🌍 About the Company

Our client is a well-established, award-winning European Electronic Money Institution with a strong presence across payments and financial services. The company provides modern payment solutions for businesses, including international payments, multi-currency accounts, payment cards, and embedded financial services. Operating in a highly regulated environment, the business combines FinTech growth with the governance standards expected from a mature financial institution.

This is a strong opportunity for a senior risk professional ready to take on broader executive responsibility.

💼 About the Role

The CRO / Head of Risk will lead the development and continuous improvement of the company’s enterprise risk management framework. This is a strategic leadership role with direct exposure to Executive Management and the Board, focused on strengthening risk oversight, operational resilience, and sustainable business growth.

The role is suitable for an experienced Head of Risk, Enterprise Risk Manager, or senior risk professional ready to step into their first C-suite position.

🔍 Responsibilities

• Develop and continuously enhance the company’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework in line with regulatory expectations and industry best practices;

• Perform enterprise-wide risk assessments across products, services, operational processes, partnerships, and new business initiatives;

• Identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate operational risks across business functions while promoting a strong risk-aware culture;

• Establish and maintain the Risk Appetite Framework, Key Risk Indicators, and enterprise risk reporting processes;

• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual risk assessments for Executive Management and the Board;

• Oversee credit risk exposure, including safeguarding bank concentration risks, counterparty exposures, and financial institution exposure limits;

• Provide independent risk oversight during regulatory assessments, internal control reviews, external audits, and compliance reviews;

• Coordinate risk assessments carried out by third-party consultants, auditors, and regulatory reviewers, ensuring recommendations are implemented on time;

• Review new products, partnerships, payment services, and strategic initiatives from a risk perspective before launch;

• Present risk reports, recommendations, and strategic insights directly to senior management and the Board.

🎓 Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in risk management within EMIs, Payment Institutions, banking, or regulated financial services;

• Previous experience as a Head of Risk, Enterprise Risk Manager, or senior risk leader;

• Strong understanding of Enterprise Risk Management, Operational Risk, Credit Risk, and Corporate Governance frameworks;

• Practical experience performing enterprise-wide risk assessments and implementing risk control frameworks;

• Knowledge of safeguarding requirements, counterparty risk management, and banking exposure monitoring within payment institutions;

• Excellent understanding of European financial regulations applicable to payment institutions and electronic money institutions;

• Experience presenting risk matters to Executive Committees, senior management, or Boards of Directors;

• Fluent English and strong stakeholder management skills.

Nice to Have

• Experience stepping into or working closely with C-suite leadership in a regulated financial institution;

• Latvian or another European language;

• Exposure to cross-border payments, card products, embedded finance, or international payment operations;

• Experience supporting regulatory assessments, audits, or governance transformation projects.

🤝 Key Competencies

• Strategic risk leadership with the confidence to advise Executive Management and the Board;

• Strong judgement in balancing business growth, regulatory expectations, and risk appetite;

• Clear communication of complex risk topics to senior stakeholders;

• Structured decision-making and the ability to prioritise high-impact risk matters;

• Collaborative leadership across Risk, Compliance, Finance, Operations, Product, and executive teams.

✨ The Employer Offers

• Opportunity to become a key member of the executive leadership team within a growing European FinTech;

• High level of strategic influence over the company’s governance and risk management framework;

• Exposure to international payment products and cross-border financial operations;

• Collaborative environment with experienced professionals across Risk, Compliance, Finance, and Payments;

• Comprehensive private medical insurance, including dental care;

• Professional development in a rapidly evolving regulatory and payments landscape;

• Hybrid working arrangements from a modern office;

• Competitive salary starting from €4,500 gross, negotiable depending on experience.

If you are ready to take ownership of risk at executive level and help a European EMI grow with strong governance, we would be glad to hear from you.