Operational Risk Manager

Team Overview

The role of the Operational Risk team at SFM is to establish governance and a framework that is fit for purpose, scaled to

SFM's mandate and complexity, embedding rigor where it drives better outcomes. The approach is anchored in informed risk taking (not risk elimination), ensuring risks are clearly understood, quantified where possible, appropriately owned and accepted. This team sits within the organization's broader risk function, reporting to the Chief Risk Officer.

Job Overview

In this newly established role, we're seeking an experienced operational risk professional with 8 - 10 years of experience to support the Head of Operational Risk in operating and strengthening the Firm's operational risk program.

This is a business-facing role focused on understanding how the organization works, identifying material risks, and developing practical, commercial risk solutions, in partnership with the business; while also owning the risk reporting that gives management visibility into the program, and contributing input and recommendations on the broader framework, documentation, and methodology as it evolves.

This role will suit a candidate with a mix of first-line and second-line experience, giving them credibility and perspective on both sides of the table.

Major Responsibilities

• Risk Identification & Assessment - Partner with the business to identify and assess operational risks, distinguishing material risks from process weaknesses, and maintain the risk register.
• Incident & Issue Management - Own the Firm's incident reporting process end-to-end, ensuring timely capture and assessment, challenging root causes, and tracking themes across the program.
• Risk Reviews & Process Assessments - Conduct targeted reviews of processes and controls, assessing what could go wrong and how risk is managed, and deliver practical, commercial recommendations to the Head of OR.
• Remediation & Enhancement Tracking - Oversee remediation actions, tracking ownership, target dates, and status, while challenging whether proposed actions address root causes.
• Risk Reporting - Own operational risk reporting (incidents, risk indicators, remediation status, and trends), ensuring it is decision-useful for management.
• AI Enablement in Risk Management - Identify and help implement responsible AI use within the risk program, from risk identification to reporting, with appropriate documentation and governance.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Build trusted relationships across the Firm, influence without formal authority, and reinforce a culture of risk awareness and transparency.
• Background Check Program - Support administration and oversight of the Firm's background check program, including coordinating checks and maintaining records.

What We Value

• Analytical & Critical Thinking - Identifies underlying causes and patterns, and distinguishes material issues from less significant ones.
• Curiosity & Investigative Mindset - Naturally inquisitive; asks thoughtful follow-up questions and digs into issues to understand what happened and why.
• Risk Identification & Risk Awareness - Understands business activities, assesses risk materiality, and translates stakeholder discussions into proportionate process or control improvements.
• Sound Judgment - Assesses the significance of issues, knows when escalation is warranted, and balances risk mitigation with practical business needs.
• Strong Communication Skills - Communicates risk matters clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing, translating detail into management-level reporting.
• Stakeholder Management & Collaboration - Builds credibility and productive relationships across groups, including the ability to provide constructive challenge.
• Data & Reporting Capabilities - Comfortable working with data and reporting tools to identify trends, develop risk indicators, and translate information into actionable insights.
• Ownership & Initiative - Self-motivated and comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy, proactively identifying where further analysis or improvement is warranted.
• Adaptability - Comfortable working across a broad range of risk topics and taking on evolving priorities and special projects as needed.

Pay and benefits

We anticipate the base salary of this role to be between $200,000-225,000. In addition to a base salary, the successful candidate will also be eligible to receive a discretionary year-end bonus.

In all respects, candidates need to reflect the following SFM core values:

Smart risk-taking // Owner's Mindset // Teamwork // Humility // Integrity