AVP - Compliance and Operational Risk

Join Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, where we build careers with competitive pay, outstanding benefits, a supportive team environment, and endless growth opportunities. We take pride in delivering exceptional service and smart financial solutions to our members while giving back to the community.

About the role

The Assistant Vice President, Compliance & Operational Risk supports the Credit Union’s enterprise-wide compliance and operational risk management framework. This role provides leadership, oversight, and subject matter expertise to ensure the Credit Union operates in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, regulatory guidance, internal policies, and sound risk management practices. The position partners with business units, technology, lending, operations, member-facing departments, and senior management to identify, assess, monitor, mitigate, and report compliance and operational risks that may impact members, employees, financial performance, operations, reputation, or regulatory standing.

The AVP Compliance and Operational Risk assists in maintaining a strong internal control environment, promotes accountability for risk ownership, and supports a culture of compliance, ethical conduct, operational resiliency, and member protection. The role requires sound judgment, strong regulatory knowledge, analytical ability, and the ability to communicate effectively with employees at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Compliance Oversight
  • Supports the administration and ongoing enhancement of the Credit Union’s compliance management framework and programs.
  • Monitors regulatory changes, guidance, and industry developments impacting credit union operations, products, services, and member communications.
  • Supports business units in interpreting and implementing regulatory requirements, internal policies, and procedures.
  • Reviews policies, procedures, disclosures, forms, member notices, marketing materials, and operational practices for compliance with applicable requirements.
  • Coordinates or supports compliance testing, monitoring, quality control reviews, and corrective action follow-up.
  • Directs and supports legal functions related to subpoenas and other court requests by ensuring response is accurate, applicable, and timely.
  • Supports all business units through the review of legal contracts, member account situations (e.g., trusts and POAs) and other requests for legal guidance.
  • Serves as liaison with legal counsel for the credit union.
  • Participates in regulatory examinations, compliance audits, and requests for documentation.
  • Maintains awareness of applicable consumer compliance regulations, including but not limited to lending, deposit, privacy, fair lending, electronic services, member complaints, and record retention requirements.
  • Co-chairs the Compliance & Risk Committee, preparing committee packages and documenting meeting minutes.
• Operational Risk Management
  • Supports the identification, assessment, mitigation, monitoring, and reporting of operational risks across the Credit Union.
  • Assists in maintaining and enhancing risk assessment processes, control inventories, issue tracking, and management reporting.
  • Partners with business units to evaluate risks associated with business processes, technology changes, products, vendors, incidents, and emerging operational threats.
  • Reviews operational incidents, control gaps, process failures, member-impacting events, and root cause analyses to identify trends and recommend corrective actions.
  • Leads third-party risk management and due diligence functions adhering to regulatory guidance and ensuring risk assessments, contract reviews and due diligence are completed accurately and timely.
  • Leads or participates in business continuity, incident response, change management, access control, application security, information security, and technology risk processes as appropriate.
  • Promotes effective internal controls, segregation of duties, documentation standards, and escalation practices.
  • Schedules and completes risk assessments and prepares risk summaries, dashboards, and reports for management committees, executive leadership, and the Board as needed.
  • Coordinates and manages the development, review, and maintenance of compliance and operational risk policies, procedures, standards, and program documentation.
  • Evaluates whether policies and procedures are current, clearly documented, appropriately approved, and aligned with business practices and regulatory expectations.
  • Tracks corrective action plans, audit findings, risk assessment findings, and compliance issues through completion.
  • Works with process owners to document controls and improve procedures where gaps or inconsistencies are identified.
  • Supports the development of employee guidance, job aids, checklists, risk templates, and training materials.
• Training, Advisory, and Collaboration
  • Provides compliance and operational risk guidance to employees, managers, and project teams.
  • Supports training initiatives related to compliance requirements, operational controls, member protection, risk management, and regulatory expectations.
  • Participates in project reviews, product or service implementations, process changes, and technology initiatives to identify compliance and operational risk considerations.
  • Collaborates with internal stakeholders, including Risk Management, Information Technology, Operations, Lending, Member Experience, Finance, and Human Resources.
  • Promotes a culture of accountability, transparency, timely escalation, and continuous improvement.
  • Performs all duties consistent with applicable Federal and State laws and regulations as well as credit union policies.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Manages, directs, and evaluates non-supervisory team members in the areas of regulatory compliance and operational risk.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, training, and coaching team members; planning, assigning, and directing work; evaluating performance; rewarding and disciplining team members; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Qualifications

• Knowledge
  • Demonstrated knowledge of credit union operations, governance, regulatory expectations, safety and soundness principles, and member-focused financial services.
  • Strong understanding of risk management principles, risk assessment methodologies, internal controls, and governance practices.
  • Strong knowledge of state and federal regulatory requirements including, but not limited to consumer protection, BSA/AML, lending and deposit compliance, data security and privacy, cybersecurity risk, third-party management, operational risk, and business continuity.
  • Legal acumen to support the review of third-party contracts, regulatory interpretations, and subpoena response.
• Skills
  • Strong analytical, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex risk concepts into clear recommendations.
  • Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across departments while maintaining appropriate independence and objectivity.
  • Ability to lead through influence, manage competing priorities, and drive accountability for corrective actions and risk mitigation efforts.
  • High degree of integrity, confidentiality, discretion, professionalism, and commitment to ethical conduct.
  • Strong project management skills that effectively define objectives, tasks, and deliverables.
  • Strong leadership and coaching skills, with the ability to develop risk talent and promote a collaborative team environment.
  • Proficiency with risk reporting tools, Microsoft Office applications, data analysis, and governance documentation.
• Abilities
  • Leadership level judgment with the ability to evaluate complex risks and recommend practical, business-aligned solutions.
  • Strong leadership abilities: must collaborate, build internal relationships, and influence key stakeholders and decision makers.
  • Effectively multitask in a challenging environment adapting to shifting priorities, while maintaining a strong attention to detail.
  • Think independently, exercise sound judgment, and identify alternative procedures.
  • Think creatively and be innovative; ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations.
  • Proven abilities with mathematical and statistical concepts related to data analyses and reporting.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and respond effectively to changing regulatory, operational, or strategic needs.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, risk management, compliance, criminal justice, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred. Legal degree a plus.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in risk management, compliance, audit, lending, operations, finance, or regulatory oversight within a financial institution; credit union experience strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of applicable regulatory areas may include federal (NCUA) and State (MA DOB) requirements, BSA/AML, consumer compliance, fair lending, lending regulations, privacy, vendor management, cybersecurity risk, and business continuity expectations.
• Experience interacting with regulators, external auditors, internal auditors, executive management, and Board-level committees; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Benefits

Your contributions will help our members achieve their financial goals while advancing your career in a dynamic and supportive environment with competitive pay and outstanding benefits.