Operational Resilience Director

Operational Resilience Director Location: London Keywords: operational resilience, risk management, framework, governance, testing strategies, scenario testing, business continuity, incident management, cyber risk, technology risk, third party management, stakeholder engagement, regulatory alignment A leading international banking group is seeking an experienced Operational Resilience Director to join their London office and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of operational resilience across EMEA. This senior position offers you the opportunity to drive strategic initiatives, embed robust frameworks, and ensure the organisation’s ability to withstand disruptions while safeguarding customers and market integrity. You will be joining a forward-thinking team that values collaboration, diversity, and continuous improvement, with access to flexible working arrangements and a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to support your wellbeing and professional growth. If you are passionate about making a meaningful impact in a highly regulated environment and thrive on building resilient capabilities, this is your chance to take ownership of a critical function at an exciting time of transformation. * Join a central operational resilience function overseeing EMEA-wide capabilities, where your expertise will directly influence the organisation’s ability to respond effectively to adverse events and regulatory changes. * Benefit from hybrid and flexible working opportunities, generous paid leave, private medical insurance, life and invalidity cover, mental health support networks, and access to extensive learning and development resources. * Be part of a diverse and inclusive team committed to promoting positive wellbeing, work-life balance, and career progression through supportive leadership and collaborative culture initiatives.

What you'll do:

As Operational Resilience Director based in London, you will be entrusted with steering the organisation’s operational resilience agenda across EMEA. Your day-to-day responsibilities will involve collaborating with multiple internal teams to embed best-in-class frameworks that protect critical business services from disruption. You will champion the development of robust methodologies for assessing key functions while driving continuous improvement through scenario testing and regulatory alignment. By facilitating effective governance processes and nurturing stakeholder relationships both internally and externally—including regulators—you will help shape a culture where operational risks are proactively identified, assessed, and mitigated. Your success in this role will hinge on your ability to connect diverse teams under shared objectives while fostering an environment where knowledge sharing leads to stronger collective outcomes.

• Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the operational resilience framework across EMEA, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and evolving regulatory requirements.
• Lead the development and execution of testing strategies, including scenario planning and annual test schedules in partnership with dedicated testing teams.
• Develop methodologies for identifying Critical Important Functions (CIFs) and Important Business Services (IBS), ensuring accurate assessment and onboarding into the resilience framework.
• Collaborate closely with adjacent functions such as business continuity management, service management, incident management, cyber risk, technology risk, and third party management to coordinate activities supporting operational resilience objectives.
• Stay abreast of current regulations including DORA and UK-specific requirements, representing the organisation in cross-authority forums and industry exercises.
• Facilitate governance processes by actively engaging in operational risk committees, entity management bodies, and industry groups to drive EMEA-wide support for resilience initiatives.
• Support incident response efforts by ensuring appropriate remediation actions are tracked following significant impacts on CIFs/IBS’ and lessons learnt are embedded into future practices.
• Maintain service catalogues in partnership with service management teams to ensure mapping of services aligns with operational resilience goals.
• Drive stakeholder engagement by promoting training initiatives that foster a strong risk-aware culture throughout business-as-usual operations.
• Partner with second line risk functions to ensure operational resilience is managed within agreed risk appetite parameters and supports overall risk management strategy.

What you bring:

Your background as an Operational Resilience Director will demonstrate substantial experience managing complex frameworks within highly regulated sectors—ideally financial services—where you have successfully navigated evolving compliance landscapes. You will bring proven expertise in developing methodologies for critical function identification alongside hands-on involvement in scenario testing programmes. Your interpersonal strengths will shine through your ability to build consensus among diverse teams spanning business continuity management through cyber risk disciplines. You will be adept at translating technical requirements into actionable plans for senior stakeholders while maintaining clear communication channels with external parties such as auditors or regulators. Your approach will reflect a commitment to nurturing talent within your team by promoting knowledge sharing opportunities that strengthen collective performance. Above all else, your dedication to fostering an inclusive workplace culture—where every voice is valued—will set you apart as a trusted partner capable of driving sustainable change.

• Extensive experience in operational resilience or related risk management roles within financial services or large-scale corporate environments.
• Proven track record designing, implementing, or maturing operational resilience frameworks aligned with regulatory standards such as DORA or BoE Supervisory Statements.
• Deep understanding of methodologies for identifying Critical Important Functions (CIFs) and Important Business Services (IBS), including scenario testing approaches.
• Strong interpersonal skills enabling effective collaboration across business continuity management, incident response, cyber risk, technology risk, third party management, and other adjacent functions.
• Demonstrated ability to engage stakeholders at all levels—including regulators—and communicate complex concepts clearly in governance forums or committee settings.
• Experience developing controls and reporting mechanisms for board-level presentations or regulatory submissions.
• Ability to lead change initiatives that promote training programmes fostering a risk-aware culture throughout business operations.
• Knowledgeable about current trends in operational resilience regulation across UK/EU jurisdictions; able to represent the organisation in cross-authority forums or industry groups.
• Skilled at driving continuous improvement projects that enhance organisational capabilities while embedding lessons learnt from incidents into future practice.
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, teamwork, and supporting others’ professional development within a collaborative environment.

What sets this company apart:

This organisation stands out for its unwavering commitment to being a trusted long-term partner for its customers while pursuing an ambitious international growth agenda. Employees benefit from access to award-winning products spanning corporate finance solutions as well as investment banking advisory services—all delivered within a universal banking platform that encourages cross-functional collaboration. The company has invested significantly in building sustainable operational capabilities designed not only to meet but exceed regulatory expectations around resilience. Team members enjoy hybrid working arrangements tailored for flexibility alongside competitive paid leave policies that support work-life balance. Physical wellbeing is prioritised through private medical insurance packages complemented by life and invalidity coverage; mental health is supported via robust behavioural health networks offering counselling and coaching services. A wide range of learning opportunities ensures ongoing career progression while sport & social clubs plus diversity networks foster genuine inclusivity throughout the workplace. Here you’ll find supportive leadership focused on helping you grow professionally within an environment where everyone’s contributions are recognised—and where your impact truly matters.

What's next:

If you’re ready to make a lasting difference by shaping how one of Europe’s leading banking groups manages operational resilience across EMEA—apply now!

Apply today by clicking on the link below; take the next step towards joining a collaborative team dedicated to safeguarding customers while advancing your own career journey.

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