Head Of Risk

At Direct Line Group, insurance is just the start. Combining decades of industry experience with talented people in every field, we’re a customer-obsessed market powerhouse. And we all work together to be brilliant for customers, every single day.

We are Direct Line Group – home to some of the country's best-known brands including Direct Line, Churchill, Privilege and Green Flag. DLG's growth is supported by our three lines of defence which develops, implements and maintains risk management policies, procedures, tools, and framework for us. We are currently recruiting for Senior Risk Managers for our Chief Controls Office who are part of the first line supporting risk assessment, reporting and embedding.

What you’ll be doing

Direct Line Group (DLG) has created a new Chief Controls Office (CCO) within the first line of defence as part of groupwide risk and control transformation programme that is now in its second year. This provides a unique opportunity to be part of a group of skilled risk professionals that are redeveloping the end-to-end risk and control framework, which includes launching new RCSAs, control testing, a new integrated risk management system, as well as rebuilding risk management capabilities across the first line and positively influencing a robust risk aware culture across DLG. As a Senior Risk Manager in CCO your role will include:

Key Accountabilities

• To lead on risk management in the assigned business area. Acting as a key partner to the Executive/SMF by enabling the business to understand their control environment, relative risks and drive a culture of action planning and remediation resolution.
• Ensuring DLG fosters a culture of risk awareness and controls.
• Extensive experience in leading delivery of risk frameworks, control reviews and risk profile design and delivery.
• Ability to define key actions and lead pieces of work that support CCO and the wider business.
• Drive the root cause resolution of control failures and gaps in the business functions risk and control profile to continually strengthen the risk and control environment and outlook of the function, protecting customer and business outcomes.
• Developing methods to identify key risks that may impact our operations, the delivery of the DLG business strategy, or present a threat to our group risk appetite or compliance status.
• Building relationships at every level, with excellent stakeholder management skills, influence and drive decisions/actions across senior stakeholders and up to executive level.
• Communicate complex topics in a relevant and simple way, with excellent communication skills – written and verbal.
• Successfully manage multiple conflicting critical priorities at once, ensuring stakeholder alignment and delivery date achievement, both in time and quality outputs/outcomes.
• Impactful presenting skills, through gravitas and knowledge to drive the right customer and business outcomes.
• Drive first line risk and assurance governance objectives, ensuring accurate management information and reporting.
• Ownership of Workiva (risk system) and data inputs, ensuring risk teams have the right capability and necessary skills training to provide quality outputs.
• Developing and delivering reports that provide a real time compliance ‘dashboard’ for use at all levels of the organisation and enables tangible and visible risk reduction.
• Keeping up with emerging technologies, industry trends, and regulatory change.
• Leading and mentoring a team of Risk and compliance specialists, facilitating teamwork dynamics and interactions with the business.
• Driving collaboration across risk functions, operational teams and change programmes to ensure the appropriate technical capacity, capability and knowledge sharing is in place.
• Managing and maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders within DLG and externally – with suppliers, partners, etc.
• Awareness of audit and testing assurance programmes and ensure business is aware and taking action to support regulatory requirements as well internal standards and policies.
• Working closely and collaboratively with the Central Control Testing & Assurance Teams, as well as the Central Policy, Framework and Reporting Team within the Chief Controls Office.

What you’ll need

• Significant Risk and Controls experience in a highly regulated business environment, ideally gained in the Insurance industry.
• Ability to undertake risk deep dives including process review, root cause analysis, impact assessment and risk response.
• Experience in leading, managing and delivering governance, risk and assurance initiatives and embedding frameworks.
• Strong collaboration, conflict resolution, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability in strong verbal and written communication skills to interface with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to engage people through leading by example and cultivating an integrated risk culture of transparency and curiosity.

Ways of working

Our hybrid model way of working offers a 'best of both worlds' approach combining the best parts of home and office-working, offering flexibility for everyone. When you'll be in the office depends on your role, but most colleagues are in 2 days a week, and we'll consider the flexible working options that work best for you.

We wouldn’t be where we are today without our people and the wide variety of perspectives and life experiences they bring. That’s why we offer excellent benefits to suit your lifestyle and a flexible working model combining the best parts of home and office-working, varying with the nature of your role. Our core benefits include:

• 50% off home, motor and pet insurance plus free travel insurance and Green Flag breakdown cover.
• Additional optional Health and Dental insurance.
• Up to 20% bonus.
• EV car scheme allows all colleagues to lease a brand new electric or plug-in hybrid car in a tax efficient way.
• 30 days annual leave.
• Buy as you earn share scheme.
• Employee discounts and cashback.
• Plus many more

Difference makes us who we are. We believe everyone should feel comfortable to bring their whole selves to work – that’s why we champion diverse voices, build workplaces that work for people, and invest in the things that matter. From senior leadership to inclusivity networks, adaptive working to inclusion training, we’ve made it our mission to give you everything you need to be authentically you. Discover more at directlinegroupcareers.com.

Here at DLG we believe that there’s no one else like you. No one with the exact same mix of strengths, quirks, skills, and thoughts. We all work together to be brilliant for our customers every day. We're proud of who we are, of what we do, and what every single one of us brings to the team.

Like what you see? When we all come together, we can achieve great things. The question is, are you one of a kind too?

Be Yourself

Here at Direct Line Group, we recognise that AI tools are becoming increasingly popular and are often used by candidates during the recruitment process. While these tools can be helpful for checking spelling and grammar, we strongly encourage you to Be Yourself. We want to see your authentic self by hearing your unique voice and genuine experiences. As you prepare for your interviews, remember to answer questions in your own words, sharing your true experiences. At Direct Line Group, we believe in Owning It and Winning Together, and your authentic perspective is what will help us determine if you’re a great fit for our team