Executive Director – Risk & Controls

LHH Recruitment Solutions; Warszawa; On-site; PLN 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Our client, a leading international financial institution, is seeking a senior professional to strengthen its risk and controls environment. You will drive control assessments, process reviews and improvement initiatives, engaging senior stakeholders across geographies.

The role combines hands-on testing with strategic oversight, requiring a deep understanding of control frameworks and experience working in complex banking operations. This is a high-visibility assignment with global impact.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in banking risk, controls or internal audit.
• Strong understanding of control frameworks and testing of control design and operating effectiveness.
• Experience engaging senior leaders and managing cross-functional stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Support global leadership in delivering strategic risk and control initiatives across the organisation.
• Review existing control mechanisms and identify opportunities to improve their design and effectiveness.
• Perform control testing and assess whether controls operate as intended.
• Review operational processes to identify potential control gaps and increased risk.
• Analyse identified issues and develop remediation actions.
• Collaborate with operational teams to implement improvements and strengthen processes.
• Contribute to initiatives to enhance the control environment and risk management practices.
• Provide conclusions and recommendations based on reviews and testing outcomes.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders across functions and geographies.
• Cooperate with risk, audit and assurance functions on cross-functional topics.

Skills

Banking risk

Controls testing

Internal audit

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Risk expertise

Leadership

Cross-functional

Job description

Our client, a leading international financial institution, is looking for a highly experienced senior professional to join its global risk and controls organisation.

The role is focused on strengthening the control environment across complex banking operations. It combines control assessment, process review and improvement initiatives with significant exposure to senior stakeholders across an international organisation.

The successful candidate will work closely with global leadership and operational teams, providing expertise on control effectiveness, identifying potential weaknesses and supporting the implementation of sustainable improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Support global leadership in delivering strategic risk and control initiatives across the organisation.
• Review existing control mechanisms and identify opportunities to improve their design and effectiveness.
• Perform control testing, including sample-based testing, and assess whether controls operate as intended.
• Review operational processes to identify potential control gaps, weaknesses and areas of increased risk.
• Analyse identified issues and support the development of appropriate remediation actions.
• Work closely with operational and business teams to implement improvements and strengthen existing processes.
• Contribute to broader initiatives aimed at enhancing the overall control environment and risk management practices.
• Provide clear conclusions and recommendations based on control reviews and testing outcomes.
• Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across functions and geographies.
• Cooperate with risk, audit, assurance and other relevant functions on cross-functional topics and improvement initiatives.

Candidate Profile

This opportunity is designed for an established senior professional with extensive experience in banking risk, controls or internal audit. It is not intended as a first move into a senior leadership position.

The successful candidate should bring:

• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience.
• Current experience at Director, Executive Director or an equivalent level of seniority.
• Significant experience within risk and controls, controls assurance, controls testing, internal audit or a closely related area.
• Strong practical understanding of control frameworks and experience assessing both control design and operating effectiveness.
• Experience reviewing complex operational processes and identifying control weaknesses and improvement opportunities.
• A strong track record gained within banking or a large international financial institution.
• Experience working in complex, global stakeholder environments and the credibility to engage effectively with senior leaders.
• Strong analytical capabilities combined with the ability to translate findings into practical recommendations and improvement actions.
• Experience within areas such as transaction banking, financial markets, global markets or treasury would be particularly relevant.
• Previous experience in internal audit would be an advantage.