Senior Operational Risk Oversight Manager – Payments

As a senior member of the Operational Risk leadership team, you will collaborate with colleagues across related risk disciplines, such as Operational Resilience and Financial Crime, to ensure a holistic view of payment risks. You will also engage with senior stakeholders, up to Director level, providing clear, data-driven insights and constructive challenges to support decision-making and continuous improvement in payments.

In addition, you may represent the Operational Risk function in key forums, particularly in the absence of the Head of Operational Risk Oversight (Payments, Central Functions & Process). Through your leadership and expertise, you will play a direct role in safeguarding our members’ finances and upholding the excellence of Nationwide’s payment systems.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part time you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at either our London, Swindon or Glasgow office.
If you’re based at our Glasgow office, this will apply from 1 April 2027 and ahead of that there will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration events. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here.

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

You will lead operational risk oversight within the Payments domain, managing a small team and ensuring that Nationwide’s payment services remain safe, resilient, and compliant. On a day-to-day basis, you will guide your team in assessing risk controls across payment systems, providing constructive challenges to First Line Payments Operations on issues such as payment security and regulatory compliance, and ensuring that incidents and control improvements are promptly addressed.

You will take the lead on payments regulatory horizon scanning, producing clear and concise updates for the Society on upcoming regulatory changes and consultations. You will also play a strategic role in shaping the Society’s approach to managing payment risks by developing oversight plans, monitoring adherence to risk policies and appetite, and delivering timely, independent risk opinions on payment-related matters.

By collaborating closely with other risk oversight teams—such as Technology, Operational Resilience, and Financial Crime—and engaging with senior business leaders responsible for payments, you will ensure that oversight activities are comprehensive and impactful. Through these combined efforts, you will provide high-quality assurance to the Director of Operational Risk and senior risk committees, helping to maintain the highest standards in payment processes and protect our members’ transactions.

You will have/be:

• Extensive experience in payments risk management or oversight, including a strong understanding of payment operations and associated regulatory requirements within a financial services environment.
• Proven leadership and team management capability, with experience leading specialist teams, fostering professional development, and delivering results through others.
• Deep understanding of operational risk and control practices relating to payment systems and technologies (e.g. transaction processing, fraud prevention, and payment scheme rules), enabling effective challenge and support to first-line improvements.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders (including Director level), providing clear insights and constructive challenge to operational leaders and risk committees.
• Highly organised and resilient, with…