Head of Financial Risk

Job Introduction

Handelsbanken is a relationship bank built on trust, long-term thinking and local decision-making. We provide bespoke banking and wealth management services to personal and corporate customers,

Our decentralised model means decisions are made close to the customer, in our branches. Our central Functions teams play a vital role in supporting the branch network, providing the expertise, governance and infrastructure that enable branches to serve customers effectively and sustainably.

This approach had underpinned our success for decades. Handelsbanken is independently recognised as one of Europe’s safest commercial banks, holds the strongest credit rating among its peers and is consistently ranked highly for customer satisfaction and relationship banking.

Our culture is values-led, shaped by trust, respect, and long-term thinking. We empower our people to use their expertise, make confident decisions and build long-term careers. We look for people who share our long- term vision, want to grow and want to make a meaningful impact in their local community and with the Bank

We also recognise that flexibility can support people to perform at their best, and that it looks different for everyone. While arrangements will depend on the requirements of the role and the needs of the business, we are open to having a conversation around what flexibility could look like for you.

Check our Handelsbanken website for further information

The opportunity 

The Head of Financial Risk owns and manages Handelsbanken plc’s Financial Risk framework, which sets out how funding, liquidity, capital and market risks (primarily Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book) are identified, assessed and managed across the UK bank, as well as oversight of broader Prudential risks including 2nd line oversight of regulatory returns and setting of the Prudential Risk Strategy . The role holder will partner, both directly and through their team, with the head office functions and branches with the purpose of ensuring that the first line of defence effectively and optimally manages financial and prudential risks. The role holder will provide oversight and independent review and challenge to risk decision making and the use of the Financial Risk Management Framework and associated tools across the first line of defence. The role holder will be a strategic business partner to senior business leaders in the first and second line and effectively influence business behaviours and risk culture, highlighting issues and articulating outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Providing subject matter expert advice, supporting the maintenance of financial risk management practices in line with regulatory standards, and tailored for Handelsbanken’s decentralised model.
• Working within the Risk function, the Compliance function, the Finance function and the business to maintain, optimise and embed the Financial Risk Management Framework.
• Develop, and support the delivery of, financial risk training and awareness to first and second lines of defence.
• Lead, manage, develop and coach the established team of risk professionals to oversee the delivery of financial and prudential risk expertise to the business.
• Identifying emerging financial risks and supporting the business to develop strategies to quantify, monitor and manage these.
• Maintain suite of financial indicators, and develop scenario and stress analysis approach to ensure UK Treasury optimise the bank’s balance sheet within risk tolerance.
• Providing 2nd line review of financial risk regulatory returns, including assurance activities where required.
• Assist the CRO in updating, maintaining and ensuring knowledge of the Regulatory Reporting Policy, and owning the corresponding instructions.
• Setting the Prudential Risk Strategy and co-chairing the Prudential Steering Group, to effectively managing prudential risks. 
• Leading 2nd line oversight of the Bank’s prudential statements, including ILAAP, ICAAP, Recovery & Resolution.
• Actively collaborating with, and supporting, the UK and Group functions to further develop and maintain positive collegiate relationships.
• Support the CRO in delivering the bank-wide risk strategy. 
• Delegate for the CRO, including key governance committees and project steering groups, as and when required. 

What we’re looking for

Research (by Harvard University) shows that women are particularly likely to second guess themselves and not apply - so if you are worried you don't meet all the criteria, get in touch anyhow and let us do the worrying…

• Exposure to a wide range of relevant financial risk types including Capital, Interest rate and Liquidity. Note – the bank does not operate a trading book
• Experience of retail banking and treasury products, and the inherent risks they contain.
• Sound knowledge of UK banking / financial services regulatory environment and regulatory regimes.  
• Prior experience of dealing with Board / Non-executive directors and PRA/FCA.
• Demonstrable practical application of  risk management expertise in prior roles.
• Experience developing, implementing and effective embedding of all aspects of risk management frameworks and working collaboratively with the first line of defence financial risk capabilities.
• Experience leading complex regulatory lead programmes. 
• Experience promoting a positive risk culture within a business, function and team
• Sound understanding of the UK banking/financial services market up-coming regulatory changes.

Why join Handelsbanken

We want everyone at Handelsbanken to feel supported, motivated, and able to do great work. That’s why, alongside brilliant colleagues, meaningful work and training and development opportunities, we provide a variety of benefits designed with your wellbeing in mind. 

In addition, there is a flexible benefits package with the key highlights detailed below.

Application next steps 

Your journey with us begins once you have submitted your application. One of our Handelsbanken Talent Acquisition Partners will be reviewing your details and will later organise a phone conversation if your experience aligns with our requirements, we will extend an invitation for you to participate in an interview.  

This advert will be live for a minimum of two weeks. However, please note that after the two weeks, the closing date could change at any time depending on the number of responses received.

The Bank is deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities. This is so that we are an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work that encourages everyone to apply, regardless of socio-economic background, age, disability, pregnancy and/or parental status, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), veteran status, marital and civil partnership status, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment or sexual orientation. 

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