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Sunward · 1 month ago

Operational and Enterprise Risk Manager

Albuquerque,NM,US

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

6+ years exp

Sunward is a company focused on risk management, and they are seeking an Operational and Enterprise Risk Manager. This role is responsible for administering third-party risk management and business continuity programs, coordinating activities across vendor relationship owners and business units, while ensuring compliance and operational efficiency.

BankingFinancial ServicesNon Profit

Comp. & Benefits

Responsibilities

Responsible for administering and facilitating Sunward’s third-party risk management, business continuity, and related risk programs under the direction of the VP, Risk Management

This role coordinates day-to-day program activities across vendor relationship owners (VROs) and business units, supporting both new and existing vendor due diligence, business continuity plan updates, and issue management tasks

It provides guidance to stakeholders on how to review, interpret, and meet program requirements, ensures adherence to established compliance procedures, and escalates concerns appropriately

This position also works closely with Legal, Information Security, and Compliance to coordinate technical and compliance reviews, and collaborates with VROs and internal partners to understand contract content, risk allocation, and potential gaps related to confidentiality, subcontracting, regulatory compliance, service levels, data requirements, and breach liability

It identifies operational issues, recommends refinements to processes, and ensures consistent application of standards across the organization, operating with limited autonomy and focusing on supporting departmental goals through strong coordination and operational enablement

Maintains Sunward’s vendor management and business continuity policy and program, including program documentation

Ensures activities are performed and records are retained in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and Sunward’s policies and procedures, escalating concerns as necessary

Looks for opportunities to improve processes in the business continuity and third-party management lifecycles, recommending refinements to procedures and supporting program updates to enhance operational accuracy and efficiency

Administers and maintains software program(s) (e.g., Tandem) used for vendor, contract management, and business continuity functions, ensuring data accuracy and supporting front-line adoption of system changes

Supports VROs’ review of contracts and updates of business continuity documents and other materials as part of due diligence, providing clear guidance on program requirements and expectations

Conducts review, in conjunction with Legal, of detailed technical and legal documents

Provides contract redlines to VROs and/or counsel and works with stakeholders to address gap areas or compliance issues within established procedures

Helps VROs and process owners evaluate vendor diligence documents and business continuity documentation—including financial statements and SOC reports—ensuring required reviews are completed accurately and consistently

Reviews vendor risk assessment outputs and business continuity documents to confirm risks have been appropriately assessed; follows up with VROs and business units to resolve inconsistencies and close gaps in documentation

Develops strong working relationships and maintains ongoing communication with VROs and business units to support day-to-day execution and consistent application of program standards

Provides reporting and analysis regarding overall program performance, including vendor risk, VRO adherence, and compliance with business continuity requirements, informing operational decision-making and tactical planning

Assists with regulatory examinations, audits, and similar inquiries, supporting documentation requests and helping prepare and execute management responses

Works with the VP, Risk Management to support business unit adherence to the risk acceptance program, helping ensure processes are followed and exceptions are escalated appropriately

Provides support to the VP, Risk Management in the development and maintenance of the issues management program, assisting with tracking, documentation, and follow-up actions

Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned in support of departmental and organizational objectives

Qualification

Risk managementBusiness continuityVendor managementSOC reportsMS OfficeAnalytical skillsInterpersonal skillsCommunication skillsOrganizational skillsTeam collaboration

Required

Minimum of six years of experience in risk management, business continuity, or vendor management within a financial institution

Bachelor's degree in liberal arts, business administration, or related field, or equivalent experience

Demonstrates high ethical standards and monitors adherence to compliance procedures; conducts routine checks and raises/escalates compliance concerns to leadership as needed

Proven ability to diplomatically influence and contribute to institutional governance processes by coordinating stakeholders, facilitating consensus, and representing operational perspectives

Acts as an operational coach and enabler: provides guidance to VROs and process owners on program requirements, supports adoption of procedures, and follows up to prevent recurrence of issues

Applies practical judgment in day-to-day decisions within established policies and escalates issues outside precedent to the VP, Risk Management

Operates with limited budget authority and restricted autonomy—makes tactical decisions to maintain program continuity and refers strategic or cross-departmental exceptions upward

Self-starter with a high sense of urgency who manages multiple priorities and supports continuous operational improvement

Practical knowledge of SOC reports and risk assessments (including inherent and residual risk, along with mitigation and controls) and how to apply those insights to operational workflows

Applied understanding of COSO, risk management frameworks, and/or NCUA examination practices, with the ability to translate findings into program actions

Familiarity with issue management and risk acceptance programs, able to assist in tracking, documentation, and escalation of issues

Proficiency in MS Office and experience administering vendor/BCP software (e.g., Tandem) to support operational execution of programs

Superior interpersonal skills focused on stakeholder coordination, influence, and clear communication across business units

Able to professionally represent the institution to regulators, strategic partners, and other third parties in an operational capacity, supporting audits, inquiries, and documentation

Performs effectively in cross-functional teams; strong individual and team contributor who facilitates collaboration among VROs, Legal, InfoSec, and Compliance

Excellent communication skills for understanding, synthesizing, and presenting technical material, policy, program documentation, and operational recommendations

Able to facilitate meetings efficiently, ensuring clarity of expectations, follow-up actions, and program alignment

Self-starter with a high sense of urgency and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously with limited direction

Superior analytical skills and critical thinking; able to identify multi-dimensional issues, ask difficult questions, and recommend practical operational solutions

Willingness to learn and adapt quickly with a positive mindset

Proven organizational skills: prioritizes multiple tasks and projects, meets deadlines, and manages resources within established procedures

Understands and applies best practices, continually recommending process and service improvements while operating within defined policy limits

Preferred

Demonstrated responsibility for vendor management and/or business continuity program documentation review preferred

General banking knowledge preferred

Company

Sunward

Sunward, formerly known as Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU), is one of New Mexico’s largest credit unions, serving over 160,000 members and managing more than $4.1 billion in assets.

Founded in 1948

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

501-1000 employees