Reputational Risk VP or Associate

Company Overview

A global investment and financial services firm providing structured credit, asset-backed financing, advisory services, and institutional investment solutions to market participants. The organization delivers customized solutions across asset and portfolio advisory, warehouse and acquisition financing, whole loan transactions, securitization, and distribution.

The firm operates in a complex financial services environment where strong risk management, regulatory compliance, and sound business practices are essential to protecting client relationships, maintaining market confidence, and safeguarding the organization's reputation.

Culture & Working Environment

The organization promotes a collaborative, team-oriented culture focused on client service, complex problem-solving, innovation, and continuous improvement. Employees work cross-functionally with business, legal, compliance, and risk stakeholders to support responsible decision-making and effective risk management.

The company values accountability, professional development, and open communication, encouraging employees to challenge assumptions, identify emerging risks, and contribute to the ongoing enhancement of operational and reputational risk practices.

Position Overview

The Reputational Risk & Operational Risk Senior Analyst/VP will support the organization's operational risk management framework, with a primary focus on reputational risk assessment, operational due diligence, and risk and control oversight.

This role is responsible for evaluating potential reputational risks associated with business transactions, counterparties, investment opportunities, key individuals, products, and broader business activities. This role will conduct investigative research, synthesize information from internal and external sources, identify potential areas of concern, and prepare clear, concise assessments to support informed business and risk decisions.

The position requires strong analytical and investigative skills, sound professional judgment, and the ability to challenge information, identify inconsistencies, and escalate emerging concerns. This role will work closely with Legal, Compliance, Risk, and business stakeholders to ensure reputational and operational risks are appropriately identified, documented, assessed, and addressed.

Primary Responsibilities

Reputational Risk Assessment & Investigations

• Conduct comprehensive reputational risk research and analysis related to companies, counterparties, sectors, products, transactions, key individuals, and other relevant business relationships.
• Gather and evaluate information from third-party intelligence providers, business deal teams, client meetings, operational due diligence materials, public records, and other relevant sources.
• Assess potential exposure to reputational concerns, including:
• Corruption and bribery
• Fraud and financial misconduct
• Litigation and legal disputes
• Regulatory investigations and enforcement actions
• Conflicts of interest
• Financial crime and compliance concerns
• Adverse media and negative public perception
• Key person and management-related risks
• Apply investigative judgment to identify issues that may not be immediately apparent in initial due diligence findings.
• Challenge assumptions, investigate inconsistencies, ask targeted follow-up questions, and take a critical perspective when evaluating reputational risk.
• Prepare concise, well-supported written assessments and memoranda summarizing findings, potential exposure, relevant risk factors, and recommended areas for further review.
• Escalate material or emerging reputational concerns to appropriate Risk, Legal, Compliance, and business stakeholders.

Operational Due Diligence & Risk Oversight

• Support the administration and oversight of operational due diligence and reputational risk review processes to ensure established policies, procedures, and documentation requirements are consistently followed.
• Review due diligence scopes, audit requirements, sampling methodologies, and supporting documentation to confirm alignment with applicable risk management standards.
• Partner with Risk Leads and Business Owners to verify that required reviews and approvals are completed in accordance with internal procedures.
• Identify and escalate gaps in process execution, incomplete documentation, policy exceptions, and other instances of non-compliance.
• Track outstanding due diligence findings and follow up with relevant stakeholders to ensure issues are appropriately addressed and resolved.
• Contribute to continuous improvements in the consistency, efficiency, and effectiveness of operational due diligence and reputational risk processes.

Risk & Control Assessments

• Support the execution of Risk and Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs) across business processes, systems, and operational activities.
• Assist in identifying, evaluating, and documenting inherent and residual risks, control gaps, and potential areas of operational exposure.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of established controls and support the development of appropriate risk mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with process owners and Risk stakeholders to document control deficiencies, remediation activities, and ongoing monitoring requirements.
• Contribute to the identification of emerging operational and reputational risks that may affect business activities, clients, or the organization's reputation.

Cross-Functional Risk Analysis & Deal Support

• Coordinate with Legal, Compliance, Risk Leads, Business Deal Captains, and other stakeholders to consolidate regulatory, financial crime, background screening, and forensic findings.
• Integrate information from multiple due diligence workstreams into comprehensive risk assessments supporting transaction and business approval processes.
• Identify potential reputational implications associated with counterparties, transactions, business relationships, and key stakeholders.
• Provide timely, objective analysis to support informed decision-making and appropriate risk escalation.
• Maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders while independently pursuing open questions and unresolved concerns.
• Ensure relevant findings, supporting evidence, and risk considerations are clearly documented and communicated.

Risk Data, Reporting & Technology

• Analyze operational risk, control, and due diligence data to identify trends, recurring issues, and potential areas of heightened reputational exposure.
• Utilize risk management and analytical platforms, including Salesforce (Fusion Risk Management), Snowflake, Tableau, and AI-enabled tools, to support risk monitoring, reporting, and analysis.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, reports, and analytical outputs that provide visibility into risk trends, control performance, due diligence activities, and outstanding issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve the use of data and technology in reputational risk monitoring, investigative research, and operational risk oversight.
• Support the development of management reporting that highlights material findings, emerging themes, risk exposures, and areas requiring further attention.

Management Reporting & Communication

• Prepare clear, concise, and well-structured presentations, reports, and briefing materials for Risk leadership and key business stakeholders.
• Communicate reputational risk findings, due diligence observations, and control concerns in a manner that is objective, actionable, and appropriate for the audience.
• Summarize complex or sensitive information into meaningful insights that support risk-based decision-making.
• Present trends, findings, and recommendations to relevant stakeholders while maintaining appropriate documentation and escalation standards.
• Contribute to a culture of proactive risk identification, thoughtful challenge, and continuous improvement across the organization.