Manager, Specialist Operational Risk in Technology and Third Party Risk

Change and Outsourcing team, Operational Risk & Resilience Division, Supervisory Risk Specialists Directorate, Prudential Regulation Authority, Bank of England

As a directorate of the PRA, the Supervisory Risk Specialists (SRS) provides technical expertise and applies judgement in specific risk fields in order to identify, analyse and mitigate risks to the safety and soundness of regulated firms as well as financial stability objectives. SRS also supports the wider Bank through providing risk specialist expertise to a range of functions including policy development and implementation, the Bank's concurrent stress tests, Concurrent Operational Resilience Stress Testing, central counterparty and payments oversight. SRS comprises five divisions:

• Operational Risk & Resilience (ORRD)
• Sector Resilience Division (SRD)
• Credit, Risk, Analytics, Liquidity and Capital (CRACL)
• Investment Banking and Sector Risks (IBSR)
• Model Development and Review (MDRD)

Department Overview

The Operational Risk and Resilience Division (ORRD), part of the SRS Directorate, plays a pivotal role in shaping the PRA's supervisory approach to operational risk and resilience. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the evolution of ORR policy and practice, influencing both regulatory and financial stability agendas. The work spans system-wide issues and engages with central banks, regulators, and government agencies at both domestic and international levels, giving you an opportunity to develop strategic developments in operational risk and resilience.

Team Overview

The Change and Outsourcing team provides specialist assurance over regulated firm's use of technology and third-party arrangements. We assess whether firms are designing and operating resilient technology services that support financial stability outcomes. Our work focuses on technology transformations, cloud adoption, third party including critical third parties, operational resilience and cyber resilience. We deliver technical insight, cross-firm intelligence and targeted reviews to support supervision of systemic firms.

The role holder will be a technology assurance professional with expertise in assessing technology, resilience and third-party risks, including cloud migrations, recovery capabilities like bare metal rebuild & data vaulting, business continuity, and large-scale transformation programmes. They can lead complex risk reviews, provide challenge to firms, and deliver risk-based insights to senior audiences on emerging technology and operational resilience risks. They will have good communication and social skills, to represent the Bank and the PRA credibly with senior counterparts in regulated firms.

Job Description

An opportunity has arisen for a Manager in the Change and Outsourcing team. Key responsibilities:

• Acts as a recognised technical authority on Technology and Third Party risks, shaping how complex and emerging risks (including technology, cloud, cyber, infrastructure, and AI) are assessed across firms and at sector level.
• Leads firm and cross-firm assurance reviews of technology transformation and Third Party initiatives including how are those resilient and secure to mitigate severe scenarios (e.g. cyber disruptions).
• Designs and continuously enhances technical risk reviews to bring together evolving sector risks and leads multi-functional alignment on technology and third party.
• Exercises independent, high impact judgement on complex and uncertain issues affecting firms' technology and third party within the wider operational resilience agenda.
• Engage directly with CROs, CIOs, CTOs and other senior leaders during reviews.
• Provide technical challenge and specialist support to supervisory teams and senior PRA decision-makers including identification of systemic risks and emerging vulnerabilities across the financial sector.
• Shapes supervisory thinking, contributing to Policy development and influences senior committees through thought leadership, cross‑firm comparison, and interpretation of evolving practices in Technology and Third Party.
• Represents the function in cross‑Bank and industry fora, advocating best practice in operational risk and resilience.

Location

LEEDS BASED

Role Requirements

• Significant technical work experience in technology and third-party risks or assurance and/or Business Continuity Planning and technical recovery solutions for severe disruptive scenarios (such as bare metal rebuilds, data vaults, etc).
• Understanding of related Bank policy such as SS2/21 - Outsourcing and third party risk management and SS1/21 Operational resilience: Impact tolerances for important business services.
• Extensive knowledge of Technology risk (identification, protection, response and recovery).
• Ability to represent the Bank and PRA credibly and professionally in both internal and external meetings.
• A solid grasp of the implications underpinning the broader Operational Resilience and cyber agenda, the importance and complementarities of technology and third party.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work flexibly as part of a team and collaboratively with wider Bank colleagues.
• Strong written and oral communications, including to senior audiences, with an ability to explain complicated material in easy-to-understand ways.
• Experience to design and refine risk assurance reviews to reflect evolving sector risks.
• Solid experience in applying sound judgement to complex and uncertain issues, enabling effective identification, assessment and management of emerging risks.
• Demonstrable track record of leading and delivering substantial pieces of work, including managing others working on it, ensuring progress against plan, and keeping key partners informed.
• A good understanding of the important business services provided by systemically important financial institutions or financial market infrastructure.
• Experience in cloud implementations and risk management including cyber scenarios
• A track record of supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives and encouraging others to do the same.

What will I get from the role?

• An opportunity to strategically influence a highly complex and fast evolving agenda on technology, AI, third party and wider operational resilience

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