EMEA Operational Risk Manager Dublin

MetLife; Dublin; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

MetLife’s EMEA Risk function seeks an experienced Operational Risk professional to lead the Non-financial Risk Management framework across the region. The role supports governance, challenge, and coordination with country and functional teams to ensure risks are identified, assessed, and managed in line with risk appetite and regulatory expectations.

The position emphasizes independent challenge, risk reporting, and collaboration with senior stakeholders across EMEA, contributing to a consistent

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in Operational Risk or Non-financial Risk within financial services or insurance.
• Fluent English and ability to communicate complex risk topics clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of Non-financial Risk Management frameworks, controls and issue management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development and implementation of the EMEA Non-financial Risk Management framework.
• Coordinate NFRA assessments across countries and functions with consistent quality.
• Provide guidance to first-line teams on risk identification and control effectiveness.
• Challenge regional risks, escalate material issues to governance forums, and support remediations.
• Act as a second-line risk partner to business leaders with independent challenge and advisory support.
• Produce and coordinate EMEA operational risk reporting and insights for senior management.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Fluent English

Risk management

Second-line challenge

Multi-country coordination

Presentation skills

Data-driven analysis

Job description

The Risk function within MetLife helps the organization identify, aggregate, measure, report and manage risks across the company. At EMEA level, it is led by the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, with an Operational Risk Central Team, and local teams operating in the countries across EMEA.

The EMEA Operational Risk manager role is a central second-line role supporting the oversight, governance and effective operation of the Non-financial Risk Management (NFRM) framework across the EMEA region.

The role works closely with country and functional teams, providing independent challenge, advisory support and coordination to ensure that non-financial risks are identified, assessed, managed and reported in line with risk appetite, regulatory expectations and Group standards.

This position sits within the EMEA central risk team and plays a key role in ensuring consistency, quality and transparency of operational risk practices across a diverse, multi-country environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Non-financial Risk Framework & NFRA - Drive the strategic development and oversee the consistent implementation and ongoing enhancement of the EMEA Non-financial Risk Management (NFRM) framework.
• Coordinate, review and challenge Non-financial Risk Assessments (NFRAs) across countries and functions, ensuring consistency, completeness and quality.
• Provide guidance to first-line teams on risk identification, assessment, control environment effectiveness and risk acceptance.
• Identify and drive regional thematic analysis, identifying systemic risks, emerging threats, and control weaknesses, and ensuring actions are prioritised and escalated appropriately
• Operational Risk Oversight & Challenge - Act as a second-line risk partner, providing independent challenge and constructive advisory support to the to business and functional leadership.
• Assess alignment of operational risk exposures with approved risk appetite, escalating material issues where necessary.
• Lead deep-dive reviews and thematic risk assessments on critical operational risk areas (e.g. data quality, outsourcing, resilience).
• Escalate material issues to senior governance forums, influencing decisions and ensuring timely remediation.
• Governance & Committee Support - Support end-to-end operational risk governance across EMEA, from local risk committees to regional Executive and Board Risk Committees.
• Prepare, review and coordinate high-quality risk materials, papers and presentations for senior management and committee forums.
• Contribute to governance consistency and effectiveness across countries and legal entities.
• Risk Reporting & Insights - Produce and coordinate EMEA operational risk reporting, including qualitative insights, trend analysis and key risk indicators.
• Support regional and Group reporting requirements, including inputs into ORSA and other regulatory or management reporting.
• Provide clear, concise risk insights tailored to senior stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Promote data-driven and insight-led risk management practices across the region.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Advisory - Build strong working relationships with country risk officers, functional risk leads and senior stakeholders across EMEA.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders.
• Promote a strong risk culture by encouraging ownership, transparency and informed risk-based decision-making.
• Influence and challenge first-line accountability for risk ownership, reinforcing clear roles between first and second line.

Change Management & Cross-Country Initiatives

• Provide strategic oversight and challenge of material change initiatives across EMEA, ensuring operational risks are appropriately identified, assessed, and managed throughout the change lifecycle (including transformation programmes, new products, outsourcing, and technology initiatives).
• Define and maintain risk expectations and standards for change management, ensuring consistent application of NFRM principles and clear first-line accountability across countries and functions.
• Oversee cross-country and regional initiatives, ensuring alignment of risk approaches, consistency in implementation, and effective identification of systemic risks and interdependencies across markets.
• Lead second-line review of key programmes and initiatives, providing independent challenge on risk assessments, control design, readiness, and residual risk acceptance.
• Ensure timely escalation of material risks arising from change activities to EMEA governance forums, influencing decision-making and ensuring appropriate mitigation actions are in place.
• Drive continuous improvement of change risk practices across the region, incorporating lessons learned from events, reviews, and regulatory expectations.
• Promote strong collaboration between central, local, and functional teams, ensuring effective coordination and visibility of risks across complex, multi-jurisdictional initiatives.

Essential Business Experience and Technical Skills:

• Solid experience (10+ years) in Operational Risk, Non-financial Risk within financial services or insurance (preferred).
• Very good verbal and written communication skills; Ability to translate risk concepts into clear, practical guidance for business stakeholders.
• Fluent English, with the ability to communicate complex risk topics clearly and confidently to senior stakeholders across EMEA.
• Strong understanding of Non-financial Risk Management frameworks, including risk assessments, controls and issue management.
• Strong critical thinking skills, with the confidence to apply independent judgement and provide effective second-line challenge in a complex, multi-country environment, influence senior stakeholders, and drive change.
• Experience working in a multi-country or EMEA environment, with exposure to different regulatory and business models.
• Presentation skills, including preparation of communication materials for different audiences or committees.
• Experience with risk reporting, dashboards or data-driven analysis (e.g. KRIs, thematic analysis).

The following would be advantageous, but not essential:

• Prior experience in insurance or financial services, particularly life insurance.
• Exposure to Board, Executive or Senior risk committee reporting and governance forums.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks affecting non-financial risk (e.g. operational resilience, outsourcing, ICT risk).
• Project or change management experience related to risk frameworks, governance or process improvement.
• Additional European or EMEA languages.

At MetLife, one of the largest life insurance companies in the world, we're leading the global transformation of an industry we've long defined. Named a Certified Great Place to Work®, we are united in purpose, diverse in perspective, and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our customers.

MetLife is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to attracting, retaining, and maximizing the performance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is MetLife's policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, colour, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Bring your true self to work every day, receive the development and support you need to perform at your best, opportunities to advance your career and surround yourself with likeminded people. Join MetLife.