We are looking for a Risk & Governance Lead to take ownership of how risk and controls are defined, managed, and driven across Openwork’s technology function
This is a hands-on, first-line role, not oversight from a distance. You’ll be actively writing risk and control definitions, working closely with delivery teams, and ensuring issues are driven to resolution. Success in this role means moving risks to green, not just reporting on them.
Operating within a regulated financial services environment, technology risk at Openwork is critical, underpinning Consumer Duty, operational resilience, and the trust placed in our platform by advisers and clients.
As the technology function continues its transformation, you’ll ensure the risk and control framework evolves in step - staying ahead of change, not lagging behind it.
This is a hybrid role based in Swindon with 3 days a week required in the office.
The Benefits
- Salary - up to £70,000
- Bonus scheme - on target bonus - 15%
- Pension scheme - contribute up to 5% of your salary and Openwork will match you and put in an extra 5%
- Critical illness cover
- Income protection
- Death in service - 4x salary
- 27 days holiday + bank holidays, with the opportunity to buy up to an additional 10 days
- A range of other flexible benefits to include private medical insurance, dental insurance and much more.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Owning and maintain the technology risk and controls register, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and currency
Defining and document risks and controls in partnership with technical SMEs, translating complexity into clear, auditable language
Working directly with delivery teams to identify control gaps and drive credible, time-bound remediation
Leading the technology risk governance cycle, including reviews, attestations, and escalation
Acting as the primary interface with Enterprise Risk, Compliance, and Internal Audit
Maintaining the technology policy and standards library, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations
Providing risk input into technology programmes, ensuring controls are embedded from day one
Reporting clearly and transparently on technology risk profile to senior stakeholders (CTO, ExCo, committees)
Leading readiness for audit, regulatory reviews, and external assurance, including evidence and remediation tracking
- Championing a risk-aware culture, making governance practical, accessible, and effective.
- Significant experience in technology risk, governance, or controls roles, ideally in financial services or another regulated sector
Proven track record of hands-on risk and control definition
Experience working as a first-line risk practitioner, partnering effectively with second-line functions
Strong background supporting audit and regulatory reviews, including remediation management
Experience embedding risk and governance into technology delivery and change programmes
Relevant certifications (CRISC, CISM, CISSP, IRM or similar) are advantageous
Ability to engage credibly with engineering and architecture teams
Familiarity with Azure, SaaS platforms, and cloud-native architectures
Understanding of key technology risk domains (resilience, security, data protection, change, third-party risk)
Experience with risk management tooling and governance frameworks
- Knowledge of FCA requirements, including operational resilience, SYSC, outsourcing, and Consumer Duty.
At The Openwork Partnership, we're a dynamic, fast paced, and growing business with huge ambition. This is all made possible by the brilliant people who are part of The Openwork Partnership family. We're investing heavily in our colleagues, continuously striving to give them the platform to develop personally and professionally and reach their full potential.
We’re also very proud of our culture, as one of the Best 100 Large Companies to work for in 2022. The Openwork Partnership values, and respects individuality and we are committed to building an inclusive culture and environment which truly recognises and celebrates our colleague’s individual differences and identities – just like our financial advice, for us, it’s personal. We believe everyone can make a difference and your race, religion, disability, and gender will never be a barrier. At Openwork, we have a strong ethic of care for each other where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work. We believe that you will bring your best self to work if you are trusted to choose when, where and how you do it.
