Technology Risk Specialist

Atom bank; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £100,000

Flexible hybrid work in Newcastle

4-day work week

Discretionary cash bonus

Generous pension (13% Atom input)

All About Me fund: £200/year

22.5 days annual leave + holidays

Private Medical Insurance

Electric Vehicle Scheme

Job summary

Atom bank is seeking a Technology Risk Specialist to act as a 2nd Line of Defence partner to the Head of Operational Risk. You will influence technology strategy, translate complex concepts for senior leaders, and ensure rapid speed to market remains stable and secure.

You’ll oversee risk events, assess AI deployments, and monitor resilience and controls while collaborating with CISO, tech leaders, and the ExCo. Flexible hybrid work in Newcastle is offered.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, AI, or related quantitative field.
• Experience managing technology risk frameworks in a digital-first environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide 2nd Line oversight across the technology stack and risk posture.
• Deliver formal risk opinions on major tech deployments, including AI integrations.
• Lead deep-dive reviews into high-risk tech areas (CI/CD, AI governance, automated controls).
• Monitor trends in system resilience, patch management, and automated control failures.

Skills

Cloud (GCP)

Microservices

API-led architectures

Agile/DevOps

Adaptability

Influence & gravitas

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Degree in CS/InfoSec/Engineering/AI

Tools

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

We're Atom…

The bank that's on a mission to make finance faster, simpler and way more human.

We've ditched the stuffy banking model to build something that actually works for our customers, whenever and wherever they need us.

To make this happen, we're looking for like-minded people who can help us reach our goals and think differently.

If you're ready to build the future of banking, we'd love to meet you.

What will your typical day look like? Different that's for sure…

As our Technology Risk Specialist, you'll act as a key 2nd Line of Defence partner to the Head of Operational Risk, providing real-time oversight and objective challenge across our digital-first profile.

You won't just be rubber-stamping compliance—you will directly influence our technology stack, risk posture, and strategic growth. You'll act as a trusted advisor and critical friend to tech leaders (including our CISO, Head of Tech, and ExCo), translating complex technical concepts into strategic insights and ensuring our rapid speed to market aligns with our stability of service. From deep diving into AI integrations to assessing technical debt and cloud resilience, your goal is to keep Atom safe, scalable, and sustainable.

So, what will you be doing…

• Root Cause Validation of Risk Events: Review and challenge technology Risk Event Reports (RERs) to ensure 1st line teams address underlying technical debt and architectural flaws rather than surface-level symptoms.

• 2nd Line Opinions on Strategic Change: Deliver formal risk opinions on major technology deployments, evaluating the risk-to-reward ratio for new AI integrations, automation shifts, and cloud developments.

• Thematic Technology Risk Reviews: Lead targeted, deep-dive reviews into high-risk technical areas like CI/CD pipeline security, responsible AI governance, and automated controls.

• Independent KRI Oversight & Monitoring: Monitor trends in system resilience, patch management, and automated control failures, providing early-warning alerts through risk governance.

• Regulatory Alignment & DORA Oversight: Act as the 2nd line subject matter expert on evolving digital regulations (e.g., DORA, SS2/21).

• Governance & Board Insight: Translate complex 2nd line technical findings into clear, actionable strategic insights for ExCo and the Board Risk Committee.

What do we need from you…

• Technical Foundation: A degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, AI, or a related quantitative field.

• Relevant Experience: Proven track record managing technology risk frameworks within a digital-first environment (banking, financial services, energy, or Big 4 consulting).

• Modern Tech Knowledge: Hands-on understanding of cloud environments (GCP), microservices, API-led architectures, and Agile/DevOps delivery cycles.

• Curiosity & Adaptability: A genuine passion for tech, AI, and continuous self-study to stay ahead of fast-changing technologies and emerging threats.

• Influence & Gravitas: Strong interpersonal skills with the confidence to have constructive, high-tension conversations with senior engineering leaders and hold them accountable.

• Regulatory Context: Practical knowledge of UK operational resilience expectations (e.g., DORA, SS2/21).

• Qualifications: Degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, AI, or a related quantitative field.

• Certifications: Industry certifications such as CISA, CRISC, or CISM, or practitioner knowledge in Cloud or AI Ethics/Governance.

What will you get from us?

• Salary of up to £100,000.
• Flexible hybrid working in Newcastle
• 4-day work week
• Discretionary Cash Bonus – Individual and Company Performance based.
• Incredibly generous company pension scheme (maximum of 13% of Atom input – you can put in more).
• ‘All About Me’ fund: £200 per year to spend on personal development.
• 22.5 days annual leave plus public holidays.
• Private Medical Insurance, Health Cash Plan & Life Insurance.
• Electric Vehicle Scheme.

PLEASE NOTE: You must have the legal right to work in the UK to apply for this role as Atom is unable to support Visa Applications/Sponsorship*

Atom is an equal opportunities employer. We value you as an individual and therefore disregard race, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation, maternity/pregnancy, age, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership and disability in any hiring decisions we make. Atom will always adhere to the Equality Act 2010.

All roles within Atom must adhere to the Conduct Rules as set out by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

As part of Atom bank's commitment to the FCA's Consumer Duty, Atom will, take all reasonable steps to avoid causing foreseeable harm to customers, take all reasonable steps to enable customers to pursue their financial objectives and act in good faith.