Operational Risk Program Manager

Western Alliance Bank; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Ownership stake in the company

Medical and dental insurance

Time off

401k matching program

Tuition assistance program

Employee volunteer program

Wellness program

Job summary

Western Alliance Bank, CityScape, seeks an Operational Risk Program Manager to lead a team that identifies, measures, and controls risks across the enterprise. You’ll manage the Operational Loss and Scenario Analysis programs, align policies, and drive continuous improvement in risk reporting and governance.

You will collaborate with stakeholders to advance risk maturity, ensure regulatory alignment, and strengthen data quality using automation and best practices.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of risk management, audit, SOX and financial institutions experience.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Knowledge of banking operations, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
• Experience with risk frameworks and control testing is a plus.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team to identify, measure, monitor, and control risks enterprise-wide.
• Develop and implement risk programs including RCSA, controls testing, and GRC.
• Support Third-Party Risk Management, policy framework, and information security risk.
• Enhance risk reporting, governance materials, and program maturity.
• Collaborate across lines of defense to ensure standardized risk practices.

Skills

Risk Management

Internal Audit

SOX

Regulatory Compliance

Banking Operations

Microsoft Office

Communication Skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in related field

Tools

COSO ERM Framework

GRC Platform

Job description

Job Title:

Operational Risk Program Manager

Location:

CityScape

What you’ll do:

As an Operational Risk Program Manager you’ll be responsible for leading a team in developing and implementing programs to identify, measure, monitor, and control risks throughout the organization. You’ll play a key role in the Bank’s Enterprise and Operational Risk Management Team, who is responsible for several enterprise wide programs, including Risk and Control Self Assessment (RCSA), Controls Testing, Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) Platform and Program, Third-Party Risk Management, Policy Framework, and Technology and Information Security Risk Management.

The Operational Risk Manager will be responsible for executing and administering the Operational Loss program and Operational Risk Scenario Analysis Program, ensuring adherence to established methodology, policies and standards, and regulatory expectations. This role will partner with business stakeholders to support program implementation, facilitate risk management activities, identify opportunities for process improvements, and contribute to the development of reporting, training, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Execute and enhance the Operational Loss Program, including maintaining Standards and procedures, providing guidance and training, and performing reporting on activity and trending.
• Execute and enhance the Operational Risk Scenario Analysis Program, including collaborating with subject matter experts across the first and second lines of defense to facilitate the creation and documentation of scenarios to be leveraged in CCAR and the Capital Stress Test.
• Responsible for supporting the Risk Management team in partnering across the Lines of Defense to drive consistency, standardization, and alignment of risk programs and processes, ensuring governance structures, policies, and methodologies are applied uniformly and in accordance with enterprise standards and risk management frameworks
• Identify and implement enhancements to risk frameworks, reporting processes, and enabling tools to improve efficiency, data quality, and overall effectiveness, leveraging automation and best practices to advance program maturity.
• Continuously monitor enterprise risk trends, identify emerging and evolving risks, and assess issues to determine potential impacts, ensuring appropriate visibility and readiness for escalation where risk levels exceed defined thresholds.
• Develop and deliver timely, accurate, and actionable risk reporting materials for senior management and risk governance committees, providing clear insights into the organization’s risk profile, key trends, and emerging exposures.

What you’ll need:

• 5+ years of related experience in Risk Management, Internal Audit, SOX, and Financial Institutions or similar field
• Bachelor’s Degree in related field required
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of general banking operations, including deposit operations, loan administration, treasury management and/or other commercial banking products and services.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of applicable regulatory and legal compliance obligations, rules and regulations, industry standards and practices.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of industry and professional experience across one or more of the three lines of defense (e.g., banking operations, information technology, SOX, compliance, risk management, audit).
• Knowledge and experience with risk and control frameworks (COSO ERM Framework, Basel etc.)
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of risk management tools and systems and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Intermediate to Advanced technical knowledge of risk frameworks and industry bet practices as it relates to your assigned Risk Program.
• Advanced speaking and writing communication skills

Benefits you’ll love:
We offer all the important things you’d want — like competitive salaries, an ownership stake in the company, medical and dental insurance, time off, a great 401k matching program, tuition assistance program, an employee volunteer program, and a wellness program. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to bolster your business knowledge, learning the ins and outs of how successful companies operate and manage their finances, giving you invaluable hands-on experience to help grow your career!

About the company:

Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Alliance Bancorporation. Serving clients nationwide, Western Alliance Bank includes six legacy bank brands — Alliance Association Bank, Alliance Bank of Arizona, Bank of Nevada, Bridge Bank, First Independent Bank and Torrey Pines Bank — that remain part of the company’s heritage, as well as AmeriHome Mortgage, a Western Alliance Bank Company.

Western Alliance Bancorporation is committed to equal employment and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, color, religion, age, nation origin, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information. Western Alliance Bancorporation is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process and/or need an alternative method of applying, please email [e-mail] or call 602-386-2488. When contacting us, please provide your contact information and state the nature of your accessibility issue. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests that involve a reasonable accommodation in the application process.

Western Alliance Bancorporation