Global Head Technology & Innovation Risk Management

You and your job

You will work in a challenging and exciting environment with many technological and regulatory developments (e.g. GenAI, DORA). Rabobank is making extensive use of IT systems and infrastructure in order to perform its business processes and deliver services to clients and other stakeholders. Innovation and digitisation are strategic drivers for Rabobank. With accelerating speed, internal processes are digitised and innovated. Continuously new technologies are adopted to enable this innovation. Additionally, the bank is increasingly working together with external providers, has introduced new (agile) ways of working, and is using new technologies, which makes the bank even more IT driven. External threats are emerging / increasing in the IT environment for instance in cyber security risk or in the management of our outsourced activities, and also the risk of business disruption and/or other technology related risks.

The primary goal of Technology & Innovation Risk Management is to supporting the bank in managing these IT risks in a changing environment adequately.

Your department has a bank wide role as 2nd line theme-owner for the themes Outsourcing/Third Party (incl. cloud computing), Information Security inc. Cyber risk, IT Risk and Business Continuity Management (BCM) as well the oversight on Data Management. This includes the responsibility of ensuring compliance with increasing demands from the regulators world-wide.

Furthermore, it is expected that the amount of digitization will not stop. The department is the ‘second line of defence’ for the CITO (Chief Innovation & Technology Office) organization and the aforementioned risk themes. Additionally, there is a functional steering role for the 2nd line in the regions and its subsidiaries.

Most important responsibilities

In the role as Global Head Technology & Innovation Risk Management you are responsible for:

• Defining the vision and strategy for the management of Technology & Innovation Risk Management as important part of the Operational Risk Management;
• Ensuring the execution of that vision and strategy;
• Building a high performance team that proactively engages with all key stakeholders;
• Promoting an environment that fosters best practice and continuous improvement in, whilst ensuring cost and process efficiency;
• Alignment between regulations in the Netherlands and in the jurisdictions in the regions, ensuring compliance with regulation across all countries in which the Bank operates;
• Defining, implementing and monitoring relevant global policies (for instance IT Risk, Information Security, 3rd Party / Outsourcing, Business Continuity Management) that fit the regulatory requirements and reviewing and adapting policies to external and internal requirements timely and swiftly. This entails creating and maintaining a sound and balanced Technology & Innovation Risk Management framework and a risk organization and -culture;
• Setting the Risk Appetite statement for Technology & Innovation Risk Management;
• Reporting to the Global Head ORM on the status of Technology & Innovation Risk Management;
• Acting as strong strategic sparring partner (advice and challenge) to give substance to the countervailing power towards the 1st line (MT CITO) in their risk and control activities and risk-return-sustainability considerations on a portfolio of EUR 2 bn of annual CITO Spent;
• Provide pro-active independent oversight and constructively challenges to the performance of the 1st line effectiveness of dynamic risk management risk and control activities (i.e. risk assessments, controls, incident, action and finding management);
  • Second line assurance on all design - & operating effectiveness on the first line risk & control activities for IT Risk management for Rabobank (including regions);
  • Implement, review and monitor ORM and especially IT Risk processes, risks & controls per Business Line, per region/entity, subs and the risk themes;
  • Facilitate and challenge MT CITO with deep dive analysis, bring risk insights, monitoring and assessment support actively and on request, raise 2nd line findings and business process risk management oversight;
  • Senior Contact to regulators like ECB, DNB, AFM, JST, etc. re. Technology & Innovation Risk Management.

You and your talent

• Relevant University (‘Post graduate CPA or EDP auditing RA) degree in f.e. on Business Economics or Information Management;
• Banking experience in a broad range of banking business, products and risk management (15+ years), with a proven track record in risk strategy, policy and planning, especially with the discipline non financial risk management and having worked in an IT environment and/or audit role for a minimum of 10-15 years;
• Leadership of large and complex teams (10 – 15 years); Inspirational leadership and being the leader in the change
• Proven executive and tactical leadership skills, including strong interpersonal skills and influencing skills;
• Excellent communication skills at all levels, with a positive, confident and approachable style
• Able to develop credibility with colleagues and management; mobilizes others, reaches out and is able to adjust style to parties involved;
• Pro-active mindset for driving improvements to digitize and simplify;
• Sound understanding of the technicalities of operational and non-financial risk management, with broad familiarity with a variety of risk assessment analytics;
• Sound understanding of the IT domain, with knowledge of the banks systems, products and processes and complex transactional structures;
• Experience in acting in complex and politically sensitive environment with very high demands on continuity and integrity in business domains and many stakeholders;
• Extensive knowledge of banking laws & regulations, including broad banking knowledge across key risk classes;
• Thorough knowledge in project management, Change management and Business Process Management.