Senior Risk Manager: Payments

Role Summary

As a First Line Risk Senior Manager supporting the Treasury and Wholesale Payments division in Commercial Banking, you will represent the First Line of Defense and identify and mitigate potential risks for the Bank’s three electronic critical payment transaction types and processing systems; ACH, Real Time Payments (RTP), and Wire. This role focuses on identifying, assessing, and mitigating technology, compliance, and operational risks across these critical payment channels, including Commercial’s Treasury & Wholesale Payments various product offerings under these specific payment types. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of technology risk, cybersecurity, compliance, and operational risk, along with experience in fraud mitigation strategies, and will partner closely with product, technology, compliance, and second-line risk teams. Knowledge and interpretation of rules and regulations associated to Nacha for ACH, The Clearing House for RTP, FedNOW, CHIPS, SWIFT and FedWire are key foundational requirements for this position. 

You will serve as a liaison, interfacing with business partners to drive meaningful reductions in risk. You will provide and direct complex analysis on product and customer strategies to establish risk thresholds. This role will be responsible for proactively reviewing, analyzing, and identifying emerging risks, escalating to the Senior Director/Director of First Line Risk where appropriate. You will work with the Senior Director/Director to adhere to internal governance processes and controls for existing and new risk strategies and provide suggestions for remediation. You will lead change control efforts to ensure impacts are appropriately assessed, documented, and implemented. You will work closely with Compliance officers to ensure your products and services are up to date and in compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements. You will play a key role in determining how compliance matters are handled. You will also work with the First Line Risk Manager to initiate investigations into control failures and related issues. Additionally, this role will have some oversight of pilot programs, products, and strategies.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead risk identification, assessment, and mitigation across ACH, RTP, and Wire products and services.
• Provide governance oversight for change management, including Business Initiative Risk Assessments (BIRAs) and procedure approvals.
• Maintain ownership of control monitoring, assessments, and approvals.
• Govern RCSA execution and risk/control inventories.
• Oversee issue management and remediation activities.
• Manage vendor and third-party risk oversight.
• Support operational resilience, business continuity, and incident management.
• Partner with audit, compliance, and regulators.

Core Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of operational, technology, compliance, and fraud risk
• Expertise in ACH, RTP, and Wire payment risk frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Risk assessment and control design capabilities.
• Fraud mitigation and cybersecurity awareness.
• Data analysis and reporting skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.
• Payment Risk Knowledge
• ACH: Batch processing, returns, Nacha rules
• RTP: Real-time settlement, liquidity and fraud risk, TCH RTP Network rules
• Wire: High-value payments, SWIFT/Fedwire controls.

Experience – Minimum Required

• 6-8 years of Risk, Audit, or Compliance experience.
• Experience supporting enterprise risk programs.
• Knowledge of GRC platforms.
• Regulatory knowledge.
• Project management experience.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
   

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• MBA preferred
• Certifications: Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Accredited ACH Professional (AAP)

Independence Level

Operates under general direction with responsibility for achieving risk management objectives. Extensive experience managing projects including planning, implementation, and reporting. Demonstrates interpersonal relationship building and team facilitation skills. Proven leadership skills. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities. Excellent communications skills, both written and verbal.

Hours & Work Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40
• Work Schedule: Mon-Fri

Locations: 

• MA - Boston (28 State Street)
• MA - Westwood
• RI - Johnston

Pay Transparency
The salary range for this position is $117,000- $153,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the budget, work location, and relevant skills and experience.
We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work  arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit 
https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Employer

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Background Check

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.