Strategic Risk Advisor, Senior Specialist at Vanguard Canada · Toronto

Provides operational risk expertise and advice to support multiple divisions and regions across Vanguard. Provides effective risk guidance, oversight, and assurance services to enterprise and divisional partners.

Global Risk and Security (GR&S) at Vanguard enables business strategy, protects client and Vanguard interests (e.g., assets and data), and stewards a strong risk culture. Our teams leverage enterprise-wide insights, deep expertise, and trusted advice so that across Vanguard leaders and crew drive faster, stronger, risk-informed decisions.

This senior risk professional will join a highly versatile, “Swiss Army-like” team that partners closely with both domestic and international Chief Risk Officers across Vanguard. Together, the team provides trusted risk guidance, thoughtful oversight, and strong independent challenge. Serving as a critical connective function across the organization, this role helps bridge divisional and regional efforts, drive greater consistency in risk practices, and enable a more holistic, enterprise view of Business and Operational Risk. The ideal candidate brings deep risk expertise, strong execution discipline, and the ability to think conceptually and strategically.

Core Responsibilities

• Provide risk guidance, oversight, and assurance services to enterprise and divisional partners based on the Vanguard's operational and strategic risk framework. Ensures the development and implementation of effective divisional risk controls.
• Leads and manages the efficiency and effectiveness of risk management within the business. Sets measurable goals and examines ways to raise standards, to increase quality and to improve overall risk management efforts of the team
• Measures departmental success in identifying and managing risk exposure, and identifies and prioritizes existing and emerging risks and advises on appropriate control design and testing.
• Leads and assists the business in the development, implementation and management of long-term risk management strategies in accordance with department goals and objectives, standard risk management policies and procedures, and the overall risk strategy. Works with the business to mitigate risks and optimize process efficiency. Uses expert industry best practice knowledge to design effective controls, and makes recommendations for developing new risk management strategies for the business.
• Provides consultation, facilitation and analytical support to the divisional management team as new products, services, processes and procedures are developed to ensure risk is properly mitigated.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with enterprise and divisional clients to understand their ongoing risk needs. Acts as a thought partner to the business.
• Assesses the design of existing controls and make recommendations, leverages industry best practice for improvement as needed. Understands the risk management framework and utilizes the core concepts when discussing risk exposures with the business.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight years related work experience.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience. Graduate degree preferred
• Strong conceptual and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong ability to influence and persuade up, down, and across.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.