Senior Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Specialist - Banking

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Specialist to join our dynamic team and lead the enhancement of our Bank’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance framework. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for ensuring adherence to stringent regulatory requirements, industry standards, and internal governance policies while spearheading enterprise-wide risk management initiatives. The ideal candidate will collaborate closely with key stakeholders across business units, IT, Information Security, Internal Audit, Compliance, and regulatory bodies to cultivate and maintain a robust control environment that safeguards the organization’s integrity and reputation.

Key Responsibilities

The Senior GRC Specialist will play a critical role in shaping and executing the Bank’s GRC strategy. Your responsibilities will include:

• Policy Development and Implementation: Design, implement, and maintain comprehensive Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) policies, standards, frameworks, and procedures to align with regulatory expectations and industry best practices.
• Enterprise Risk Management: Lead and oversee enterprise-wide risk assessments, ensuring the organization’s risk register is accurate, up-to-date, and reflective of current threats and vulnerabilities.
• Risk Identification and Monitoring: Proactively identify, assess, monitor, and report on operational, technology, cybersecurity, and compliance risks to senior management and relevant stakeholders.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure strict compliance with banking regulations, regulatory requirements, and internal governance policies, acting as a trusted advisor to mitigate legal and operational risks.
• Control Assessments and Gap Analysis: Conduct thorough control assessments and gap analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of security and compliance controls, recommending corrective actions where necessary.
• Audit Coordination: Manage internal audits, external audits, and regulatory examinations, ensuring timely identification and remediation of findings to maintain compliance and operational excellence.
• Issue Tracking and Reporting: Track audit observations, compliance issues, and risk mitigation plans through to closure, providing clear and concise reports to executive leadership and governance bodies.
  • PCI DSS Compliance: Ensure full compliance with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) requirements, supporting assessments, audits, evidence collection, and remediation activities. Collaborate with business and IT teams to implement and maintain PCI DSS security controls across payment environments.
• Framework Alignment: Support compliance initiatives related to ISO 27001, NIST CSF, COBIT, and other applicable regulatory and security frameworks to strengthen the Bank’s security posture.
• Third-Party Risk Management: Conduct comprehensive vendor and third-party risk assessments to ensure all external partners adhere to the Bank’s GRC standards.
• Project Governance: Review new projects, systems, and technology initiatives from governance, risk, and compliance perspectives, ensuring alignment with regulatory and organizational objectives.
• Training and Awareness: Promote a culture of risk awareness by delivering GRC and compliance training across the organization, fostering a proactive approach to governance.
• Regulatory Intelligence: Stay abreast of emerging regulatory requirements and industry trends, recommending continuous improvements to governance and compliance processes to maintain a competitive edge.

Requirements

To excel in this role, you will bring the following qualifications and experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Information Security, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Business Administration, or a related field. Advanced degrees or professional certifications (e.g., CISA, CRISC, CISSP, CGEIT) are highly desirable.
• Experience: Minimum of 9 years of progressive experience in Governance, Risk & Compliance, with a strong focus on the banking or financial services industry. Hands-on experience with Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), IT Risk, Operational Risk, and Compliance Management is essential.
  • Proven track record in managing internal and external audits, as well as regulatory inspections, with a focus on timely remediation and continuous improvement.
  • Demonstrated expertise in implementing and maintaining GRC platforms such as RSA Archer, ServiceNow GRC, MetricStream, or equivalent solutions.
  • In-depth knowledge of Information Security Governance and internal control frameworks, including COSO, COBIT, and ISO 27001.
  • Hands-on experience with PCI DSS compliance programs, including assessments, remediation, and audit coordination.
• Skills:
  • Analytical Excellence: Ability to interpret complex regulatory requirements and translate them into actionable strategies.
  • Communication and Stakeholder Management: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leadership, regulators, and cross-functional teams.
  • Documentation and Reporting: Strong aptitude for creating clear, concise, and comprehensive governance reports, compliance dashboards, and executive-level risk reports.
  • Problem-Solving: A proactive and solution-oriented mindset, with the ability to identify risks and implement mitigating controls efficiently.