Director, Operational Risk Management

The opportunity

The Director, Operational Risk Management is a senior leader accountable for leading, and embedding Ontario Teachers’ enterprise-wide operational risk management and resilience program. This role provides independent oversight and challenge on how operational risks are identified, assessed, and managed across the organization in order to strengthen decision-making, improve resilience, and protect enterprise value.

This is a unique opportunity to build and mature a critical second-line function with visibility to senior leadership and the Board, influencing how the organization understands and manages operational risk end-to-end.

Who you'll work with

This role sits within the Enterprise & Operational Risk Management function and works closely with senior leaders across Investments, Technology, Member Services, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Corporate Affairs. The Director engages regularly with senior leaders to provide independent oversight, challenge, and guidance, while fostering strong partnerships in order to embed risk practices into business activities. The role also collaborates with enterprise risk and other risk partners in order to deliver an integrated and forward-looking view of risk, with regular interaction supporting executive committees and Board-level reporting.

What you'll do

• Leads the implementation, and continuous enhancement of the operational risk management framework in order to establish consistent, enterprise-wide practices for identifying, assessing, managing, and reporting operational risks.

• Accountable for the end-to-end operational risk program, including governance, processes, and reporting, in order to provide a cohesive and integrated view of operational risk across the organization.

• Provides independent second-line oversight and constructive challenge to business areas to ensure risks are appropriately identified, assessed, and managed across critical operations, technology, cyber, data, and third-party environments.

• Leads the identification, aggregation, and analysis of operational risk trends and root causes across the enterprise, generates actionable insights and helps drive remediation and continuous improvement.

• Oversees operational risk event analysis, including the ORM team’s involvement in root cause assessments and lessons learned, to strengthen controls, address systemic issues, and enhance operational resilience.

• Develops and delivers clear, insight-driven risk reporting and insights to senior management, executive committees, and the Board in order to inform risk appetite discussions and decision-making.

• Contributes to enterprise risk strategy, taxonomy, assessments, and risk appetite considerations with a focus on operational risk and resilience in order to ensure alignment with the broader enterprise risk management program.

• Partners with the Enterprise Risk Management team to deliver an integrated enterprise risk profile that provides a comprehensive and forward-looking view of risks across the organization.

• Engages with operational risk committees to provide expert guidance, influence risk practices, and support effective governance.

• Acts as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, balancing independent challenge with collaboration in order to strengthen risk-informed decision making while maintaining second-line independence.

• Advances operational resilience practices in coordination and alignment with the business continuity function, in order to enhance the organization’s ability to respond to and recover from disruptions.

• Leverages risk frameworks, data, and technology solutions to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability of risk oversight activities

• Provides leadership within the Enterprise & Operational Risk Management function, including building, coaching, and developing a high-performing and collaborative team.

• Sets team priorities in consultation with senior leaders, allocates resources, and builds capability to support delivery of enterprise risk objectives.

• Provides indirect leadership and influence across the organization, guiding senior stakeholders and risk committees to embed consistent risk management practices and strengthen risk culture.

• Leads the development of operational risk frameworks, methodologies, and processes to ensure consistent and effective risk management practices across the organization.

• Determines approaches to risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and program execution, while escalating key risk insights and recommendations to senior leadership and governance committees as appropriate.

• Decisions made in this role influence enterprise risk posture, the effectiveness of controls, and the quality of information provided to executive leadership and the Board.

What you'll need

• Undergraduate degree in business, finance, accounting, technology, engineering, or a related field

• Graduate degree and/or professional risk, finance or accounting designation considered an asset

• Deep understanding of operational risk, operational resilience, and governance frameworks

• Strong knowledge of technology, cyber, data, and third-party risks

• Knowledge of enterprise risk management practices and risk integration

• 10+ years of progressively senior experience in risk management within financial services or asset management environments

• Demonstrated experience building or evolving operational risk or resilience programs and frameworks

• Experience engaging with senior leadership and contributing to executive and Board-level reporting

• Proven ability to balance independent challenge with constructive partnership

What we’re offering

• Numerous opportunities for professional growth and development

• Comprehensive employer paid benefits coverage

• Retirement income through a defined benefit pension plan

• The opportunity to invest back into the fund through our Deferred Incentive Program

• A flexible work environment combining in office collaboration and remote working

• Competitive time off

• Our Flexible Travel Program gives you the option to work abroad in another region/country for up to a month each year

• Employee discount programs including Edvantage and Perkopolis

At Ontario Teachers', diversity is one of our core strengths. We take pride in ensuring that the people we hire and the culture we create, reflect and embrace diversity of thought, background and experience. Through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy and our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), we celebrate diversity and foster inclusion through events for colleagues to connect for professional development, networking & mentoring. We are building an inclusive and equitable workplace where our talent is respected, accepted and empowered to be themselves. To learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, check out Life at Teachers'.

How to apply

Are you ready to pursue new challenges and take your career to the next level? Apply today! You may be invited to complete a pre-recorded digital interview as part of your application.

Accommodations are available upon request ([email protected]) for candidates with a disability taking part in the recruitment process and once hired.

Candidates must be legally entitled to work in the country where this role is located.

Ontario Teachers’ may use AI-based tools to assist in screening and assessing applicants for this position. These tools may help us identify candidates whose skills and experience align with Ontario Teachers’ objectives by analyzing information provided in resumes and applications. Our use of AI does not replace human decision-making.

To learn more about how Teachers’ uses AI with your personal information, please visit our Privacy Centre.

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