Explore a world of opportunity in Operational Risk Assurance Manager jobs, a critical and growing field at the heart of modern organizational resilience. This senior-level profession sits within the second line of defense, acting as a guardian of the guard. Professionals in this role are responsible for ensuring that an organization's operational risk management framework is not only present but is also effective, robust, and consistently applied. They provide essential oversight, not of business units, but of the Operational Risk Management (ORM) function itself, ensuring the entire risk management ecosystem operates with integrity and precision. The core mission of an Operational Risk Assurance Manager is twofold: methodology and quality. A primary responsibility involves defining, maintaining, and governing the methodologies and frameworks used by ORM teams to credibly challenge the first line of defense. This means they design the "rulebook" for how the second line assesses whether business units are properly identifying, assessing, and mitigating their operational risks—such as process failures, external fraud, or technology breakdowns. They are the architects of the challenge process, ensuring it is rigorous, standardized, and comprehensive across all risk categories. Beyond methodology design, these managers oversee its execution. They track the inventory of challenges performed by ORM teams to ensure coverage and compliance with the established standards. A significant and distinct part of their duties involves conducting Quality Assurance (QA) over the activities of their ORM colleagues. This meta-assurance function involves reviewing ORM's work—their testing, their monitoring, their reporting—to validate its quality, accuracy, and adherence to internal policies and external regulations. They identify control gaps within the risk function itself, sharing best practices and driving continuous improvement to fortify the entire second line. Typical daily tasks include developing communication strategies to educate global risk teams on methodologies and tools, collaborating with risk subject matter experts, and leading the implementation of learnings gleaned from QA observations. They are also responsible for preparing detailed management information and reports for senior leadership, providing a clear picture of the health and effectiveness of the operational risk framework. To succeed in these jobs, candidates typically need a substantial background in a control-focused field such as Internal Audit, Compliance Assurance, or second-line testing and monitoring. Exceptional analytical and detail-oriented skills are paramount, as is the ability to influence and engage a wide range of stakeholders without direct authority. Expertise in assurance methodologies and strong data analysis capabilities are highly valued. Most positions require a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, or a related field, with a Master’s degree often preferred. If you are a strategic thinker passionate about governance, quality control, and strengthening an organization's defensive pillars, exploring Operational Risk Assurance Manager jobs could be your next career step. This role is ideal for those who seek to ensure that the very systems designed to protect a company are operating at their peak potential.
