KYC Risk Business Partner
Wise · Tallinn, Estonia · 18d ago
Company Description
Wise is a global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world’s money.
Min fees. Max ease. Full speed.
Whether people and businesses are sending money to another country, spending abroad, or making and receiving international payments, Wise is on a mission to make their lives easier and save them money.
As part of our team, you will be helping us create an entirely new network for the world's money.
For everyone, everywhere.
More about our mission and what we offer.
Job Description
As the Risk Business Partner for KYC Operations, you will act as a trusted advisor to KYC leadership. You will embed effective operational risk management into strategic decisions, change initiatives, and day-to-day operations.
Your purpose is to identify and assess risks before they negatively affect customers, regulatory outcomes, or operational performance. You will translate data, incidents, control findings, and emerging trends into clear actions, helping leaders make informed risk-based decisions.
Working closely with KYC teams, Central Risk, Compliance, and relevant control functions, you will strengthen risk ownership, maintain effective governance, and ensure that mitigation plans and controls remain proportionate and effective. You will also help build risk capability across KYC by making risk management practical, understandable, and integrated into how teams operate.
Job Responsibilities:
Risk Partnership, Identification & Assessment
Partner with KYC leadership and operational teams to identify, assess, document, and prioritise risks arising from processes, systems, people, third parties, and organisational change.
Provide constructive challenge and risk-based advice on operational decisions, transformation initiatives, and changes affecting KYC.
Analyse operational data, incidents, audit findings, control results, and performance trends to identify emerging or increasing risks.
Ensure KYC risk-management activities remain aligned with Central Risk objectives, policies, frameworks, and risk appetite.
Support teams in completing proportionate risk assessments and defining appropriate risk-acceptance, mitigation, or escalation decisions.
Risk Mitigation & Control Effectiveness
Develop and coordinate risk-mitigation plans with clear actions, accountable owners, deadlines, and success measures.
Recommend practical improvements to processes, training, governance, and controls based on identified risks and root causes.
Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of mitigation plans, recommending adjustments where actions do not sufficiently reduce risk.
Track residual risk and escalate overdue actions, ineffective controls, or material changes in exposure to the appropriate leadership and governance forums.
Support the prevention of repeat incidents and recurring control failures by promoting sustainable corrective actions.
Risk Governance, Reporting & Systems
Own the effective administration of the KYC entity in Optrp, ensuring risks, issues, controls, actions, and supporting evidence are complete, accurate, and current.
Coordinate the preparation of clear, concise, and actionable risk reporting for KYC leadership, risk committees, Central Risk, and other relevant stakeholders.
Develop and maintain meaningful key risk indicators and risk metrics that provide early warning of changes in the KYC risk profile.
Ensure material incidents, control failures, and emerging risks are reported and escalated through the appropriate governance channels.
Maintain reliable records and evidence that support internal reviews, regulatory enquiries, and audits.
Controls, Access & Risk Enablement
Collaborate with Compliance, Central Risk, Internal Audit, and other control functions to provide a coordinated approach to risk management across KYC.
Develop and deliver practical risk-management guidance, training, and coaching for KYC teams and leaders.
Promote a strong risk culture in which risks and control weaknesses are raised early, discussed transparently, and addressed with clear ownership.
Perform other reasonable tasks related to the role and assigned by the Leader.
KPIs:
Performance will be assessed against the objectives and targets communicated by the company or the Leader, including:
Risk Action Delivery and Escalation: At least 95% of Optro KYC Operations actions are completed on time, with no unapproved overdue high-risk or critical actions and all at-risk actions escalated within the agreed timeline.
Risk Mitigation and Control Effectiveness: At least 90% of mitigations reviewed are demonstrably effective, with an improving trend in residual risk, repeat incidents, and recurring control failures.
Risk Reporting Timeliness: 100% of required reports delivered on time.
Qualifications
Language Skills: Fluent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex risk matters clearly and concisely.
Experience with: Strong understanding of KYC Operations and the regulatory framework surrounding KYC.
Functional (Hard) Skills
Operational Risk Management: Expert
KYC/AML Operations and Regulatory Understanding: Advanced
Risk Analysis, Metrics and Reporting: Advanced
Control Design, Assessment and Remediation: Advanced
Risk Governance and Risk-Management Systems: Advanced
Leadership (Soft) Skills
Stakeholder Partnership and Credible Influence: Expert
Clear Written and Verbal Communication: Expert
Risk Judgement and Constructive Challenge: Expert
Ownership, Prioritisation and Follow-through: Expert
Cross-functional Collaboration: Advanced
Other Competencies: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, sound judgement, attention to detail, and the ability to turn complex risk information into practical actions. Able to work autonomously, manage competing priorities, and maintain high standards of accuracy and accountability. Comfortable challenging decisions respectfully and working collaboratively to achieve proportionate, customer-focused outcomes.
Nice to have:
Education: Degree or equivalent experience in Risk Management, Business, Finance, Compliance, Law, or a related field.
Certifications: Relevant certification in operational risk, AML, compliance, audit, or internal controls.
Experience: Previous experience in a dedicated risk, compliance, audit, or controls role.
Additional Information
About this role
Job level: L5
Salary: €3,450 – €4,500 gross/month
Stock: Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) reviewed at offer stage
Relocation & Visa: Visa and relocation support is available for this role
What we offer
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) in a rapidly growing company
Flexible hybrid working model
An annual self-development budget
33 days of paid time off (PTO) per year
A paid 6-week sabbatical leave after 4 years of service
Click here to learn more about the benefits we offer at Wise
Hiring process
Application & CV Review
Take-Home Technical Assessment
Screening Call with the Recruitment team
First Stage Interview with members of the Hiring team
Final Stage Interview with Team Leads
For everyone, everywhere. We're people building money without borders — without judgement or prejudice, too. We believe teams are strongest when they are diverse, equitable and inclusive.
We're proud to have a truly international team, and we celebrate our differences.
Inclusive teams help us live our values and make sure every Wiser feels respected, empowered to contribute towards our mission and able to progress in their careers.
If you want to find out more about what it's like to work at Wise visit Wise.Jobs.
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