Global Head of Risk Management and Chief Risk Officer

EML Payments is a global payments company, headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. We build secure, instant payment solutions that connect our clients to their customers, wherever money is in motion. Our products include banking, credit and disbursement services, earned wage access, gifts, incentives and rewards, and FX solutions. We operate in more than 25 countries, we combine the energy of a start-up with deep leadership experience

About the role

Global Head of Risk Management and Chief Risk Officer - EML Money DAC PCF14

The Risk & Compliance team at EML believes in rolling up its sleeves and getting things done. Risk & Compliance at EML is organised in two teams: 

• Country Risk & Compliance: Broad responsibilities within their countries or regions, including designated roles, with ultimate decision-making authority over activities affecting their jurisdiction.
• Global Risk & Compliance: Deep subject matter expertise, framework design, execution support and standardisation across the Group.

 This role combines two leadership positions, held by one individual based in Ireland: 

• Global Head of Risk Management: Owns and evolves the Group enterprise risk management (ERM) framework across all EML entities and markets, reporting to the Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer.
• Chief Risk Officer, EML Money DAC (PCF14): Holds overall responsibility for the Money DAC risk function, reporting to the Money DAC CEO, with primary responsibility to the Money DAC Board. The CRO reports to the Board periodically, attends Board meetings as requested, and serves as primary risk advisor to the Board and senior management team.

The role leads three direct reports across Technology Risk and Enterprise Risk Management, and indirectly manages the Risk & Compliance Systems Manager, who is developing EML's governance, risk and compliance (GRC) platform.

Managing dual responsibilities. Where Group and Money DAC interests diverge, the role holder must act in the best interests of Money DAC in discharging the PCF14 role, escalating any conflict to the Money DAC Board.

What you will do

This is an opportunity to influence how risk is understood and managed across a complex, international payments business while holding a central regulated-entity leadership position.

You will have the mandate to strengthen EML’s enterprise risk framework, improve the quality and use of risk data, enhance technology and operational resilience oversight, and support better decision-making across the organisation. You will work closely with Boards, executive leaders, risk and compliance teams and business stakeholders to make risk management practical, independent and commercially relevant.

Chief Risk Officer – EML Money DAC (PCF14)

• Hold overall responsibility for the sound and prudent management of the Money DAC risk function, reporting directly to the Board and Board Risk Committee on risk management matters.
• Provide independent oversight and challenge that Money DAC's risks are appropriately governed, identified, managed, measured, monitored and reported.
• Implement and embed the ERM framework within Money DAC, aligned with the Group ERM framework and Central Bank of Ireland expectations.
• Provide independent oversight and challenge in strategic planning and decision-making, including new products, material change and outsourcing.
• Ensure the risk function is resourced appropriately for the nature, scale and complexity of Money DAC's risks.
• Act as a key point of contact for the Central Bank of Ireland on risk matters.
• Ensure the continued effective operation of the three lines of defence model within Money DAC.

Enterprise Risk Management and strategy (Group)

• Design, implement and continuously improve EML's global ERM framework, aligned to regulatory expectations and industry best practice.
• Maintain the Group Risk Management Policy, Risk Appetite Statements and risk taxonomy, and translate appetite into operational tolerances and metrics for key risks.
• Partner with Country Risk & Compliance Heads to embed the framework across all entities and jurisdictions, aligning Group requirements with local regulation (CBI, FCA, ASIC/AUSTRAC, EBA guidelines).
• Integrate ERM into decision-making, strategic planning, product development and change initiatives.
• Develop the strategy and roadmap for the risk function, aligned with entity and Group risk appetite and shareholder expectations.

GRC platform and risk technology

• Set the strategy and requirements for EML's GRC platform across risk, controls, incidents and issues.
• Provide indirect leadership and direction to the Risk & Compliance Systems Manager on GRC platform development and delivery.
• Drive risk reporting automation and data quality to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Technology risk and operational resilience

• Lead second-line oversight of technology, ICT, information security, cyber and third-party technology risk.
• Oversee the ICT risk management framework and second-line requirements under the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), including ICT incident classification, resilience testing and ICT third-party risk.
• Provide oversight of operational resilience, business continuity and disaster recovery frameworks.

Risk advisory and business engagement

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior management, business units and control functions on risk matters.
• Lead risk identification and enterprise risk assessments across business lines, products, markets and strategic initiatives.
• Provide oversight and challenge on key group wide strategic projects, outsourcing arrangements and change initiatives.
• Design and maintain methodologies for risk and control self-assessments, control effectiveness reviews and risk impact evaluations.
• Facilitate thematic deep dives and scenario analysis for critical risk areas such as fraud, third-party risk and technology resilience.
• Maintain consistent Group-wide incident management and loss event reporting.
• Embed a solutions-focused approach, working with the business as an independent second line to find compliant, well-controlled ways of achieving its objectives.

Risk governance and reporting

• Provide insightful risk reporting and analysis to executive leadership, the Group Audit & Risk Committee, the Group Board and the Money DAC Board and Board Risk Committee.
• Own risk reporting frameworks, including Key Risk Indicators (KRIs), risk appetite metrics and scenario analysis.
• Monitor and escalate material and emerging risks, with clear articulation of impacts and recommended mitigations.

Leadership and culture

• Lead, coach and develop your team, fostering accountability, curiosity and collaboration.
• Promote a strong risk culture by defining expected risk and control behaviours across the organisation.
• Build productive relationships with all levels of management, Internal Audit and other governance functions.
• Proactively identify and implement enhancements to the risk framework and its processes, applying automation and AI where appropriate and in line with applicable policy and regulatory requirements
  
  What you will bring

You will be an established risk leader with the judgement, credibility and independence required to perform a PCF-14 control function and advise senior stakeholders across an international Group.

• Significant senior risk-management experience within regulated financial services. Experience in payments, e-money, fintech or another comparably regulated sector would be particularly relevant.
• A proven record of building and embedding ERM programmes across multiple jurisdictions, ideally in payments, e-money or fintech.
• Experience of direct interaction with the Central Bank of Ireland and Boards, through presentations or regular attendance (desirable).
• Commercial awareness, with the judgement to balance regulatory compliance and business objectives.
• Experience working in a matrixed international environment across time zones, cultures and reporting lines.
• Detailed knowledge of current and emerging Irish and EU regulatory requirements across conduct and prudential matters, including PSD2, DORA, EBA guidelines and the CBI Fitness and Probity and Individual Accountability regimes.
• Working knowledge of UK (FCA) and Australian (ASIC/AUSTRAC) regulatory frameworks.
• Deep understanding of payment services and e-money risks, including safeguarding, outsourcing and third-party risk.
• Strong knowledge of risk frameworks and standards across all risk types, including technology risk and operational resilience.
• Experience with GRC platforms, risk data and analytical tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to synthesise complex risk topics into clear, actionable insight for Boards and executives.
• Commercial awareness, with the judgement to balance regulatory compliance and business objectives.

 What we offer 

• 25 days' annual leave, with an additional 5 days available once your annual leave is used
• Paid birthday leave and 2 paid volunteering days a year
• Enhanced parental leave: 12 weeks for primary carers and 4 weeks for secondary carers
• Private medical insurance fully covered by EML, including GP support, specialists, diagnostics and physiotherapy, plus optical, dental and hearing allowances
• An Employee Assistance Programme with a 24/7 confidential helpline and up to 6 counselling sessions a year
• A workplace pension scheme with company contributions 5% and employee minimum 3%
• Income protection of up to 75% of salary and life insurance at 4× annual salary
• A Cycle to Work scheme (up to €1,250)
• Support with one relevant professional membership a year

About EML

EML Payments is a global leader in the fintech space. Our mission is to create awesome, instant, and secure payment solutions that connect our customers to their customers, anytime, anywhere, wherever money is in motion. Our Purpose is to inspire transformative digital change for our customers and communities. 

As an issuer and processor, we provide our clients and partners with innovative alternatives to traditional banking solutions for reloadable and non-reloadable programs.

Our commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Integrated into our Core Values is EML's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. EML is committed to being a globally inclusive company where all people are treated fairly, recognised for their individuality, promoted based on performance and empowered to reach their full potential. We are agile, we are innovative. We take a partnership approach; we tailor solutions and place a strong focus on operational excellence.  Our place is one of collaboration, teamwork & innovation. But, above all, it’s one that embraces difference. And rather than have you blend in, we want to help you unleash your full potential. 

Disclaimer
Regulatory status and Fitness & Probity requirements

The Chief Risk Officer for EML Money DAC is designated as PCF-14 under the Central Bank of Ireland’s Fitness & Probity Regime and subject to the Individual Accountability Framework (IAF).  Any offer and appointment to the PCF-14 position will therefore be conditional upon:

• completion of the required Fitness & Probity and PCF application processes;
• the candidate providing complete and accurate information relevant to the assessment;
• the candidate meeting EML Money DAC’s pre-employment screening requirements; and
• the Central Bank of Ireland granting its prior written approval for the appointment.