Sr. Director, PayPal UK Chief Risk Officer

• Develop and articulate a clear vision and strategy for risk management aligned with PayPal's overall strategy.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to assess and mitigate risks impacting operations and assets.
• Inspire and lead teams to implement long-term sustainability and financial stability strategies.
• Monitor and evaluate risk exposure to ensure compliance and safeguard the organization's reputation.
• Provide key inputs and guidance as an industry leader to influence decision-making at the executive level.

• 12+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor's degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

The Senior Director, Risk (Second Line of Defense) is a PPUK leadership role responsible for providing independent oversight, challenge, and governance across PayPal UK's risk profile and develop and maintain the PPUK risk management framework.

The role supports protecting PayPal and enabling sustainable growth while operating within approved risk appetite, ensuring compliance with UK regulatory expectations. This includes FCA requirements Consumer Duty, Operational Resilience, Financial Crime, and safeguarding regulations applicable to Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), Credit and Crypto firms and payment services providers.

As a key member of PPUK leadership the role partners closely with UK and global executives, business leaders, and control functions to ensure robust identification, assessment, monitoring, and mitigation of material risks impacting the PayPal UK regulated entity and customers (both consumers and merchants). The position requires exceptional executive presence, strong Board-level communication capability, and the ability to effectively influence and manage relationships across C-suite leadership, regulators, and global stakeholders.

Governance Memberships

• FCA Certified Individual
• Member of UK Executive Committee (UK EXCO)
• Member of UK Board Audit, Risk & Regulatory Committee (ARRC)
• Chair of UK Risk Committee
• Participant in UK Board governance and Board Risk discussions

(1) Enterprise Risk Oversight

• Provide independent Second Line oversight and challenge across key risk domains including:
• Capital Risk (Counterparty, Liquidity & Market)
• Extended Enterprise / Third Party Risk
• Operational Risk (Continuity & Financial Accounting & Reporting)
• Technology Risk (Date, information protection, privacy & Service Delivery)
• Ensure material risks are identified, assessed, monitored, escalated, and managed appropriately across UK regulated entities.
• Review and challenge First Line risk assessments, controls, incidents, remediation plans, and risk acceptances.
• Development, implementation, and maintenance of the UK Risk Appetite Framework and associated KRIs/KPIs.
• Drive effective risk governance and promote a strong risk culture across PayPal UK.

(2) Safeguarding Officer Responsibilities

• Act as the FCA designated Safeguarding Officer for PayPal UK.
• Provide Second Line oversight of safeguarding arrangements in accordance with:
• FCA Electronic Money Regulations (EMRs), Payment Services Regulations (PSRs) FCA safeguarding guidance and expectations
• Ensure robust governance, monitoring, and oversight of safeguarding controls protecting customer funds.
• Independently assess the effectiveness of safeguarding frameworks, reconciliations, segregation controls, and safeguarding operational processes.
• Review and challenge safeguarding controls, third-party banking arrangements, reconciliations, and incident management processes.
• Ensure safeguarding breaches, incidents, or near misses are appropriately escalated, investigated, remediated, and reported.
• Oversee safeguarding-related regulatory reporting, attestations, audits, and remediation activities.

(3) Governance, Board & Regulatory Engagement

• Serve as a member of the UK Executive Committee (UK EXCO), contributing to strategic, operational, regulatory, and governance discussions.
• Serve as a member of the UK Boar Audit, Risk & Regulatory Committee (ARRC), providing independent oversight and challenge on material risk matters.
• Chair PPUK Executive level Risk Committee.
• Engage directly with the FCA, 3LOD internal audit, and external stakeholders as required.
• Maintain strong understanding of UK regulatory expectations impacting fintech, payments, e-money, and digital financial services.

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience in the UK, working within a global regulated financial services or payments firm:
• Risk Management, Enterprise Risk, Operational Risk, Regulatory Risk including Board Level experience. Proven ability to influence and manage senior C-suite stakeholders effectively.
• Strong understanding of FCA regulatory expectations, Three Lines of Defense model
• Demonstrated capability providing independent challenge within complex regulatory and commercial environments.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred

• Knowledge of: Digital payments, Wallets, Merchant acquiring, Fintech ecosystems.