Strategic Operational Risk Assurance Analyst

• Deliver operational risk assurance reviews from planning through to final reporting, ensuring work is risk-based, proportionate and supported by clear evidence.

• Define review scope, objectives, testing approaches and evidence requirements in consultation with the Head of Operational Risk.

• Perform control testing and assurance activity to assess the design and operating effectiveness of operational risk primary controls.

• Provide ongoing assurance over Risk Smart items, including alignment with standards, validation of action closure, review of supporting evidence and assessment of whether remediation addresses root causes.

• Engage with first line stakeholders to obtain evidence, discuss observations and test the sustainability of completed actions.

• Draft clear assurance findings, ratings, conclusions and agreed management actions, ensuring issues are specific, evidence-led and commercially practical.

• Monitor and report progress against assurance review actions and Risk Smart items, escalating delays, weak evidence or ineffective remediation where appropriate.

• Support thematic analysis of assurance outcomes to identify recurring control weaknesses, emerging operational risk themes and areas requiring further review.

• Plan and deliver assigned operational risk assurance reviews to agreed scope, quality standards and timelines.

• Maintain complete and accurate assurance working papers, including review plans, testing records, evidence logs, stakeholder discussions and conclusions.

• Assess whether controls are suitably designed, operating effectively and aligned to the operational risk profile being reviewed.

Requirements

• Operational risk assurance, control testing or audit experience, ideally within financial services or a regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of operational risk, controls, assurance testing, evidence standards, issue management and action validation.
• Experience using GRC systems or issue/action tracking tools.
• Ability to review evidence critically and reach balanced conclusions.
• Clear written communication, with the ability to produce concise assurance reports and management actions.
• Strong organisation skills and ability to manage multiple reviews, testing activities and action validations at pace.
• Good stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with first line teams while maintaining second line independence
• Focused upon delivering results and meeting deadlines
• Ability to provide necessary challenge in a constructive manner
• Strong team player

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Hard Skills

• Operational Risk
• Assurance Testing
• Evidence Standards
• Issue Management
• Action Validation

Soft Skills

• Strong Organisation Skills
• Team Player
• Constructive Challenge