Sr. Director, PayPal UK Chief Risk Officer

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

The Senior Director, Risk (Second Line of Defense) is a PPUK leadership role responsible for providing independent oversight, challenge, and governance across PayPal UK’s risk profile and develop and maintain the PPUK risk management framework.

The role supports protecting PayPal and enabling sustainable growth while operating within approved risk appetite, ensuring compliance with UK regulatory expectations. This includes FCA requirements Consumer Duty, Operational Resilience, Financial Crime, and safeguarding regulations applicable to Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), Credit and Crypto firms and
payment services providers.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Develop and articulate a clear vision and strategy for risk management aligned with PayPal's overall strategy.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to assess and mitigate risks impacting operations and assets.
• Inspire and lead teams to implement long-term sustainability and financial stability strategies.
• Monitor and evaluate risk exposure to ensure compliance and safeguard the organization’s reputation.
• Provide key inputs and guidance as an industry leader to influence decision-making at the executive level.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 12+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Role Overview

The Senior Director, Risk (Second Line of Defense) is a PPUK leadership role responsible for providing independent oversight, challenge, and governance across PayPal UK’s risk profile and develop and maintain the PPUK risk management framework.

The role supports protecting PayPal and enabling sustainable growth while operating within approved risk appetite, ensuring compliance with UK regulatory expectations. This includes FCA requirements Consumer Duty, Operational Resilience, Financial Crime, and safeguarding regulations applicable to Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), Credit and Crypto firms and payment services providers.

As a key member of PPUK leadership the role partners closely with UK and global executives, business leaders, and control functions to ensure robust identification, assessment, monitoring, and mitigation of material risks impacting the PayPal UK regulated entity and customers (both consumers and merchants). The position requires exceptional executive presence, strong Board-level communication capability, and the ability to effectively influence and manage relationships across C-suite leadership, regulators, and global stakeholders.

Governance Memberships

• FCA Certified Individual

• Member of UK Executive Committee (UK EXCO)

• Member of UK Board Audit, Risk & Regulatory Committee (ARRC)

• Chair of UK Risk Committee

• Participant in UK Board governance and Board Risk discussions

Key Responsibilities

(1) Enterprise Risk Oversight

• Provide independent Second Line oversight and challenge across key risk domains including:

- Capital Risk (Counterparty, Liquidity & Market)

- Extended Enterprise / Third Party Risk

- Operational Risk (Continuity & Financial Accounting & Reporting)

- Technology Risk (Date, information protection, privacy & Service Delivery)

• Ensure material risks are identified, assessed, monitored, escalated, and managed appropriately across UK regulated entities.

• Review and challenge First Line risk assessments, controls, incidents, remediation plans, and risk acceptances.

• Development, implementation, and maintenance of the UK Risk Appetite Framework and associated KRIs/KPIs.

• Drive effective risk governance and promote a strong risk culture across PayPal UK.

(2) Safeguarding Officer Responsibilities

• Act as the FCA designated Safeguarding Officer for PayPal UK.

• Provide Second Line oversight of safeguarding arrangements in accordance with:

- FCA Electronic Money Regulations (EMRs), Payment Services Regulations (PSRs) FCA safeguarding guidance and expectations

• Ensure robust governance, monitoring, and oversight of safeguarding controls protecting customer funds.

• Independently assess the effectiveness of safeguarding frameworks, reconciliations, segregation controls, and safeguarding operational processes.

• Review and challenge safeguarding controls, third-party banking arrangements, reconciliations, and incident management processes.

• Ensure safeguarding breaches, incidents, or near misses are appropriately escalated, investigated, remediated, and reported.

• Oversee safeguarding-related regulatory reporting, attestations, audits, and remediation activities.

(3) Governance, Board & Regulatory Engagement

• Serve as a member of the UK Executive Committee (UK EXCO), contributing to strategic, operational, regulatory, and governance discussions.

• Serve as a member of the UK Boar Audit, Risk & Regulatory Committee (ARRC), providing independent oversight and challenge on material risk matters.

• Chair PPUK Executive level Risk Committee.

• Engage directly with the FCA, 3LOD internal audit, and external stakeholders as required.

• Maintain strong understanding of UK regulatory expectations impacting fintech, payments, e-money, and digital financial services.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience in the UK, working within a global regulated financial services or payments firm:

- Risk Management, Enterprise Risk, Operational Risk, Regulatory Risk including Board Level experience. Proven ability to influence and manage senior C-suite stakeholders effectively.

- Strong understanding of FCA regulatory expectations, Three Lines of Defense model

• Demonstrated capability providing independent challenge within complex regulatory and commercial environments.

• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred

• Knowledge of: Digital payments, Wallets, Merchant acquiring, Fintech ecosystems.

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one-time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes.  Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All communication regarding your application will come from official PayPal email domains. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately.  To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us. 

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset-you. That’s why we offer comprehensive, choice-based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at paypalglobaltalentacquisition@paypal.com.  

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.