Head of Risk, UK Channels
Manchester
Work Pattern: Hybrid (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in office)
As Divisional Head of Risk for UK Channels you will lead an independent risk management team supporting the UK’s fastest growing investment platform. We recently celebrated the milestone of 750,000 retail clients and have ambitious plans to continue this growth, strengthening our investment, advice and retirement propositions. As a member of the UK Channel Leadership team, you will be responsible for setting a strategic risk agenda aligned to the UK business strategy. This will include advisory support, governance, risk oversight and assurance activities. You will work alongside first line risk, control and governance colleagues to develop and implement effective risk mitigation strategies, aligned to Vanguard Europe’s enterprise risk management and control framework standards.
To maintain the independence of this second line role, the role reports to the Chief Risk Officer for Vanguard Europe. As a member of the Europe CRO’s leadership table, you will be expected to support development of the European risk framework, risk committee and board reporting, risk talent development, and to maintain alignment with other Divisional heads of risk in Europe. You will work closely with the Head of Enterprise Risk Management, Europe to ensure the common risk standards set for Europe are pragmatically and proportionately executed within the UK Channel business.
About Vanguard
Vanguard is an investment company unlike any other. It was founded by Jack Bogle in the US in 1975 on a simple but revolutionary idea: that an investment company should manage its funds solely in the interests of its clients. Jack helped bring investing to the masses with the index fund. Index funds do not pick individual shares or bonds to beat the market. They track the performance of the entire market. Or as Jack put it, "Don't look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!”. We have stood for low-cost, uncomplicated investing ever since. Over the last 50 years people have come round to our way of thinking and more than 50 million investors worldwide now trust us with their money.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Design a UK Channel risk strategy with the UK Channel leadership team, including risk assessments, risk advice, risk oversight and governance activities. Take ownership for delivery of the programme throughout the year.
2. Provide vision and leadership regarding management of existing risks and identification of emerging risks, helping UK leadership to “look around the corner”.
3. Act as the key liaison point for business stakeholders with the Risk team, maintaining strong relationships with key business stakeholders including the Head of UK Channels and Head of UK Operations, providing links to centralized risk functions (e.g. BCM, TPRM, Security & Fraud) as needed.
4. Partner with key business stakeholders to establish and implement risk and control management standards within the division's processes, based on the divisional risk profile and Vanguard’s enterprise and European risk frameworks.
5. Ensure that the division has an appropriate level of review and key controls, and support oversight activities to ensure that key controls are designed and operating effectively in accordance with established standards.
6. Identify opportunities to uplift risk culture across the division and implement initiatives, in coordination with first line leaders.
7. Hire, evaluate, and supervise second line risk crew aligned to the division. Provide guidance and training as necessary to develop crew. Set performance standards, reviews performance, and make informed compensation decisions in accordance with all applicable Human Resources policies and procedures.
8. Ensure readiness for regulatory inspections and examinations. Addresses gaps both pro-actively and reactively. Evaluate and recommend changes, as needed, and in coordination with key business partners.
9. When key risk mitigation activities are completed, facilitate assurance reviews and draft risk opinions to management to confirm adequacy of the risk mitigation activities.
10. Take an active role in industry forums and remains current on issues and regulatory events affecting the division, firm, and industry.
11. Play an active role in the leadership of the Global Risk & Security division in Europe, participating in special projects and performing other duties as assigned by the Chief Risk Officer, Europe.
Experience & Qualifications
12. Significant experience related to UK investment management, with experience in retail and digital wealth firms a plus.
13. Strong knowledge of business processes and operating models. Knowledge of digitally enabled business processes a plus.
14. Strong understanding of enterprise risk management frameworks (particularly non-financial risk) and relevant regulations.
15. Demonstrable experience managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment.
Skills & Competencies
16. Excellent leadership, coordination, and influencing skills across a matrixed organisation.
17. Ability to synthesize large amounts of new information and bring clarity to complexity.
18. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a pragmatic, delivery focused mindset.
19. High-level written and verbal communication skills, capable of engaging stakeholders at all levels, from business teams to senior leadership.
20. Ability to produce “board ready” executive briefings, reporting and memos.
21. Ability to coach and upskill team members, fostering capability uplift across first and second line risk teams.
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.