Senior VP, Issues & Operational Risk Leadership

Banco Santander SA; United States; On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Santander is seeking a VP - Business Control Unit, Issues & Events for the United States to govern risk and remediation across the CIB US. Lead issue statements, root-cause analyses, and escalation processes with senior stakeholders.

The role requires 9+ years in financial services, strong leadership, and collaboration with Compliance, Legal, Internal Audit, and the Second Line of Defense. Base pay ranges from $130,000 to $180,000 per year.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Accounting, Business, Statistics, Risk Management, Information Systems, Finance, Economics, or related field.
• Master's degree in related field preferred; relevant risk, audit, or compliance certification.
• 9 or more years of relevant experience in financial services, business controls, operational risk, audit, compliance, or a related discipline.
• Proven ability to challenge and influence senior stakeholders and drive timely decisions.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise risk frameworks and internal controls.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead line of business governance of business issues and operational risk events across CIB US.
• Collaborate with the Issues Management COE to enforce quality standards for issue statements, root-cause analysis, remediation plans, milestones, closure evidence, and sustainability validation.
• Provide credible challenge to business owners and analysis to CIB Business Control Officers, escalating overdue, high-risk, or inadequately remediated items to senior management and governance forums.
• Ensure operational risk events are identified, classified, documented, and escalated promptly in the bank’s designated systems, including assessment of financial, client, regulatory, and reputational impacts.
• Collaborate with the Issues and Events COE to direct portfolio-level monitoring of issues and events, identify recurring themes and risk concentrations, and sponsor preventative control enhancements.
• Produce and present executive MIS and committee reporting that clearly communicates status, trends, emerging risks, dependencies, and decisions required.
• Partner with the Second Line of Defense, Compliance, Legal, Internal Audit, and business stakeholders to support regulatory inquiries, assurance reviews, and remediation commitments.
• Coach and guide team members and stakeholders, promoting accountability, disciplined execution, and a strong risk culture.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory knowledge

Risk reporting

First Line of Defense

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Accounting, Business, Statistics, Risk Management, Information Systems, Finance, Economics, or a related field

Master's degree in Accounting, Business, Statistics, Risk Management, Information Systems, Finance, Economics, or a related field

Risk Certification

Job description

Santander is seeking a VP - Business Control Unit, Issues & Events for the United States to govern risk and remediation across the CIB US. Lead issue statements, root-cause analyses, and escalation processes with senior stakeholders.

The role requires 9+ years in financial services, strong leadership, and collaboration with Compliance, Legal, Internal Audit, and the Second Line of Defense. Base pay ranges from $130,000 to $180,000 per year.