Sr Leader, Operational & IT Risk

Position Summary:

Responsible for leading loanDepot’s second-line Operational Risk and IT Risk Oversight function within Enterprise Risk Management. This role oversees the Operational Risk Framework, RCSA governance, operational risk event and issue governance, technology risk oversight, key risk indicator monitoring, control monitoring, risk reporting, and the ERM Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) / Integrated Risk Management (IRM) platform used to support risk and issue workflows. The Sr. Leader provides independent oversight and credible challenge of first-line operational and technology risk management activities, including areas such as business process risk, change management, technology risk, information security, third-party technology risk, and emerging risk. This role partners with business leaders, Technology, Information Security, Compliance, Legal, Internal Audit, and enterprise governance forums to strengthen risk identification, assessment, monitoring, escalation, and reporting across the enterprise.

Responsibilities:

• Leads and matures the second-line Operational Risk and IT Risk Oversight programs, including program strategy, roadmap, standards, governance routines, and alignment with the Enterprise Risk Management Framework.
• Builds, maintains, and enhances Operational Risk Framework components, including RCSA methodology, operational risk event standards, issue governance expectations, control monitoring practices, risk taxonomy alignment, key risk indicators, reporting protocols, and related GRC/IRM platform requirements.
• Helps business and technology leaders identify what could prevent successful execution of strategic initiatives, what assumptions require validation, what mitigations or controls are needed, and what conditions would allow the Company to move forward safely and confidently.
• Balances defensive risk management activities, such as prevention, containment, recovery, compliance, monitoring, and control oversight, with forward-looking risk enablement that helps the Company evaluate opportunities, remove avoidable execution barriers, and minimize strategy implementation risk.
• Provides independent oversight and credible challenge of first-line operational and technology risk assessments, risk acceptances, exceptions, treatment plans, remediation activities, control design, control effectiveness, and business decisions that may impact the Company’s risk profile.
• Oversees enterprise RCSA governance, including consistency of assessment approach, risk and control inventory quality, control linkage, documentation standards, thematic analysis, challenge routines, system-of-record usage, and reporting of material operational risk exposures.
• Establishes oversight routines for operational risk events and issues, including event intake and triage, severity evaluation, root cause themes, corrective action oversight, timeliness monitoring, escalation criteria, workflow standards, and lessons learned reporting.
• Oversees technology risk coverage across enterprise technology domains, including change management, application development, infrastructure, cloud, IT operations, data and technology assets, technology resilience, third-party technology services, technical debt, and emerging technologies.
• Coordinates with Information Security and Technology leaders to ensure cyber, information security, technology resilience, incident, vulnerability, and control themes are appropriately reflected in ERM reporting and governance.
• Owns and manages ERM GRC/IRM platform business administration responsibilities for assigned ERM capabilities, including risk assessment, RCSA, control monitoring, issue management, operational risk event, KRI, dashboard, and reporting modules, as applicable.
• Partners with Technology, Information Security, Compliance, Internal Audit, business stakeholders, and vendor or implementation partners to ensure GRC/IRM platform capabilities support second-line oversight, traceability, data quality, timely escalation, and consistent enterprise reporting.
• Monitors key operational and technology risk indicators, risk appetite and tolerance thresholds, controls monitoring results, issue trends, operational loss/event trends, audit and examination findings, and emerging risks to identify areas requiring escalation or management attention.
• Develops and delivers clear, actionable reporting for executive management, the Enterprise Risk Management Committee, the Board or Board committees, regulators, auditors, and other governance forums, including risk themes, metrics, challenge outcomes, remediation status, and forward-looking risk insights.
• Reviews significant technology and business transformation initiatives early in the lifecycle to identify operational, technology, customer, regulatory, third-party, data, resilience, and execution risks before launch or major decision points.
• Supports regulatory examinations, investor due diligence, internal audits, external audits, and management responses related to operational risk, technology risk, issue management, business resilience, and enterprise risk governance.
• Leads, coaches, and develops assigned team members, including the IT Risk Leader and Ops Risk Specialist, by setting priorities, reviewing deliverables, providing subject matter guidance, supporting professional development, and ensuring effective execution of oversight activities.
• Performs other duties and projects, as assigned.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Risk Management, Business Administration, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Finance, or related field required. Master’s Degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) + years of experience with operational risk management, IT/technology risk oversight, ERM programs, RCSA, control assessment, issue management, risk reporting, or governance routines required.
• Minimum of five (5) + years of experience leading risk programs, cross-functional risk initiatives, or teams, including setting priorities, managing deliverables, coaching employees, and influencing stakeholders required.
• Ability to define and manage risk taxonomies, issue taxonomies, control libraries, workflow requirements, data standards, dashboards, and reporting outputs within a GRC/IRM platform or similar system of record.
• Demonstrated experience operating within a three lines of defense model, including second-line oversight, independent challenge, risk monitoring, control evaluation, governance, escalation, and reporting responsibilities required.
• Hands-on experience with GRC/IRM platforms, system-of-record workflows, risk and control libraries, issue management modules, risk assessment modules, dashboards, data quality routines, user acceptance testing, and/or platform implementation activities required.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to evaluate complex data, identify trends, assess risk exposure, develop executive-ready insights, and recommend timely escalation or remediation actions.
• Working knowledge of applicable regulatory expectations and industry frameworks preferred, including GLBA, NYDFS Cybersecurity Regulation, CFPB expectations, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, COBIT, COSO, ISO 27001/27002, and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac requirements as applicable.
• Experience in the mortgage, consumer lending, servicing, banking, fintech, or broader financial services industry preferred.
• Professional certification preferred, such as CRISC, CISM, CISSP, CISA, CGEIT, COBIT, ITIL, PMP, RIMS-CRMP, or another risk, technology, audit, compliance, or project management credential.
• Travel may be required up to 10% based on business, audit, regulatory, implementation, or governance needs.

Why work for #teamloanDepot:

• Competitive compensation package based on experience, skillset and overall fit for #TeamloanDepot.
• Inclusive, diverse, and collaborative culture where people from all backgrounds can thrive
• Work with other passionate, purposeful, and customer-centric people
• Extensive internal growth and professional development opportunities including tuition reimbursement
• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical/Dental/Vision
• Wellness program to support both mental and physical health
• Generous paid time off for both exempt and non-exempt positions

About loanDepot:

loanDepot (NYSE: LDI) is a digital commerce company committed to serving its customers throughout the home ownership journey. Since its launch in 2010, loanDepot has revolutionized the mortgage industry with a digital-first approach that makes it easier, faster, and less stressful to purchase or refinance a home. Today, loanDepot enables customers to achieve the American dream of homeownership through a broad suite of lending and real estate services that simplify one of life's most complex transactions. With headquarters in Southern California and offices nationwide, loanDepot is committed to serving the communities in which its team lives and works through a variety of local, regional, and national philanthropic efforts. Base salary is one piece of our total rewards package and is structured within a range so you can progress as you grow in the role. For this position, the anticipated annual base salary range is $124,000 - $170,000 nationally. In certain high-cost geographic markets (CA), the anticipated annual base salary range is $142,000 - $195,500. Actual compensation will depend on your skills, experience, qualifications, and the work location tied to our geographic pay structure. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.