Technology Risk & Control Manager

Starling is the UK’s first and leading digital bank on a mission to fix banking! We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. Read more about here.

We’re a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. We’re a bank, but better: fairer, easier to use and designed to demystify money for everyone. We employ more than 3,000 people across our London, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester offices.

Our technologists are at the very heart of Starling and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment that is all about building things, creating new stuff, and disruptive technology that keeps us on the cutting edge of fintech. We operate a flat structure to empower you to make decisions regardless of what your primary responsibilities may be, innovation and collaboration will be at the core of everything you do. Help is never far away in our open culture, you will find support in your team and from across the business, we are in this together!

The way to thrive and shine within Starling is to be a self-driven individual and be able to take full ownership of everything around you: From building things, designing, discovering, to sharing knowledge with your colleagues and making sure all processes are efficient and productive to deliver the best possible results for our customers. Our purpose is underpinned by five Starling values: Listen, Keep It Simple, Do The Right Thing, Own It, and Aim For Greatness.

Hybrid Working

We have a Hybrid approach to working here at Starling - our preference is that you're located within a commutable distance of one of our offices so that we're able to interact and collaborate in person.

About the role

Here at Starling we are growing, and our first line information and technology operational risk team is looking for a technical individual who is passionate about making a difference in the development of the risk and control space with a drive for facilitating risk based decision making for the implementation of solutions to prevent disruption to our services.  

As a member of our first line risk team, you will be responsible for executing day to day activities ensuring the robustness and continued improvement of our control environment with a specific focus on the continued preparedness and timely execution of the organisation in relation to risk  and control management and standard accreditation activities.  This role will require working collaboratively with all stakeholders including second and third line to ensure operational efficiency and continued improvement.

Reporting to the Chief IT Control Officer, you will have the technical responsibility for coordination of Technology first line risk and control activities and the preparation for standard accreditation.

What you'll get to do:

• Preparation for future accreditations and standards through to working with external auditors to achieve the required standards
• Primary responsibility for the proactive on-going monitoring of adherence to industry standards and regulation to ensure Starling meets it obligations
• Operating Starling’s GRC system, ensuring it is maintained, updated and all necessary risk management procedures are followed, ie.
• Ensure capture of risks, issues and actions within Bank Risk Management System(s), including communication of initial capture with identified risk owners.
• Collaboratively work with risk owners through the risk and action lifecycle.
• Monitor and ensure progress of identified actions to closure, including sign off procedures in a timely manner.
• Proactively work to capture risks, controls and action updates and report these within the Bank’s risk management system(s).
• Manage and continuously improve risk through review and identification of control changes to align to risk appetite.
• Monitor progress and execution of scheduled first line risk and control activities, including proactively providing progress summary reports and escalating gaps or failed control tests through Chief IT Control Officer for discussion and resolution at appropriate committee.
• Work collaboratively across the Technology team to document new policies, taking them through formal sign off and approval.
• Conduct routine scheduled reviews of existing policies and procedures, and changes / amendments to policy and/or procedure documentation providing constructive feedback to first line teams as part of policy & procedure review and sign off processes.
• Collaborate on creation of annual first line control test plans and schedule of activity..
• Assist the business in understanding and conducting risk assessments acting as the central point of contact for coordination of Technology risk activities.
• Escalating issues to Risk Owners and Chief IT Control Officer where required.
• Collaborate with and educate new first line risk team members on information and processes pertaining to the Bank’s Critical Services to ensure distribution and understanding is accurately maintained including procedure for updates to relevant documentation.
• Contribute to the delivery of Technology’s operational resilience work, and in Technology’s BCP and DR planning
• Prepare management information and presentation documentation for appropriate internal committees ensuring timely creation of materials for pre-meeting review.
• Coordinate and track scheduled review of policies, procedures and risk management documentation, ensuring timely review, update & sign off within defined schedule.
• Timely escalation of any delayed activities to the Chief IT Control Officer for discussion and resolution.
• Keep up to date with the evolving regulatory environment.

You will need to:

• identify opportunities for and where appropriate recommend business process improvements.
• Have a pragmatic approach and be able to work collaboratively in a technology driven environment
• Have an understanding of the technology, information security and regulatory environment
• Have an understanding of the principles of IT Risk Management 
• Have previous experience of relevant ISO accreditations including ISO27000
• Have knowledge of COBIT, NIST, SOC 1 and SOC 2, and PCI-DSS
• Have experience of working with external auditors
• Share knowledge and provide guidance on internal bank first line related processes.
• Take responsibility and do the right thing for customers, colleagues and partners.

Experience across one or more of these areas is useful but it is not expected that you will have worked in all of these.

The following skills and experience are desirable: 

• Experience working within financial services, specifically in technology risk management.
• Experience working with key stakeholders, developing working relationships and providing insightful management reporting / information. 
• Good attention to detail plus analysis and presentation skills
• Ability to influence across multiple stakeholders
• Flexibility in your approach to meeting goals as part of the wider team.

• 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
• An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
• Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
• 16 hours paid volunteering time a year
• Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme
• Life insurance at 4x your salary & group income protection
• Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton
• Generous family-friendly policies
• Incentives refer a friend scheme
• Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
• Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing

About Us

You may be put off applying for a role because you don't tick every box. Forget that! While we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we're always open to discussion. So, if you're excited about working with us, but aren’t sure if you're 100% there yet, get in touch anyway. We’re on a mission to radically reshape banking – and that starts with our brilliant team. Whatever came before, we’re proud to bring together people of all backgrounds and experiences who love working together to solve problems.

Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

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