Head of Risk and Banking Operations

ABOUT UNIT

Unit is a market leader in embedded finance. We offer ready-to-launch financial services - like banking and capital - and serve millions of end-users across ~100 customers, including Wix, Honeybook, Relay, and more.

We’re repeat founders with technical backgrounds, working hard to build a successful company that we’re proud to work at. Our product moves $40b+ annually and processes 12m+ API calls daily. We’ve raised $160m+ from top investors including Insight, Accel, and 60+ angels.

THE ROLE

We are looking for a strategic and execution-focused Head of Risk and Banking Operations to join our team. Reporting to the Head of Risk & Fraud, this role will oversee and lead both the Risk Operations and Banking Operations teams. The ideal candidate is a proven leader with deep industry knowledge, strong analytical and operational capabilities, and the ability to build high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment.

This role is based in New York.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leadership & Execution

• Lead and manage the Risk and Banking Operations teams, including full-time and part-time employees.
  Oversee hiring, training, development, and performance management of team members.

• Ensure operational excellence in daily workflows, driving consistent, high-quality service delivery across risk and banking functions.

• Identify and execute opportunities for operational automation and scalability through technology and AI.

Policy, Process, and Performance

• Define, implement, and continuously improve policies and procedures for onboarding (KYC/KYB/CIP/OFAC) and banking operations (payments and transactions, disputes).

• Establish and manage SLAs, KPIs, and other operational metrics to evaluate team efficiency and effectiveness.

• Own documentation of internal policies and technical processes, ensuring clarity and compliance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the primary point of contact for banking operations matters with Unit’s bank partners, and coordinate operational alignment.

• Interface with clients to provide guidance, training, and support on tools and banking operations processes.

• Partner closely with internal stakeholders across Risk, Fraud, Product, Customer Success, and Compliance.

• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Fraud Analytics, and Data teams to develop rules, models, and tools that reduce manual work and enhance fraud detection and service efficiency.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 5+ years experience leading large operational teams, ideally across both risk and banking operations.

• Experience in a high-growth technology company or financial institution, preferably in embedded finance or fintech.
  Deep understanding of the banking ecosystem, regulatory frameworks (e.g. KYC, CIP, OFAC), and fraud risk management.

• Strong analytical skills, with experience using data to drive decisions and improve operational outcomes.

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and deliver scalable solutions.
  Exceptional communication, client-facing, and stakeholder management skills.

• Team-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

LIFE AT UNIT

Working at Unit means joining a global team on a mission to create a more equitable financial ecosystem. We’re a fast-growing team of individuals who are passionate about their work, see the big picture and always seek to empower our clients and their end-customers.