Senior Operations Risk & Control Testing Manager
Starling Bank
Risk and Control Manager
Starling Bank
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Manchester • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Visit company websiteJob Level
Mid-LevelSenior
About the role
- Act as the primary 1LoD risk and control lead for Marketing, with additional support provided to Legal.
- Identify, assess, and manage risks across marketing campaigns, promotions, partnerships, communications, legal contracts, and advisory activity.
- Own and maintain the Risk & Control Register for Marketing and Legal, ensuring risks and controls are documented, reviewed, and tested.
- Lead Risk and Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs) for both areas, ensuring control design and operational effectiveness are evidenced.
- Provide challenge and guidance to ensure risks are properly managed in new initiatives, campaigns, and third-party relationships.
- Partner with business leadership to embed control frameworks into daily operations and decision-making.
- Ensure all marketing and communication activity complies with FCA requirements, including Consumer Duty, CONC, BCOBS, and financial promotions rules.
- Support Legal in identifying and managing risks linked to contractual obligations, intellectual property, third-party agreements, and litigation exposure.
- Work with Compliance and Legal to review campaigns, partnerships, and customer materials for fairness, accuracy, and transparency.
- Monitor evolving regulatory expectations, including Consumer Duty and greenwashing standards, and support implementation across functions.
- Lead the investigation, escalation, and reporting of marketing or legal risk incidents and near misses.
- Track and oversee resolution of audit, assurance, and compliance findings.
- Capture and embed lessons learned to strengthen control maturity and prevent recurrence.
- Deliver 1st Line assurance reviews across Marketing and Legal, focusing on key processes such as campaign approvals, financial promotions, and contract governance.
- Maintain and report Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and emerging risk themes to senior stakeholders.
- Analyse assurance results and trends to drive targeted control improvements.
- Build strong working relationships with senior stakeholders across Marketing, Legal, and Compliance.
- Promote a customer-first, risk-aware culture across both functions.
- Act as the connection point between 1LoD, 2LoD, and business teams to align risk priorities and ensure clear ownership.
Requirements
- Strong understanding of financial services regulation, including Consumer Duty, the FCA Handbook, and financial promotions requirements.
- Experience managing risk and control frameworks (RCSAs, control testing, risk registers, and issue management).
- Knowledge of legal and regulatory risk within commercial or financial services contexts.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Ability to influence, challenge, and provide practical risk solutions in fast-paced environments.
Benefits
- Make an Impact: Work on projects that directly shape the future of banking and improve the financial lives of our customers. Starling is technology-led, and you'll have the freedom to accomplish your goals in innovative ways.
- Culture of Excellence: Be part of a collaborative, empowered, and forward-thinking team. We encourage experimentation, ownership, and a relentless focus on "doing the right thing.”
- Growth and Development: We are committed to your professional growth, offering opportunities to learn new technologies, take on new challenges, and own interesting things from day one.
- A Bank That Cares: We're a Living Wage employer, committed to flexible working, and dedicated to creating a fair, open, and safe working environment with compassion and inclusion at its core.
- Comprehensive Benefits: We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Company-enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme (7% employer contribution)
- Private Medical Insurance with Vitality including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton.
- 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
- An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
- Life Insurance at 4x your salary.
- 16 hours of paid volunteering time a year.
- Ability to buy or sell annual leave.
- Generous family-friendly policies.
- Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
- Incentivised refer a friend scheme
- Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
- Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
risk managementcontrol frameworksRisk and Control Self-Assessmentscontrol testingrisk registersissue managementKey Risk Indicatorsassurance reviewsregulatory compliancefinancial promotions
Soft skills
stakeholder managementcommunication skillsinfluencingchallengingproblem-solvingrelationship buildingcustomer-first mindsetrisk awarenessguidancecollaboration