading performance. Instinet's mission is to continue driving growth and success in the electronic trading space through its focus on technology, innovation, and client service.

Role Description

The Head of Risk & Governance will work within the EMEA COO Office. Individual responsibilities will include:

Risk and Control Framework

• Own and administer the RCSA process across all areas within the COO's remit, ensuring that risks are identified, controls are assessed for effectiveness, gaps are remediated, and the overall risk profile is accurately reported to relevant governance committees. This includes management of all necessary risk acceptances and review and validation of the scope and outputs of control testing
• Conduct periodic reviews of ICARA process and associated scenario definitions, ensuring that risk ratings, control assessments, and residual risk positions are current, approved, and appropriately evidenced.
• Maintain and develop the SMF-24 accountability framework, ensuring that all regulatory requirements — including handover documentation and periodic review obligations — are met on a timely basis.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and internal policies across the COO Office's areas of accountability. Coordinate with all Nomura service providers to obtain and validate required evidence and remediation plans.

Governance and Committee Support

• Front to back ownership of the preparation of materials for all governance fora within the remit of the EMEA COO.
• Co-chairing the Technology Service Delivery Forum (TSDF) and acting as secretary, producing high-quality minutes and tracking actions between meetings.
• Prepare high-quality materials for board-level and ExCo governance committees, including the Risk and Capital Committee, ensuring that reporting is accurate, concise, and actionable.
• Deputise for the Head of Operations & Resilience at governance meetings as required.
• Coordinate and continuously enhance key governance fora supporting the COO Office and provide summarised reporting into senior and Board-level committees on behalf of the COO, reflecting the role's broad, team-wide remit across Operational Resilience, AI, and Operations (as it joins).

Audit Engagement and Remediation

• Act as the primary point of accountability for Internal Audit engagement within the COO Office's remit, coordinating the provision of evidence, managing audit point remediation, and ensuring that agreed actions are tracked, completed, and closed on a timely basis.
• Provide active monitoring and reporting of audit actions across all areas within scope, maintaining a clear and current view of the firm's open audit findings and remediation status through to closure. Provide regular reporting to the Head of Operations & Resilience and relevant governance committees.
• Liaise with Nomura GES Technology and other Group functions to coordinate audit remediation where the underlying control or evidence sits within the Group's delivery perimeter, retaining clear Instinet-side accountability.

COO Office - Operational Excellence and Strategic Support

• Support the EMEA COO and Head of Operations & Resilience in the delivery of operational excellence initiatives, including the development and refinement of KPIs and KRIs for technology and operations service delivery.
• Prepare executive briefings, board reports, and management information to a high standard, ensuring that complex technical and regulatory matters are communicated clearly and appropriately for the intended audience.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of policies and procedures within the COO Office's remit, ensuring that documentation is current, accurate, and aligned to regulatory requirements.
• Identify and elevate continuous improvement opportunities across the firm's risk and control environment, operational processes, and governance arrangements, supporting the Head of Operations & Resilience and COO in driving operational effectiveness.
• Support the functional leads within the team as required with outsourcing and intra-group service governance, operational resilience framework maintenance, AI and Controls governance, and business continuity/crisis management coordination, providing back‑up capacity and consolidated reporting across these areas as needed.

Skills, experience, qualifications and knowledge required

• Excellent team player with the ability to use own initiative and provide prompt and practical service to stakeholders
• Knowledge of electronic and broker trading processes from execution through to order and applicable regulations
• Understanding of risk management frameworks (RCSA, ICARA) and their practical application within a first‑line or COO office context, and prior audit experience
• Familiarity with DORA, including ICT risk management obligations, third‑party risk requirements, UK Operational Resilience, and incident reporting sufficient to coordinate effectively with Group functions and maintain Instinet's compliance posture
• Experience of chairing or materially contributing to senior governance committees, with the ability to manage meeting dynamics, drive decision‑making, and ensure accountability for actions.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills with the ability to work across multiple functions and balance competing priorities
• Ability to provide structured oversight and challenge of Group or third‑party service providers without direct line authority over those functions.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce board‑quality reports, management information, and executive briefings that are clear, concise, and appropriately calibrated for the audience.
• Strong verbal communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to engage credibly with senior internal stakeholders and Group functions.
• Ability to translate complex regulatory and technical matters into clear, actionable language for non‑specialist audiences.
• Strong analytical capability across multiple workstreams.
• Ability to operate with a degree of autonomy and to exercise sound judgement, while maintaining appropriate escalation to the Head of Operations & Resilience.
• Strong collaborative instincts, with a track record of building effective working relationships across organisational boundaries, including with Group and parent company functions.

Explore Insights & Vision: Identify the underlying causes of problems faced by you or your team and define a clear vision and direction for the future.

Making Strategic Decisions: Evaluate all the options for resolving the problems and effectively prioritize actions or recommendations.

Inspire Entrepreneurship in People: Inspire team members through effective communication of ideas and motivate them to actively enhance productivity.

Elevate Organizational Capability: Engage proactively in professional development and enhance team productivity through the promotion of knowledge sharing.

Inclusion: Foster a culture of inclusion and psychological safety in the workplace and cultivate a "Risk Culture" (Challenge, Escalate and Respect).

RIGHT TO WORK

The UK Government have taken steps to reduce net migration to the UK by limiting the number of overseas workers from outside the EEA coming to the UK for employment. Please note thatwhilst we are able to consider applications from overseas workers from outside the EEA (who require a Tier 2 (General) visa) we can only employ them if we can provide evidence that there are no other suitable candidates for this vacancy from inside the EEA.