Head of Risk US

Required

• Professional Experience & Education
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MSc Finance, JD) or professional certification (CFA, FRM) preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in risk management within financial services, with a significant portion of that in the US market.
• Deep expertise in the US regulatory environment (OCC, Fed, FDIC); experience engaging directly with regulators at a senior level is essential.
• Background in financial institutions, fintechs, or challenger banks strongly preferred. Candidates with exclusive experience at large traditional banks (without demonstrated adaptability) may not be the right fit for this stage of growth.
• Experience building or significantly transforming a risk function from an early/mid-stage into a mature framework.
• Solid understanding of all risk disciplines: credit, market, liquidity, operational, financial crime, and compliance — with particular depth in the control environment (AML/BSA, operational risk, cyber).
• Credit risk expertise is valued but not the primary focus; Nu's global credit function provides strong support in this area.
• Competencies & Attributes
• Comfort with ambiguity and a proven ability to build structure from scratch in fast-moving environments — "generating balance based on chaos."
• Hands-on leader who is present on the ground and willing to be deeply involved in operational realities, not just strategic oversight.
• Independent thought leader capable of engaging directly with boards and regulators without relying on hierarchical support for every interaction.