Principal, Strategy and Transformation

Early Warning (Zelle); Scottsdale (AZ); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Early Warning is seeking a Principal, Strategy and Transformation – Risk in a hybrid-capable role located in Scottsdale. The role leads planning and execution of enterprise risk transformation initiatives across multiple workstreams, partnering with Risk, business, and technology leaders to ensure delivery against objectives and timelines.

The candidate will drive governance, milestone tracking, and stakeholder communications while navigating a regulated financial services environment to protect

Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale transformation programs in complex, regulated financial services environments.
• Strong program management and governance skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of multiple high-priority risk transformation initiatives.
• Develop and maintain integrated program and workstream plans with clear milestones and owners.
• Provide hands-on leadership of day-to-day program execution and monitor progress.
• Identify and manage program risks, issues, dependencies, and delays; drive issue resolution.
• Establish and facilitate effective program governance and operating rhythms.
• Coordinate with Risk subject matter experts, business and technology leaders, and PMO partners.
• Facilitate cross-functional discussions and drive timely decisions.
• Translate program information into clear, decision-oriented communications for senior leaders.
• Support design and implementation of risk-management processes, governance structures, and operating models.
• Coordinate change activities across affected functions to transition into operations.
• Evaluate progress with appropriate measures and reporting to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Apply sound judgment in ambiguous situations to maintain progress across initiatives.
• Build strong working relationships with senior leaders to influence outcomes.

Job description

At Early Warning, we've powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle, Paze, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses.

Positions located in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York follow a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

Overall Purpose

The Principal, Strategy and Transformation - Risk is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading the planning and execution of complex, enterprise-wide risk transformation initiatives. The role translates transformation strategy and priorities into executable plans and drives cross-functional delivery across multiple concurrent workstreams.

This role provides hands-on program leadership throughout the transformation lifecycle, including establishing integrated plans, managing milestones and dependencies, identifying and resolving delivery risks and issues, facilitating stakeholder decisions, and maintaining clear governance and reporting. The role partners closely with Risk subject matter experts, business and technology leaders, the PMO, and stakeholders across lines of defense to ensure initiatives deliver against committed objectives, timelines, and outcomes.

The role requires significant experience leading large-scale change in complex, regulated financial services environments. Knowledge of risk management practices and experience working with second-line risk organizations are valuable to effectively navigate the subject matter and stakeholder environment; however, the primary expertise required of the role is demonstrated program management and transformation execution.

Essential Functions

Lead the planning and execution of multiple complex, high-priority initiatives within the enterprise Risk Transformation roadmap, translating strategic objectives into clearly defined workstreams, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, and accountable owners.

Develop and maintain integrated program and workstream plans that provide clear visibility into scope, sequencing, critical paths, interdependencies, resource needs, decisions, and expected outcomes.

Provide hands-on leadership of day-to-day program execution, actively monitoring progress and intervening as necessary to maintain delivery against committed objectives and timelines.

Identify, assess, and proactively manage program risks, issues, dependencies, and potential delays. Drive resolution of barriers, establish appropriate escalation paths, and ensure decisions and follow-up actions are completed in a timely manner.

Establish and facilitate effective program governance and operating rhythms, including working sessions, workstream reviews, decision forums, executive updates, and other stakeholder routines necessary to drive execution and accountability.

Partner with Risk subject matter experts, business and technology leaders, PMO partners, and stakeholders across lines of defense to align transformation priorities, requirements, timing, dependencies, and impacts to ongoing business activities.

Facilitate complex cross-functional discussions, clarify areas of ownership and accountability, surface competing priorities or points of disagreement, and drive stakeholders toward timely decisions and executable solutions.

Translate complex program information into clear, decision-oriented communications for senior leaders and governance forums, including progress against milestones, key risks and issues, dependencies, decisions required, and overall transformation outcomes.

Support the design and implementation of sustainable risk-management processes, governance structures, operating models, and supporting capabilities in partnership with appropriate Risk and business subject matter experts.

Coordinate implementation and change activities across affected functions, helping ensure new processes, responsibilities, governance routines, and capabilities are effectively transitioned into ongoing operations.

Evaluate program progress and outcomes using appropriate measures and reporting, identifying trends, emerging risks, and opportunities to improve execution or accelerate delivery.

Apply sound judgment in ambiguous or evolving situations, balancing business impact, risk, stakeholder needs, and delivery priorities to maintain progress across complex initiatives.

Build strong working relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders across the organization and influence outcomes without reliance on direct reporting authority.

Support the company's commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and