Risk Business Partner

This is a great opportunity to play a key role in shaping how risk is managed across the Society. You'll work closely with senior leaders across Operations and Customer divisions, helping them make informed decisions, strengthen risk and control environments, and manage risk within appetite while delivering good outcomes for customers and members.

This is a senior risk partnering role that requires strong risk management expertise, sound judgement and the ability to influence and challenge stakeholders at all levels.

This is a hybrid role with the expectation to work from our Leeds office at least 1 day per week.

About the role

As a Risk Business Partner, you'll act as the primary risk partner for one or more directorates, providing pragmatic advice, constructive challenge and insightful support to help leaders manage risk confidently and effectively.

• Partner with senior leaders and their teams to provide practical risk advice, challenge and support, helping them understand risk implications, identify material risks, make informed decisions and strengthen ownership of risk and controls.
• Lead and facilitate risk and control assessment activities, helping teams identify key risks, assess control effectiveness, support risk appetite reviews, consider emerging risks and prioritise improvements where needed.
• Provide advice, support and challenge on the management of risk events, issues and breaches, including root cause analysis, remediation planning, action tracking and proportionate escalation of material concerns.
• Provide risk input and challenge on business change initiatives and operational activity, ensuring key risks and control impacts are identified and managed appropriately.
• Work closely with colleagues across Governance & Reporting to develop meaningful risk insight, bringing together directorate intelligence, emerging risks, trends and control weaknesses to support informed decision-making.
• Build strong relationships with business stakeholders, second-line Risk and Compliance teams, Internal Audit and other key stakeholders, helping to create a joined-up approach to risk management and assurance across the Society.

About you

You'll be an experienced risk professional who is comfortable operating in complex environments and influencing senior stakeholders. You'll bring strong technical risk management knowledge alongside the ability to provide pragmatic advice, constructive challenge and meaningful insight.

• Significant experience working in a risk management, risk partnering or risk advisory role within financial services, with experience supporting senior stakeholders in managing operational and/or conduct risk.
• Strong understanding of operational and conduct risk frameworks, with experience applying them in, or providing advice and challenge to, a first-line environment.
• Experience leading or advising on RCSA, control assessments, issue management or similar risk activities, with the confidence to challenge appropriately and drive positive outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, challenge constructively and build credibility with senior leaders.
• Experience working with Risk, Compliance, Audit or other assurance functions.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise and actionable insight.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and apply sound judgement in a fast-paced environment.

This is a hybrid role with the expectation to work from our Leeds office at least 1 day per week.