Director, Risk

Engine; California City (CA); Hybrid; USD 171,000 - 202,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid‑hub model

Equity

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

Engine is building its Risk function and seeks a Director, Risk to define the risk framework for Engine X, govern first-line and second-line operations, and partner with Sales, Product, and Legal. The role focuses on balancing growth with risk controls and translating complex risk data into actionable business insights.

You will lead risk policy integration, provide executive-level communications, and build quarterly delinquency and fraud reporting. Fintech/card issuing context is preferred.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years in risk (credit a must, ideally credit & fraud)
• Direct Product/Engineering partnership experience
• Strong cross-functional influence with Sales and Product
• Regulatory familiarity: BSA/AML, UDAAP, card issuing compliance
• Strong executive communication: translate risk signals to business language
• Fintech, card issuing, or lending environment experience is required

Responsibilities

• Build and own Engine's risk tolerance framework and guardrails
• Establish second-line governance and sign-off processes
• Stand up and run the Risk Committee and reporting cadence
• Govern first-line operations and develop their capabilities
• Partner with Product and Engineering to embed risk in product logic
• Own risk appetite conversations with Sales without blocking growth
• Collaborate with Legal/Compliance on regulatory obligations
• Translate risk signals into P&L language for leadership
• Build risk reporting infrastructure and KPI dashboards

Skills

Risk management

Credit risk

Fraud risk

Product/Engineering partner

Executive communication

Cross-functional influence

Regulatory familiarity

Fintech experience

Education

FRM (Financial Risk Manager)

CPA or CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner)

Job description

About Engine

Engine is the AI-native platform for intelligent travel. For a decade, Engine has built the proprietary technology and supply behind modern business travel, serving over 40,000 customers and nearly 2 million travelers, along with leading travel and AI companies that build on Engine's infrastructure. One system powers business travel, group travel, human agents, and AI agents.

That work has earned recognition as one of Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators (2025), TravelTech's Reservation Platform of the Year (2026), and one of Built In's Best Places to Work (2020–2026).

We're looking for bold, ambitious people to help redefine how businesses manage and experience travel. Working here, you can expect exponential growth, an ambitious pace, full ownership, and high-caliber colleagues who push you to do the best work of your career. Every hire raises the bar.

Come outpace the ordinary and build the future of travel with us.

Engine is building its Risk function for the first time, and the Director, Risk is both the architect and the governance layer. You'll define the risk framework that Engine X — our corporate card and spend management product — runs against, govern the first-line operations that enforce it, and be the voice that translates risk posture into language the business can act on. This isn't a compliance-first role. It's a builder‑strategist role for someone who understands that risk management done right enables growth — and who can hold standards with Sales and Product while staying a partner they trust. Engine is scaling fast. The Director, Risk is how we do that without taking on avoidable losses.

Your Mission

As part of the Engine team, you'll play a vital role in an environment where innovation meets collaboration. Here's what you'll take charge of:

• Build and own Engine's risk tolerance framework — define delinquency rate guardrails, fraud rate targets, and escalation thresholds that give the business a clear signal on when to tighten and when to lean in.
• Establish second‑line governance — document what requires Risk sign‑off before going live, including credit policy changes, fraud control modifications, and product feature decisions that carry risk exposure.
• Stand up and run Engine's Risk Committee — cadence, reporting package, escalation protocol to ELT, and the communication rhythm that keeps leadership informed without requiring them to be in the weeds.
• Govern first‑line operations: Sr. Manager, Fraud Operations and Sr. Manager, Credit report into this role; develop their capabilities alongside the function's analytical rigor.
• Partner directly with Product and Engineering to translate risk policy into product logic, application‑stage controls, and automation — risk standards should be embedded in the product, not bolted on after the fact.
• Own the risk appetite conversation with Sales — holding guardrails without becoming a blocker, and building the credibility to make that relationship work.
• Partner with Legal/Compliance on regulatory obligations including BSA/AML and card issuing compliance.
• Translate operational risk signals into P&L language for finance, executive, and board audiences.
• Build risk reporting infrastructure — quarterly delinquency and fraud rate reporting against defined targets.

What You'll Bring to Engine

• 8-10+ years in risk (credit a must, ideally credit & fraud), with 3+ years leading teams
• Demonstrated ability to balance risk rigor with business growth — you've held the line and enabled the business, and you can tell that story with specific examples.
• Direct Product/Engineering partnership experience — translating risk policy into product decisions and automation, not just advisory sign‑off.
• Strong cross‑functional influence: you've navigated risk appetite vs. growth tension with Sales and Product and come out with both sides trusting you.
• Regulatory familiarity: BSA/AML, UDAAP, card issuing compliance.
• Strong executive communication — you translate risk signals into business and financial language without losing precision.
• Fintech, card issuing, or lending environment required. FRM (Financial Risk Manager), CPA, or CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) a plus.

Compensation

Our compensation packages are based on several factors, including your experience, expertise, and location. In addition to a competitive base salary, all roles receive equity. Depending on the role, total compensation may also include an annual bonus. Your recruiter will share your complete compensation package as you move through the process.

Base Pay Range

$171,000—$202,000 USD

The Engine Edge: Perks & Compensation

We believe in rewarding great work with great benefits:

• Compensation: Competitive base pay tied to role and experience, with equity for all employees. Some roles are also eligible for bonuses or commissions.
• Benefits: Check out our full list at engine.com/culture
• Environments for Success: Different roles have different needs in terms of the environments that drive success which is why we have a hybrid‑hub model. Whether you are in one of our amazing offices or fully remote, we'll make sure you have what you need to succeed.

Perks and benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and more