Director, First Line Controls

The Director of First Line Controls is responsible for establishing and leading a robust first line of defense (1LOD) control environment supporting a critical operational function within Best Egg. This role will partner closely with operational leadership to design, implement, and continuously improve the control framework that ensures effective risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

The Director will build and lead a program focused on identifying risks, implementing preventative and detective controls, monitoring operational performance, and strengthening governance across processes, vendors, and partner activities. This role will serve as a key liaison between Operations, Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Internal Audit to ensure the business maintains a strong and scalable control environment while continuing to innovate and grow.

Keys to success in this role include strong operational risk expertise, the ability to translate regulatory expectations into practical operational controls, and the leadership capability to embed risk-aware decision making across the organization. The ideal candidate will bring a collaborative mindset, strong analytical capabilities, and the ability to influence stakeholders across multiple functions in a fast-paced environment.2

Internal Posting eligibility:  Current job levels 106 or above, 304 or above - in good standing.
This role is a hybrid role and will need to be in-office 2 - 3 times per week.

Duties & Responsibilities

First Line Control Framework Development

• Design, implement, and mature a comprehensive first line of defense control program supporting a core operational department.
• Establish standardized frameworks for risk identification, control design, documentation, and monitoring across key processes.
• Develop and maintain process risk assessments (RCSA), control inventories, and control testing methodologies aligned with enterprise risk standards.
• Ensure the department maintains strong governance over operational, regulatory, and third-party risks.
• Embed scalable control structures that support continued business growth while maintaining strong oversight.

Risk Management & Control Oversight

• Partner with operational leaders to identify key risks across processes, systems, vendors, and customer interactions.
• Design and implement preventative and detective controls to mitigate operational and regulatory risks.
• Establish monitoring routines and performance metrics that identify emerging risks, control breakdowns, or operational vulnerabilities.
• Lead remediation efforts for identified control gaps, audit findings, or regulatory observations.
• Ensure strong documentation and evidence standards that support internal audit, regulatory reviews, and enterprise risk oversight readiness.

Operational Governance & Monitoring

• Develop and maintain operational risk dashboards and reporting that provides transparency into control effectiveness and risk exposure.
• Conduct periodic reviews of key operational processes to identify opportunities to strengthen controls and improve efficiency.
• Support the implementation of quality assurance, process monitoring, and operational health indicators.
• Drive consistent governance routines including risk reviews, control attestations, and issue tracking.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as the primary first line risk partner to operational leadership.
• Collaborate closely with Compliance, Legal, Enterprise Risk Management, and Internal Audit to ensure alignment on risk management expectations.
• Support regulatory readiness by ensuring operational practices align with applicable regulatory requirements and company policies.

Program Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Build and scale a high-performing first line controls capability within the supported department.
• Lead efforts to strengthen risk awareness and control ownership within operational teams.
• Identify opportunities to streamline control processes through automation, improved reporting, and stronger process design.
• Promote a culture of accountability and transparency.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management, Operations, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in operational risk, controls, audit, compliance, or risk management within financial services, fintech, or banking.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing RCSA programs, control frameworks, and issue management processes.
• Strong knowledge of first line of defense risk management practices and operational control environments.
• Experience partnering with operational teams to embed risk management into business processes.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations impacting consumer lending operations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex operational data and identify emerging risks.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence across multiple organizational levels.
• Experience interacting with internal audit and enterprise risk management functions preferred.