Operational Risk Manager

Lord Abbett; Jersey City (NJ); On-site; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Lord Abbett is seeking an experienced Operational Risk Manager to support its Enterprise Risk Management program with a focus on operational risk. You will collaborate across Investments, Client Services, Operations, Compliance, Legal, Finance, and Technology to identify, assess, and manage risks that could affect operations and regulatory obligations.

The role operates in a Second Line of Defense, providing independent oversight and data‑driven insights to senior management.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in enterprise, operational, change or third‑party risk management, and/or auditing within the financial services (asset management experience preferred).
• Experience facilitating risk assessments, issue management programs and/or operational risk analysis.
• Familiarity with third‑party assurance frameworks (e.g., SOC, SOX, NIST, COSO, ISO standards).
• Ability to synthesize complex information and communicate clearly to diverse audiences.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with experience preparing materials for senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Support the execution and ongoing enhancement of the firm’s enterprise and operational risk management practices, including operational risk assessments, issue management, change risk review, and third‑party risk oversight.
• Support the incident and issue management process, including root cause analysis, remediation tracking, trend analysis, and reporting to senior management.
• Conduct top‑down, bottom‑up and targeted risk assessments, evaluating inherent risks, control effectiveness, and residual risk across business activities.
• Conduct operational change risk reviews for strategic initiatives, technology implementations, and business process changes.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of risk appetite metrics, key risk indicators (KRIs), and emerging risk themes.
• Prepare risk reporting and dashboards for senior leadership and Board‑level committees, providing data‑driven insights and thematic analysis.
• Partner with business units to strengthen the control environment and embed risk management into strategic initiatives and operational processes.
• Support coordination of risk assurance activities, including third‑party assurance reviews (e.g., SOC reports) and control assessments (e.g., SOX).
• Contribute to strengthening the Firm’s evolving risk management program within a dynamic and collaborative environment.

Skills

Risk management

Communication

Risk analyses

GRC platforms

Auditing

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CRISC

FRM

CISA

CIA

CPA

Tools

SOC reports

SOX

NIST

COSO

ISO standards

Job description

About Lord Abbett

Founded in 1929, Lord Abbett is an independent firm with a singular focus on the management of money. Over the course of our history, we’ve earned a sterling reputation for our leadership, influence, and innovation in the asset management industry. Today, our independent perspective, our commitment to active management, and our intelligent product design continue to make us relevant to individual and institutional investors.

The Role

From the very beginning, we’ve recognized that our people are our greatest asset. As an investment‑led, investor‑focused firm, we value intellectual curiosity, teamwork, and collaboration across the organization.

We’re looking for people with a keen interest in working for a trusted leader in the asset management industry, a desire to expand their knowledge, and a passion for delivering a client experience that exceeds expectations.

Now that you know our history, are you ready to be part of our future?

Job Overview

The Operational Risk Manager supports the firm’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program with a primary focus on operational risk. The role works closely with business and control partners across Investments, Client Services, Operations, Compliance, Legal, Finance, and Technology to identify, assess, and manage risks that could impact the firm’s operations, strategy, and regulatory obligations. This role provides exposure to a wide variety of business processes and senior leadership across the Firm, as well as visibility into strategic initiatives, operational incidents, and emerging risk trends.

Operating within a Second Line of Defense model, this position provides independent risk oversight, credible challenge, and data‑driven insights to senior management to support informed decision‑making in a dynamic business environment. The role also supports risk oversight of strategic initiatives, including new product launches, operating model changes, and technology modernization efforts.

The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, collaborative, and comfortable working across functions to analyze complex issues and communicate risk insights to stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership and governance committees.

This role offers the opportunity to help shape and strengthen a growing enterprise risk management program.

We’ll Trust You To

• Support the execution and ongoing enhancement of the firm’s enterprise and operational risk management practices, including operational risk assessments, issue management, change risk review, and third‑party risk oversight.
• Support the incident and issue management process, including root cause analysis, remediation tracking, trend analysis, and reporting to senior management.
• Conduct top‑down, bottom‑up and targeted risk assessments, evaluating inherent risks, control effectiveness, and residual risk across business activities.
• Conduct operational change risk reviews for strategic initiatives, technology implementations, and business process changes.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of risk appetite metrics, key risk indicators (KRIs), and emerging risk themes.
• Prepare risk reporting and dashboards for senior leadership and Board‑level committees, providing data‑driven insights and thematic analysis.
• Partner with business units to strengthen the control environment and embed risk management into strategic initiatives and operational processes.
• Support coordination of risk assurance activities, including third‑party assurance reviews (e.g., SOC reports) and control assessments (e.g., SOX).
• Contribute to strengthening the Firm’s evolving risk management program within a dynamic and collaborative environment.

You’ll Need To Have

• 5‑8 years of experience in enterprise, operational, change or third‑party risk management, and/or auditing within the financial services (asset management experience preferred).
• Experience facilitating risk assessments, issue management programs and/or operational risk analysis.
• Familiarity with third‑party assurance frameworks (e.g., SOC, SOX, NIST, COSO, ISO standards).
• Ability to synthesize complex information and communicate clearly to diverse audiences.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with experience preparing materials for senior leadership.
• Experience working with Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms is a plus.
• A team‑oriented approach with the ability to influence and partner effectively across functions, combined with the ability to work independently and drive initiatives to completion.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Bachelor’s degree required; relevant certifications (e.g., CRISC, FRM, CISA, CIA, CPA) a plus.

Compensation Information

Annual base salary for this role is $135,000 - $160,000. Salary is estimated for this role. Actual pay may be different.

Benefits

Lord Abbett is committed to offering a competitive total rewards package to all eligible employees. Offerings include competitive total compensation, retirement plans, and competitive health and well‑being plans.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Lord Abbett is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual identity, caregiver status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law. All employment decisions at Lord Abbett are based solely on the applicant’s relevant experience, skills and qualifications.