About this role
Full Time position Hybrid role based in our Dublin offices
What we offer
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including competitive salaries and bonuses, robust Learning and Development support, excellent Defined Contribution pension and comprehensive Wellbeing initiatives and support to name but a few.
Further details on our benefits package can be accessed here Benefits (life-careers.com) Role Overview Reporting to the Head of Technology Risk Management, Europe, this is a key leadership role within the European Technology Risk Management team, part of the Chief Information & Transformation Office (CITO), Europe. The role is responsible for leading and overseeing two core pillars of the European Technology Risk Management Framework: First Line of Defence (1LOD) Technology Controls Testing capability and Technology Issue Management oversight. The position owns the governance, methodology and execution oversight of technology control assurance activities, ensuring controls are appropriately designed, operating effectively, and delivering the intended risk outcomes.
The role also provides leadership and oversight of the Technology Issue Management function, working with technology issue owners to ensure technology issues, remediation actions and policy exceptions are effectively identified, assessed, monitored and remediated in line with agreed risk appetite and regulatory expectations. Through the integration of controls assurance, issue management and remediation governance, the role enables European Technology to proactively identify, assess, monitor and address technology risks, while providing meaningful insight and reporting to senior management and governance committees on the effectiveness of the technology control environment. The position plays a critical role in driving continuous improvement in risk management practices, strengthening control effectiveness, and fostering a culture of accountability across European Technology.
- What you will help us to achieve Controls Assurance
- Develop where required, own and maintain the Technology Controls Assurance Framework, methodology and operating model.
- Develop and oversee the annual risk-based control testing plan.
- Ensure assessments are performed consistently across key technology and cyber controls.
- Review and challenge control effectiveness assessments and testing outcomes.
- Identify thematic control weaknesses, emerging risks and improvement opportunities.
- Drive continuous improvement of the technology control environment.
- Provide assurance reporting and insights to senior management and governance committees.
Issue Management & Remediation Oversight
- Develop where required, own and maintain the Technology Issues Management process and governance framework.
- Provide oversight of technology issues arising from control testing, audits, incidents, risk assessments and regulatory reviews.
- Ensure issues are appropriately assessed, prioritised, tracked and reported.
- Challenge issue owners where remediation plans are delayed or ineffective.
- Monitor remediation progress and drive reductions in overdue actions.
- Ensure root cause analysis is completed and recurring themes are identified.
- Oversee management of policy exceptions and associated risk treatment plans. More specific responsibilities Governance & Reporting
- Partner with the Technology Risk Reporting team to deliver executive reporting and management information on control assurance results, issue remediation performance, policy exception trends and key technology risk exposures.
- Provide insights and reporting to technology governance forums, highlighting emerging themes, control weaknesses and remediation risks.
- Escalate significant control deficiencies, overdue remediation activities and material risk concerns to senior leadership.
Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Lead and develop team capabilities across controls assurance and issue management.
- Build strong relationships with Technology Leadership Teams, Risk, Compliance and Internal Audit.
- Provide effective challenge and guidance to control owners and remediation teams.
- Promote a culture of strong risk management and control accountability.
What you will need to be successful in the role
- Demonstrated experience in technology risk management, controls assurance, audit, governance, or operational risk management within a complex organisational environment.
- Professional qualifications or equivalent practical expertise relevant to the role.
- Significant experience designing and operating IT control testing or assurance programmes.
- Strong experience managing issue remediation, corrective action plans and governance processes.
- Deep understanding of technology risk management frameworks and control environments.
- Experience working within regulated financial services organisations.
- Strong knowledge of governance, risk and compliance tooling (e.g. ServiceNow, Archer, MetricStream, AuditBoard or similar).
- Experience developing executive-level risk reporting and management information.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- Experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
- Preferred Qualifications such as CRISC; CGEIT; CISM; CISA or relevant Audit or Risk Certifications Skills & Knowledge Strategic Thinking, Planning and Decision Making
- A strategic thinker with the ability to support development and implementation of a multi-year vision and future roadmap for technology risk, that reflects and supports the current and future needs of the organization, and, to present these to business executives and boards.
- Knowledge of market trends and technology innovation, and the ability to use this to identify practical applications within the organization for cost effective, beneficial outcomes.
- Navigate problems that are novel or complex in nature to deliver successful outcomes and strategic value.
- Ability to influence key senior stakeholders in Europe and globally across the organisation brings technical depth to ensure the IT strategy and vision underpins business value. Leadership Skills
- Demonstrates high level leadership skills and competencies refined through experience operating at a senior level, leading teams of experts.
- Ability to lead experienced practitioners with a diverse range of knowledge and capabilities to drive business success.
- Ability to partner with and relationship manage business and technology leaders to connect technology and business goals and achieve successful customer and commercial outcomes.
- Create an environment that maximises and leverages the diverse talents, backgrounds, and perspectives of employees. Additional Skills Executive Communications Skills
- Technology risk management is complex and being able to simplify the message and articulate the key points so that business leaders can quickly understand the complexity to make decisions is vital to the success of this role.
- Having credibility, with the ability to use language and examples that speak to the issues, experience and organisational level of the audience. Decision Quality and Problem-Solving
- Demonstrate the use of a combination of logic, analysis, experience, wisdom to solve complex, difficult problems in a timely and innovative way.
- Identify the appropriate level of inclusion in decisions; build and lead coalitions and teams to facilitate the work when indicated.
- Deliver solutions and decisions that have a positive, far-reaching and comprehensive organisational impact, influencing future events and directions.
- Think and act broadly as the technology risk management strategy and planning decisions impact across jurisdictions.
About Canada Life Canada Life is one of Europe's leading financial services organisations, helping millions of customers build financial security and confidence through life insurance, pensions, investments and retirement solutions. As part of Great-West Lifeco, we operate across the UK, Ireland, Germany and the Isle of Man, combining the strength and stability of a global group with deep local expertise. We are investing in technology, innovation and our people to create better experiences for customers, colleagues and communities, while shaping the future of financial services across Europe.
About CITO The Chief Information & Transformation Office (CITO), Europe, leads technology, transformation, data and AI initiatives across Canada Life's European businesses. Working across multiple markets and business functions, CITO is driving a more connected, digitally enabled organisation, helping modernise how we operate, accelerate innovation and deliver better outcomes for customers and colleagues. This is an exciting time to join CITO as we build the capabilities, platforms and partnerships that will support the next phase of our European transformation journey.
From technology strategy and architecture to data, AI and change delivery, CITO offers the opportunity to work on high-impact initiatives that shape the future of Canada Life across Europe. Canada Life reserves the right to shortlist candidates as part of the selection process. Where agency support is required, Canada Life's Recruitment Team will engage directly with approved suppliers. Unsolicited CVs submitted by recruitment agencies will not be accepted. Canada Life Group Services is proud to be an Equal Opportunities employer.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported to achieve their potential. If you require any reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] Canada Life Group Services supports Equal Opportunities and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.