Director, Digital Assets Risk
Job Description Job Summary We are seeking an experienced Director, Digital Assets (DA) Risk to serve as the Group’s second-line risk Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Digital Assets. This role will lead the evolution of the Digital Assets Risk Management Approach (DARMA), providing oversight, challenge, and expert guidance across key risk types including Reputational, Traded/Market, Treasury/Capital & Liquidity, Operational, Technology, Cyber Security and Credit Risk. The successful candidate will help shape the Group's Digital Assets strategy, ensure compliance with regulatory expectations, and strengthen the risk framework governing Digital Asset activities. Key Responsibilities Strategy - Influence the Group’s Digital Assets strategy, ensuring alignment with risk frameworks, policies, standards, risk appetite and governance requirements. - Provide regulatory interpretation and risk assessments for Digital Asset initiatives, products and investments. - Engage with industry stakeholders and emerging technologies to enhance risk understanding and support innovation. - Assess risks associated with blockchain technologies, tokenomics and Digital Asset ecosystems, ensuring effective mitigation strategies. Business - Guide the ongoing development of the Group’s Digital Assets Risk Management Approach (DARMA). - Advise stakeholders on Digital Asset activities, client engagements and business initiatives within approved risk parameters. - Support stress testing and scenario analysis related to Digital Asset exposures. - Provide timely risk guidance to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and internal requirements. Processes - Oversee the identification, governance and effectiveness of processes within the Digital Assets Risk Management function. - Review and challenge the Digital Assets risk profile and related control environment. - Ensure appropriate oversight of risk management activities and reporting frameworks. People & Talent - Promote a culture of continuous learning, innovation and collaboration. - Lead by example and foster an inclusive, high-performing team environment. - Partner closely with risk and control stakeholders to strengthen risk awareness and accountability. Risk Management - Lead Digital Assets risk assessments and provide expert challenge across key banking risk disciplines. - Review and challenge enhanced due diligence assessments for Digital Asset clients, products, partnerships and investments. - Evaluate blockchain platforms, Digital Asset infrastructure, custodians, exchanges, staking providers and related third-party arrangements. - Oversee Digital Asset risk appetite considerations, monitoring, reporting and escalation of breaches where required. - Drive the development of infrastructure and governance needed to support effective Digital Asset risk oversight. Governance - Maintain governance forums and committee structures that provide effective oversight of the Group’s Digital Assets risk profile. - Conduct regular effectiveness reviews of the risk control environment. - Monitor emerging and evolving Digital Asset risks and assess management actions to address them. - Ensure ongoing compliance with established risk frameworks and standards. Regulatory & Business Conduct - Champion the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct. - Ensure adherence to all applicable laws, regulations and supervisory requirements. - Proactively identify, escalate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters. Key Stakeholders Internal - Digital Assets Centre of Excellence - Cluster Management Teams - Business Heads - Group and Country Risk Framework Owners (RFOs) - Digital Assets SMEs - Group Internal Audit External - Home and host regulators including the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - External auditors Skills and Experience - Digital Assets Risk Management - Traded Risk - Credit Risk - Operational & Cyber Security R