UK

United Kingdom · Operations · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Operational Risk Management

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toChief Operations Officer (COO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of Operational Risk · VP, Risk & Control (Operations) · Senior Director, Operations Assurance

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

NQual Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management NQual · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
CMI Level 5 Award in Management and Leadership Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
CMI Level 5 Certificate in Police Management Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
BIIAB Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership (NVQ) BIIAB · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Highfield Level 5 Diploma in Operations Management Highfield Qualifications · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Risk management NQual Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management
Managing Risk CMI Level 5 Award in Management and Leadership
Develop and implement an operational plan CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership
Operational Planning Highfield Level 5 Diploma in Operations Management

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Operational Risk Management

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Risk management NQual · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Managing Risk Chartered Management Institute · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 5
  3. Develop and implement an operational plan Chartered Management Institute · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  4. Operational Planning Highfield Qualifications · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Operational Risk Management?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI Governance & Ethical AI in Operations
  • Integrated ESG Risk Management
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Operational Risk Management plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

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3What this role really is

A Director of Operational Risk Management spots potential problems early and shapes how a business manages risk across its operations, from warehouse floor to logistics networks.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

GRC Platforms (e.g., ServiceNow GRC, Archer) Strategic

You'll lead the selection, evaluation, and strategic integration of enterprise-wide GRC platforms, defining the risk taxonomy and ensuring GRC data feeds into executive reporting tools like Power BI Premium for board-level insights.

Process Mapping & Modelling (e.g., Signavio, Aris) Architect

You'll set organisational standards for process documentation and modelling. You use process maps as a strategic tool to identify systemic risks, major re-engineering opportunities, and ensure control points are effectively embedded across complex operational flows.

Data Analysis & Business Intelligence (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, SQL) Strategic

You'll define the entire BI strategy for the operational risk function, working with data engineering to establish reliable data pipelines. You'll present high-level insights to the board using executive-level dashboards, translating complex data into clear strategic narratives.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems (e.g., SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite) Strategic

You'll advise on control design during major ERP upgrades or implementations across the business. You'll understand the end-to-end process risks across all modules (e.g., P2P, O2C, Manufacturing) and how they impact the overall operational risk profile.

Collaboration & Documentation (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint, MS Teams) Strategic

You'll own the official repository for all enterprise risk policies, standards, and committee charters. You'll ensure robust version control, auditability, and accessibility of all critical documentation, setting the standards for your entire function.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Operational Risk Strategy & Framework No involvement. Follows established procedures. Contributes input to specific framework components. Leads design and implementation of framework components for a specific domain.
Budget Allocation (within function) No budget authority. Requests resources from supervisor. Manages small project budgets (up to £5K) with manager approval. Manages workstream budgets (up to £50K) with Director input.
Major Incident Response & Root Cause Analysis Assists with evidence gathering during an incident. Participates in incident response, documents actions, and identifies basic root causes. Leads post-incident reviews for significant operational events, identifying systemic root causes.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Reduction in Operational Losses
The year-over-year decrease in financial losses directly attributable to operational risk events (e.g., fraud, system failures, process breakdowns).
Target · Achieve a 10-15% year-over-year reduction in financial losses from operational risk events.

If last year's operational losses were £5M, we'd expect to see them drop to £4.25M-£4.5M this year through your strategic initiatives.

Operational Risk Maturity Score
Improvement in our internal assessment of the organisation's operational risk management capabilities, typically measured against a recognised framework like COSO or ISO 31000.
Target · Improve the organisation's operational risk maturity score from, say, 2.5 to 3.5 (on a 1-5 scale) over a two-year period.

Moving from 'defined processes but inconsistent application' to 'managed and monitored, with continuous improvement' across key operational areas.

Key Risk Indicator (KRI) Performance
The percentage of established KRIs that remain within their defined tolerance levels, indicating effective proactive risk management.
Target · Ensure 85% or more of established KRIs remain within their defined tolerance levels consistently.

If our KRI for 'Supplier Delivery Failure Rate' is set at <2%, you'd ensure our actual rate stays below that threshold, or that mitigating actions are swiftly taken if it breaches.

Control Effectiveness Rating
The percentage of critical operational controls assessed as 'effective' by Internal Audit or external assurance providers.
Target · Maintain a 'satisfactory' or 'effective' rating for 95% of critical operational controls.

Internal Audit confirms that 96% of our P2P (Procure-to-Pay) controls are operating as designed and are consistently followed by the business.

Executive Committee & Board Confidence
The level of trust and confidence the Executive Committee and Board have in the operational risk function's ability to identify, assess, and manage key risks.
  • You're regularly sought out for strategic input on new initiatives. Your reports are clear, concise, and lead to informed discussions, not just questions. Board members reference your insights in other discussions, showing they value your perspective. They trust your assessments, even when the news isn't great.
Proactive Risk Culture
The extent to which operational teams across the business actively identify, report, and manage risks as part of their daily work, rather than seeing it as a 'risk team' problem.
  • Business unit leaders proactively come to you with new risks or control ideas. Incident reports show a strong 'lessons learned' culture, not just blame. Risk awareness is a regular topic in team meetings, not just a quarterly update. People feel comfortable raising concerns without fear.
Strategic Influence
Your ability to influence major business decisions, new product launches, or system implementations to embed risk management from the outset.
  • You're involved in strategic planning sessions from day one, not brought in at the end. Your recommendations on control design or risk mitigation are consistently adopted by business owners. You're seen as a partner in growth, not just a gatekeeper.
Talent Development & Team Leadership
Your success in building, mentoring, and retaining a high-performing operational risk team.
  • Your direct reports are highly engaged and motivated, with clear career paths. You've got a strong pipeline of talent, and your team is recognised internally for its expertise. Retention rates within your function are consistently above the company average.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Protecting & Building Resilience

You'll spend your days thinking about how to make our operations more robust, less prone to failure, and better able to recover from disruptions. This means designing new frameworks, championing control improvements, and ensuring our business continuity plans are actually fit for purpose.

Leading the strategic review of our supply chain resilience after a major global event, identifying key vulnerabilities, and securing investment to diversify our supplier base and build buffer stock.

Strategic Impact & Influence

You'll be at the table for major strategic decisions, new market entries, and significant system implementations. Your input will directly shape how the company grows and manages its exposure. This is about influencing at the highest levels, not just executing tasks.

Advising the executive team on the operational risks associated with a potential acquisition, influencing the due diligence process and the integration plan to mitigate post-merger issues.

Solving Complex, Systemic Problems

You thrive on dissecting complex operational failures, understanding the root causes, and designing enterprise-wide solutions that prevent recurrence. This isn't about simple fixes; it's about tackling deeply embedded issues that span multiple departments and systems.

After a series of customer delivery errors, you lead a cross-functional task force to identify the systemic issues across order processing, warehouse fulfilment, and logistics, then architect a new, more robust process.

What frustrates people
  • Being perceived as a blocker to innovation or growth, rather than an enabler.
  • Fighting against a 'watermelon effect' where business units report everything as green, but you know the reality is red.
  • The political tightrope walk of delivering difficult truths to senior leaders without causing undue friction.
  • Arguing for investment in preventative controls when there's no immediate, tangible ROI.
  • Dealing with the aftermath of an incident where your prior warnings were not heeded.
  • The sheer volume and complexity of regulatory changes that need to be translated into operational controls.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable 9-to-5 where every day is the same.
  • A role where you're always the most popular person in the room.
  • The ability to always see your recommendations implemented immediately and perfectly.
  • A clear, direct line of sight to revenue generation (your impact is more about preventing loss).
  • A simple, straightforward path without political challenges or ambiguous problems.

8Who you work with

This role is absolutely critical. You're shaping the operational risk posture for the entire company, directly influencing our ability to execute strategy, maintain regulatory compliance, and protect shareholder value. Your decisions will affect everything from our supply chain resilience to our customer service uptime, making sure we can weather any storm.

Inside the business
  • Chief Operations Officer (COO)
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  • Chief Risk Officer (CRO)
  • Heads of Business Units (e.g., Logistics, Manufacturing, Customer Service)
  • Internal Audit Committee
  • Legal & Compliance Teams
Outside the business
  • External Auditors
  • Regulators (e.g., HSE, FCA if applicable)
  • Key Strategic Partners & Suppliers
  • Industry Bodies

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Extensive experience (12+ years) leading risk and control functions within complex operational environments, ideally in a large, multi-national organisation.
  • Demonstrable track record of designing, implementing, and embedding enterprise-wide operational risk frameworks that have delivered tangible reductions in loss or improvements in resilience.
  • Proven ability to influence and present to C-Suite executives and Board-level committees, with examples of successfully driving strategic risk initiatives.
  • Significant experience managing and developing large teams (20+ people, including managers), fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
  • A deep understanding of financial management and P&L responsibility, enabling you to make commercially sound risk-based decisions.
  • Experience navigating complex regulatory landscapes and managing relationships with external auditors and regulators.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Predictive Risk Analytics & Machine Learning (Oversight)

Moving from reactive to proactive risk management means using advanced analytics to predict potential operational failures before they happen. You'll need to understand the capabilities and limitations of ML models to guide your team's development in this area.

Time Series Forecasting for KRIs · Anomaly Detection in Operational Data · Model Validation & Explainability

  • This quarter: Ask your data science team to give you a 'crash course' on their current predictive models and their limitations.
  • Next 6 months: Challenge your team to develop one new predictive KRI using ML techniques, guiding them on the business problem.
  • Next 12 months: Review and approve the integration of a predictive risk dashboard into your executive reporting suite.

Quick win: Identify one area where your team currently uses lagging indicators. Brainstorm with them how you could build a leading, predictive indicator using available data.

Cyber-Physical System Risk Management

As our operational technology (OT) becomes more connected to IT networks (e.g., IoT in manufacturing, smart logistics), the convergence of cyber and physical risks is a huge challenge. A cyber-attack could now directly impact our physical operations, and vice versa.

OT/IT Convergence Risks · Industrial Control System (ICS) Security · Supply Chain Cyber Risk

  • This quarter: Meet with our CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) to understand their strategy for OT security and identify areas for collaboration.
  • Next 6 months: Sponsor a joint IT/OT risk assessment for a critical operational asset.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a joint incident response plan specifically for cyber-physical incidents, involving both IT security and operational teams.

Quick win: Review our existing Business Continuity Plans. Do they adequately address a scenario where a cyber-attack directly impacts our physical production or logistics?

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending industry conferences and thought leadership events on operational resilience, enterprise risk management, and regulatory compliance.
  • Participating in executive education programmes focused on strategic leadership, change management, or digital transformation.
  • Engaging with industry peer groups and forums to share best practices and stay abreast of emerging risks.
  • Mentoring junior risk professionals, as teaching often solidifies your own understanding and leadership skills.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI Governance & Ethical AI in Operations

As we use more AI in our operations (think automated warehouses, predictive maintenance, customer service bots), the risks around bias, explainability, and unintended consequences are growing. Regulators are starting to pay attention, and we need to ensure our AI use is responsible and controlled.

  • AI Risk Frameworks
  • Bias Detection & Mitigation
  • Explainable AI (XAI)
  • Data Provenance & Integrity

Integrated ESG Risk Management

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors are no longer just for sustainability reports; they're becoming critical operational risks. Supply chain ethics, climate change impacts on logistics, and social licence to operate are all direct operational concerns that can hit our bottom line and reputation hard.

  • Climate Risk Assessment
  • Supply Chain Due Diligence (ESG)
  • Social Licence to Operate
  • ESG Reporting Standards

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • COSO Framework (Enterprise Application)
  • Root Cause Analysis (Strategic Oversight)
  • Key Risk Indicator (KRI) Programme Design
  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA) & Continuity Planning
  • Three Lines of Defence Model (Governance)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Risk Control Manager (L5) in a large organisation

    Typically 3-5 years at L5, demonstrating strong functional leadership and strategic influence.

    Skills to master

    • Mastering functional P&L management, building and leading high-performing teams, developing and implementing divisional risk strategies, and confidently presenting to senior leadership.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led a significant operational risk transformation programme from end-to-end.
    • Consistently received positive feedback from C-Suite stakeholders on your strategic insights and influence.
    • Developed and mentored multiple team members into more senior roles.
    • Owned and significantly improved the operational risk profile for a major business division.
  2. 2

    Head of Internal Audit (Operational Focus)

    Around 5-7 years as Head of Internal Audit, with a strong focus on operational audits.

    Skills to master

    • Deep understanding of control effectiveness, governance frameworks, independent assurance, and influencing business leaders to remediate issues. Translating audit findings into proactive risk mitigation strategies.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed relationships with the Audit Committee and external auditors.
    • Demonstrated ability to drive significant improvements in control environments through audit recommendations.
    • Built a reputation for objective, insightful, and commercially aware audit leadership.
  3. 3

    Senior Operations Leader (with strong risk focus)

    Roughly 5-7 years in a senior operational leadership role (e.g., Head of Logistics, Head of Manufacturing) where you've had direct accountability for risk management.

    Skills to master

    • Hands-on experience managing complex operations, deep process knowledge, P&L responsibility, and a demonstrated ability to embed risk management directly into operational processes. You'll need to develop a more formal risk framework understanding.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed significant operational risks within your own function, preventing major incidents.
    • Implemented new operational processes that significantly improved control and reduced risk.
    • Demonstrated a natural aptitude for identifying and mitigating systemic operational vulnerabilities.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead into broader operations leadership, into board level roles, or into risk consultancy across other industries.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Operational Risk Management is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Risk management, worked against Director, Operational Risk Management.

Risk management Level 5

Applied to your work in Director, Operational Risk Management

This unit aims to equip learners with a thorough understanding of the principles and importance of risk management within an organisation. Learners will be able to identify, assess, control, and mitigate different types of risks, and understand the importance of monitoring and reviewing risk management strategies to achieve organisational objectives.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Operational Risk Management
  • COSO Framework (Enterprise Application)
  • Root Cause Analysis (Strategic Oversight)
  • Key Risk Indicator (KRI) Programme Design
  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA) & Continuity Planning
  • Three Lines of Defence Model (Governance)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Operational Risk Management is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Risk Officer (CRO)

    Roughly 3-5 years in the Director, Operational Risk Management role.

    This is a significant jump to a C-Suite role (L7), overseeing all enterprise risks.

    • Financial Risk Management (e.g., market, credit, liquidity risk)
    • Strategic Risk Assessment & Scenario Planning
    • Compliance Programme Oversight (enterprise-wide)
    • Reputational Risk Management

  2. Chief Operations Officer (COO)

    Typically 4-6 years in the Director, Operational Risk Management role.

    This is also a C-Suite role (L7), but focuses on leading the entire operational function.

    • Lean/Six Sigma (Enterprise Deployment)
    • Supply Chain Optimisation (Global)
    • Manufacturing Excellence & Automation
    • Customer Service Operations Management
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be honest, at your level, time is your most precious commodity. You're thinking strategically, influencing the board, and leading a large team. You shouldn't be bogged down by manual data crunching or drafting routine reports. Here's how AI can genuinely give you back valuable time, letting you focus on the big picture.

AI isn't here to replace your strategic judgment; it's here to augment it. Imagine having an intelligent assistant that can sift through mountains of data, spot emerging patterns, and even draft initial reports, leaving you free to interpret, validate, and act. For a Director of Operational Risk, this means more time for proactive risk identification, strategic planning, and crucial stakeholder engagement.

Automated Evidence Oversight

Imagine AI bots (RPA) automatically pulling routine control evidence from ERP systems like SAP or other operational platforms. You won't be doing it, of course, but you'll oversee a system that ensures your team spends less time on manual collection and more on actual analysis and control design. This means faster, more reliable insights into control effectiveness across your domain.

Predictive Incident Theme Analysis

Use advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyse thousands of incident reports, safety logs, and customer complaints across the business. Instead of relying on manual reviews, AI can automatically identify and cluster emerging risk themes and potential 'black swan' events that a human team might miss. This gives you foresight, allowing you to proactively address systemic issues before they escalate.

Proactive Regulatory Change Impact

Employ an AI-powered service to continuously scan for changes in operational regulations (e.g., health & safety, environmental, transportation) globally. This tool won't just flag changes; it'll summarise the key updates and, crucially, highlight potential impacts on your existing control framework and operational processes. You'll be ahead of the curve, ready to advise the business on necessary adaptations.

Executive Report Generation (First Draft)

Feed structured data – your KRIs, control test results, significant loss events – into a generative AI model. It can then produce a high-quality first draft of your monthly or quarterly operational risk committee report, complete with executive summaries, key trends, and even initial recommendations. You'll spend your time refining and adding strategic nuance, not staring at a blank page.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Operational Risk Management?

Common routes in include Risk Control Manager in a large organisation (Typically 3-5 years at L5, demonstrating strong functional leadership and strategic influence.), Head of Internal Audit (Operational Focus) (Around 5-7 years as Head of Internal Audit, with a strong focus on operational audits.) and Senior Operations Leader (with strong risk focus) (Roughly 5-7 years in a senior operational leadership role (e.g., Head of Logistics, Head of Manufacturing) where you've had direct accountability for risk management.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Operational Risk Management progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Risk Officer (CRO) (Roughly 3-5 years in the Director, Operational Risk Management role.) and Chief Operations Officer (COO) (Typically 4-6 years in the Director, Operational Risk Management role.), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Operational Risk Management?

Increasingly, AI Governance & Ethical AI in Operations and Integrated ESG Risk Management. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The skills built here, strategic risk management, operational resilience, large-scale team leadership and executive influence, transfer to other industries. Similar director or executive roles exist in financial services, manufacturing, logistics and public sector organisations.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

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