AVP - IT

About the role
This first-line regional role spans the EMEA Technology Risk Management and EMEA Cyber GRC teams, with a focus on the Middle East. It reports locally to the Head of IT, Middle East, and functionally to both EMEA teams in London. You’ll add specialist risk and control capacity alongside the existing regional team. You’ll strengthen coordination, but you won’t take over ownership from established colleagues.

Key responsibilities

• Risk management: Identify, assess, track and close technology and cyber risks and issues. Keep a clear, decision-ready view of risks, control gaps and remediation, linked to risk appetite and regulatory expectations.
• Controls: Support the design, testing, evidencing and improvement of controls. Spot recurring weaknesses and help owners recover overdue or Red/Amber items.
• Regulatory compliance: Coordinate first-line responses to DORA, EBA, ECB, Middle East and Head Office requirements, and turn obligations into practical controls and actions.
• Policy governance: Support the review, approval and exception management of technology and cyber policies and standards.
• Metrics and reporting: Run the monthly KRI/KPI cycle, analyse trends, and prepare concise papers for the Security & Technology Risk Committee and other executive forums.
• Audit: Act as senior first-line contact for internal and external audits. Coordinate evidence and management responses, and track findings through to closure.
• Stakeholder engagement: Influence senior, distributed stakeholders across Technology, Cyber, Risk, Compliance, Legal and Audit, and explain complex matters in clear business language.
• Continuous improvement: Strengthen the first-line operating model, RACI, governance routes and reporting processes.

What you’ll bring

• Strong first-line experience in technology risk, cyber GRC, controls or assurance within a regulated environment, ideally financial services
• A clear understanding of the first- and second-line split within an enterprise risk framework
• Experience across infrastructure, applications, cloud, data, resilience, change and third-party risk
• Knowledge of DORA, EBA guidance, NIST, ISO 27001 and COBIT
• A track record coordinating regulatory, audit and remediation activity, with strong evidence discipline
• The ability to influence without authority and to work effectively across regional and global teams

What’s on offer
Hybrid and flexible working, competitive leave, private medical, life and invalidity insurance, plus Sport & Social Clubs and D&I networks.

Thank you for your application. Only suitable candidates will be contacted.

Please note that by applying to this role, your profile may be searchable in our database.  We will contact you should another suitable role become available.