Chief Information Officer

ACE Money Transfer; Ireland; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ACE Money Transfer seeks a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to oversee the IT strategy and cybersecurity for their operations in Dublin, Ireland. This leadership role requires collaboration with senior stakeholders and regulatory compliance in a hybrid work environment.

The ideal candidate will possess significant experience in financial services technology, a strong understanding of ICT governance, and leadership in AI strategies. Professional certifications in IT governance are highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Significant senior technology leadership experience in financial services.
• Experience in ICT governance and cybersecurity.
• Strong familiarity with regulatory compliance like GDPR and DORA.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement IT strategy for AMTL.
• Oversee cybersecurity strategy and incident management.
• Lead governance of outsourced ICT service providers.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cybersecurity expertise

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

AI/ML knowledge

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or related discipline

MBA or postgraduate qualification

Tools

ITIL

COBIT

Job description

ACE Money Transfer IE Ltd

Chief Information Officer (PCF-49)

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Dublin, Ireland (Hybrid)

ACE Money Transfer IE Ltd (AMTL or the Company) is a payment institution authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) and forms part of a wider international money transfer group providing cross-border remittance services across the EEA and beyond.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a senior leadership role at AMTL and holds the PCF-49 (Chief Information Officer) Pre‑Approval Controlled Function under the Central Bank of Ireland's Fitness and Probity Regime. The CIO is the most senior individual within AMTL responsible for information technology and is accountable for the Company's IT strategy, operational resilience, cybersecurity, ICT risk management, and technology governance.

The CIO reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and works closely with the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and other senior stakeholders to ensure that technology supports the Company's strategic objectives while meeting all applicable regulatory requirements.

AMTL operates an outsourced IT operating model, with core IT services provided under a formal intra‑group outsourcing arrangement. The CIO is responsible for the governance, oversight, and assurance of these arrangements, ensuring outsourced ICT services remain effective, resilient, secure, and compliant with regulatory expectations.

Key Responsibilities

IT Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and implement AMTL's IT strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and growth plans.
• Provide strategic leadership on technology, digital transformation, ICT risk, and operational resilience.
• Advise the CEO, Executive Committee, and Board on technology strategy, IT investments, cybersecurity, and emerging technology risks.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that enhance operational efficiency, customer experience, resilience, and security.
• Promote innovation while maintaining appropriate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, identifying high-impact use cases such as fraud detection, transaction monitoring, customer service automation, and operational efficiency.
• Evaluate Generative AI (GenAI) and predictive analytics solutions to modernise the remittance experience and enable data-driven decision-making.

ICT Governance, Risk and Regulatory Compliance

• Act as the accountable individual for the PCF-49 Chief Information Officer function.
• Establish and maintain an effective ICT governance framework appropriate for a regulated payment institution.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including:
• Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA)
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Central Bank of Ireland ICT and Operational Resilience expectations
• European Banking Authority (EBA) Guidelines on ICT and Security Risk Management
• Maintain effective ICT risk management processes, including risk assessments, controls, reporting, and governance.
• Ensure timely reporting of ICT risks, incidents, and technology performance to senior management and the Board.
• Lead business continuity, disaster recovery, and operational resilience planning.
• Establish and maintain an AI governance framework covering model lifecycle management, data ethics, transparency, and compliance with the emerging EU AI Act and CBI guidance on algorithmic risk.
• Oversee AI-specific risk assessments, including model bias, data quality, explainability, and drift, ensuring these are embedded within the overall ICT risk management process.

Cybersecurity

• Develop and oversee AMTL's cybersecurity strategy and security governance framework.
• Ensure effective security monitoring, vulnerability management, threat detection, and incident response capabilities.
• Oversee cyber incident management and ensure regulatory reporting obligations are met where required.
• Ensure appropriate protection of Company information assets, customer data, and critical systems.
• Promote a strong cybersecurity culture across the organisation.
• Leverage AI-driven security analytics, automated threat detection, and predictive intelligence to proactively defend against advanced cyber threats.
• Ensure the security of AI models and training datasets against adversarial attacks, data poisoning, and intellectual property theft.

Outsourcing Oversight and Vendor Management

• Provide governance and oversight of outsourced ICT service providers, including intra-group technology services.
• Monitor service delivery, operational performance, contractual obligations, and service level agreements.
• Ensure outsourced ICT arrangements comply with DORA, EBA outsourcing expectations, and CBI requirements.
• Maintain oversight of ICT third-party risks, including due diligence, performance monitoring, resilience, and exit planning.
• Maintain the Register of Information for ICT third-party arrangements and support regulatory reporting requirements.
• Incorporate AI-specific due diligence into third-party oversight, assessing vendors' AI capabilities, data governance, and compliance with ethical AI standards.
• Monitor and manage risks associated with externally provided AI/ML models and services.

Technology Delivery and Operations

• Oversee delivery of technology initiatives supporting business growth and operational efficiency.
• Ensure technology projects are delivered securely, on time, within budget, and in accordance with governance requirements.
• Develop IT budgets and ensure efficient allocation of technology resources.
• Establish appropriate IT policies, standards, procedures, and performance metrics.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, collaboration, and innovation.
• Champion the adoption of AI and automation (including AIOps) to streamline IT operations, accelerate software delivery, and reduce technical debt.
• Lead the development of a robust data strategy that ensures high-quality, governed data is available for AI model training and real-time inference.

Leadership and Stakeholder Management

• Lead and develop the AMTL technology function.
• Build strong working relationships with Group IT, business functions, regulators, vendors, auditors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide clear communication of technology risks and opportunities to senior management and the Board.
• Support internal and external audits and regulatory inspections relating to ICT governance and operational resilience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• MBA or postgraduate qualification is desirable.
• Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CGEIT, COBIT, ITIL, or equivalent are desirable.

Experience

• Significant senior technology leadership experience within a regulated financial services environment, preferably a payment institution, e‑money institution, fintech, or banking organisation.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing enterprise IT strategy.
• Strong experience in ICT governance, cybersecurity, operational resilience, and technology risk management.
• Experience managing outsourced ICT operating models and third-party technology providers.
• Sound understanding of CBI regulatory expectations, DORA, GDPR, EBA ICT Guidelines, and ICT risk management frameworks.
• Experience engaging with regulators, auditors, senior executives, and Boards on technology governance matters.
• Previous experience in a regulated Pre‑Approval Controlled Function or equivalent senior technology leadership role is advantageous.
• Demonstrated experience in leading AI strategy and implementation within a regulated financial services environment.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong strategic leadership and decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent understanding of technology governance, cybersecurity, operational resilience, and ICT risk.
• Strong knowledge of payment systems and regulated financial services technology environments.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
• Ability to translate complex technology issues into clear business and regulatory outcomes.
• Strong analytical, organisational, and problem‑solving skills.
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Ability to operate independently while maintaining effective collaboration across Group functions and external partners.
• Familiarity with AI/ML technologies, data science principles, and MLOps practices.
• Understanding of the EU AI Act, Responsible AI principles, and the regulatory expectations for AI in financial services.

Regulatory Note

This role is designated as PCF-49 (Chief Information Officer) under the Central Bank of Ireland's Fitness and Probity Regime. Appointment to the role is subject to prior approval by the Central Bank of Ireland. The successful candidate must satisfy the Central Bank's Fitness and Probity Standards, complete the required Individual Questionnaire (IQ), undergo appropriate background screening, and remain compliant with all ongoing Fitness and Probity obligations throughout their tenure.