Principal, Strategy and Transformation

Job description

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze℠, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses. Positions located in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York follow a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment. Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship. Overall Purpose The Principal, Strategy and Transformation - Risk is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading the planning and execution of complex, enterprise-wide risk transformation initiatives. The role translates transformation strategy and priorities into executable plans and drives cross-functional delivery across multiple concurrent workstreams. This role provides hands-on program leadership throughout the transformation lifecycle, including establishing integrated plans, managing milestones and dependencies, identifying and resolving delivery risks and issues, facilitating stakeholder decisions, and maintaining clear governance and reporting. The role partners closely with Risk subject matter experts, business and technology leaders, the PMO, and stakeholders across lines of defense to ensure initiatives deliver against committed objectives, timelines, and outcomes. The role requires significant experience leading large-scale change in complex, regulated financial services environments. Knowledge of risk management practices and experience working with second-line risk organizations are valuable to effectively navigate the subject matter and stakeholder environment; however, the primary expertise required of the role is demonstrated program management and transformation execution. Essential Functions Lead the planning and execution of multiple complex, high-priority initiatives within the enterprise Risk Transformation roadmap, translating strategic objectives into clearly defined workstreams, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, and accountable owners. Develop and maintain integrated program and workstream plans that provide clear visibility into scope, sequencing, critical paths, interdependencies, resource needs, decisions, and expected outcomes. Provide hands-on leadership of day-to-day program execution, actively monitoring progress and intervening as necessary to maintain delivery against committed objectives and timelines. Identify, assess, and proactively manage program risks, issues, dependencies, and potential delays. Drive resolution of barriers, establish appropriate escalation paths, and ensure decisions and follow-up actions are completed in a timely manner. Establish and facilitate effective program governance and operating rhythms, including working sessions, workstream reviews, decision forums, executive updates, and other stakeholder routines necessary to drive execution and accountability. Partner with Risk subject matter experts, business and technology leaders, PMO partners, and stakeholders across lines of defense to align transformation priorities, requirements, timing, dependencies, and impacts to ongoing business activities. Facilitate complex cross-functional discussions, clarify areas of ownership and accountability, surface competing priorities or points of disagreement, and drive stakeholders toward timely decisions and executable solutions. Translate complex program information into clear, decision-oriented communications for senior leaders and governance forums, including progress against milestones, key risks and issues, dependencies, decisions required, and overall transformation outcomes. Support the design and implementation of sustainable risk-management processes, governance structures, operating models, and supporting capabilities in partnership with appropriate Risk and business subject matter experts. Coordinate implementation and change activities across affected functions, helping ensure new processes, responsibilities, governance routines, and capabilities are effectively transitioned into ongoing operations. Evaluate program progress and outcomes using appropriate measures and reporting, identifying trends, emerging risks, and opportunities to improve execution or accelerate delivery. Apply sound judgment in ambiguous or evolving situations, balancing business impact, risk, stakeholder needs, and delivery priorities to maintain progress across complex initiatives. Build strong working relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders across the organization and influence outcomes without reliance on direct reporting authority. Support the company’s commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data. Minimum Qualifications Typically has 10 years or more of progressive experience or demonstrated portfolio consistent with experience required of the role. Demonstrated experience leading large-scale, complex, cross-functional transformation programs or major strategic change initiatives in financial services or another highly regulated environment. Demonstrated hands-on program management expertise, including development and management of integrated plans, milestones, dependencies, risks and issues, governance routines, executive reporting, and delivery against committed outcomes. Experience managing multiple concurrent workstreams involving significant organizational complexity, cross-functional dependencies, and senior-level stakeholders. Working knowledge of risk management concepts and practices sufficient to lead transformation initiatives involving risk processes, controls, governance, operating models, or related capabilities. Demonstrated ability to translate strategy and complex business objectives into structured plans and drive those plans through implementation. Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with demonstrated ability to identify practical solutions and resolve barriers to execution in complex or ambiguous environments. Strong cross-functional leadership and influencing skills, including demonstrated ability to create alignment and drive accountability across stakeholders without direct reporting authority. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information and communicate risks, issues, recommendations, and decisions clearly to senior leaders and other stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to independently prioritize work, manage competing demands, maintain attention to detail, and deliver results in a dynamic environment. Education and/or experience typically obtained through completion of a Bachelor’s degree equivalent. Background and drug screen. Preferred Qualifications Experience working within or closely supporting a second-line risk management organization in financial services. Experience leading enterprise risk, regulatory, operational risk, or risk-management transformation initiatives within a large, complex financial institution. Experience within a large banking environment or similarly complex regulated financial-services organization. Knowledge of one or more risk-management disciplines such as process risk management, RCSA, controls management, issues management, enterprise resilience, change risk management, product risk management, technology risk management, data risk management, or risk metrics and reporting. Experience implementing or materially enhancing risk operating models, governance structures, risk processes, or supporting capabilities. Formal program or project management training or certification where relevant to demonstrated experience. Physical Requirements Working conditions consist of a normal office environment. Work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive use of a computer and involves sitting for periods of approximately four hours. Work may require occasional standing, walking, kneeling, and reaching. Must be able to lift ten pounds occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently. Requires visual acuity and dexterity to view, prepare, and manipulate documents and office equipment including personal computers. Requires the ability to communicate with internal and/or external customers. Employee must be able to perform essential functions and physical requirements of position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States at the date of hire. The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. The base pay scale for this position in: Phoenix, AZ/ Chicago, IL / Washington, DC in USD per year is: $154,000 - $193,000. Additionally, candidates are eligible for a discretionary incentive plan and benefits. This pay scale is subject to change and is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific candidate, which is always dependent on legitimate factors considered at the time of job offer. Early Warning Services takes into consideration a variety of factors when determining a competitive salary offer, including, but not limited to, the job scope, market rates and geographic location of a position, candidate’s education, experience, training, and specialized skills or certification(s) in relation to the job requirements and compared with internal equity (peers). The business actively supports and reviews wage equity to ensure that pay decisions are not based on gender, race, national origin, or any other protected classes. Some of the Ways We Prioritize Your Health and Happiness Healthcare Coverage – Competitive medical (PPO/HDHP), dental, and vision plans as well as company contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or pre-tax savings through flexible spending accounts (FSA) for commuting, health & dependent care expenses. 401(k) Retirement Plan – Featuring a 100% Company Safe Harbor Match on your first 6% deferral immediately upon eligibility. Paid Time Off – Flexible Time Off for Exempt (salaried) employees, as well as generous PTO for Non-Exempt (hourly) employees, plus 11 paid company holidays and a paid volunteer day. 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave Maven Family Planning – provides support through your Parenting journey including egg freezing, fertility, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy, postpartum, early pediatrics, and returning to work. And SO much more! We continue to enhance our program, so be sure to check our Benefits page here for the latest. Our team can share more during the interview process! Early Warning Services, LLC (“Early Warning”) considers for employment, hires, retains and promotes qualified candidates on the basis of ability, potential, and valid qualifications without regard to race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other bases such as medical condition, marital status or any other factor that is irrelevant to the performance of our employees. Early Warning Services LLC is a proud participant in E-Verify, a federal program to help ensure a legal and authorized workforce. As part of our hiring process, we electronically verify the employment eligibility of all new hires through E-Verify. For more information on your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify please visit Home | E-Verify .