Quality, Risk & Governance Lead - Compliance Operations

Wise · Tallinn, , Estonia

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • Posted 2026-09-16
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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Job description

Job Description
Our financial crime reporting function has grown fast. We've achieved a lot and built strong operational capabilities, but as we've scaled, we now need to strengthen and formalise our governance, risk, and quality frameworks. It's time to focus on the foundations and build them properly.
We've just created a dedicated Quality, Risk & Governance pillar, and we need someone who can take what we have and build it into something scalable and robust. You'll report to the Head of Quality, Risk & Governance and have your own direct reports - this means you'll lead and own your domain.
This isn't about sitting in back-to-back strategy meetings. This is about rolling up your sleeves, getting into the details, understanding what's actually happening, and creating the frameworks, documentation, and practices that will scale with us. You'll need a clear vision for what excellent quality control looks like in suspicious activity reporting and the experience to make it real.
If you're the kind of person who gets excited about bringing structure to scale, teaching others how to do things right, and seeing the direct impact of your work - this could be perfect for you.
Build the foundations

• Design and implement the governance, risk, and quality control framework for our financial crime reporting function from scratch

• Build a scalable QC function: create the right checks and controls, develop reporting that shows what's actually happening, and set standards that scale

• Develop operational risk and governance inventory, establish clear ownership and accountability, and define standards for control testing

• Create comprehensive documentation: frameworks, policies, SOPs, process maps - that teams will actually use
Own quality and control effectiveness

• Design and run risk-based quality checks mapped to material risks and controls

• Oversee internal quality teams and establish standards for quality monitoring and testing

• Use quality outcomes and control data to identify systemic issues and drive improvements

• Ensure we can confidently demonstrate control effectiveness at any time
Audit and regulatory readiness

• Prepare the function for regulatory reviews, internal audits, and external assurance

• Coordinate audit activity and translate findings into credible remediation plans

• Represent the team in audit situations, present findings, and challenge conclusions when evidence doesn't support them

• Ensure documentation and control evidence are consistently maintained to a high standard
Drive governance and insight

• Establish governance forums, reporting, and escalation mechanisms that enable informed decision-making

• Develop operational risk and quality dashboards, KRIs/KPIs, and management information for senior leadership

• Identify emerging risks through data analysis and drive sustainable solutions that address root causes

• Provide a clear view of the health, risks, and control effectiveness of the function
Lead and enable

• Train team members on quality standards, risk management, and governance practices

• Give constructive feedback, have difficult performance conversations, and hold people accountable

• Challenge the status quo diplomatically and advocate for better approaches

• Build a culture of accountability, control ownership, and continuous improvement

• Work across operations, compliance, internal audit, and QA teams
Run projects independently

• Juggle 5-7 concurrent initiatives, manage stakeholders, and deliver on time

• Navigate competing priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment

• Operate with minimal supervision: own problems from identification through to resolution

Qualifications
Core experience:

• 5+ years across quality, risk, and governance: you've built frameworks multiple times in different contexts and learned what works. You have hands-on experience with operational risk frameworks and governance structures, ideally in financial crime or compliance.

• Regulated environment experience: preferably in financial services, financial crime, compliance, or regulatory reporting where quality, risk, and governance really matter.

• Leadership experience: you've led people directly or indirectly. You give impactful feedback, coach others, take performance actions when needed, and motivate people even without formal authority.

• Builder credentials: you've designed and implemented frameworks from scratch, not just administered existing ones. You've built comprehensive frameworks, policies, SOPs, process maps, and governance documents from the ground up - multiple times. You know how to structure information so it's findable, usable, and maintainable. You've created templates, standards, and requirements that teams actually follow.
Technical capabilities:

• Testing, review, and audit experience: you've designed and run quality tests, conducted reviews, been through internal and external audits, and know what good control documentation looks like.

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