Risk and Compliance Specialist (Fintech/Payments)
$150,000–$200,000 year
On-siteLagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Job Summary
Design and implement the Microfinance Bank's Enterprise Risk Management framework, including risk appetite statements, registers, and dashboards for real-time leadership visibility. Conduct enterprise-wide risk assessments across operational, credit, market, liquidity, and reputational domains, then lead mitigation strategies and escalation protocols while owning the Business Continuity Plan. Support regulatory filings with the Head of Legal and Compliance, track CBN and NDIC circulars, and advise on operational impacts. Partner with Product, Engineering, and Operations to risk-assess new features and manage third-party vendor risks. Monitor fraud, develop detection rules, and prepare risk reports for the Board Risk Committee and regulators. Drive risk awareness through training and cross-functional engagement.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 4 years' experience in risk management, compliance, or internal control within a Commercial Bank, Microfinance Bank, or Digital Bank (Neobank)
- Demonstrated experience building or significantly contributing to an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework — including risk registers, risk appetite statements, and KRI development
- Deep knowledge of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA 2020), CBN Circulars regarding MFBs, and NDIC requirements
- Strong understanding of risk categories relevant to banking: operational risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, market risk, and reputational risk
- Experience with regulatory examinations, audit readiness, and preparing regulatory returns
- A strong understanding of payments processing, transaction flows, settlement mechanisms, and dispute resolution
- Integrity and courage to escalate risks and say 'No' when the bank's licence is at stake with empathy and clarity
- Meticulous, investigative mindset with the ability to trace risks across systems, processes, and partners
- Comfortable using modern banking core applications, compliance software, and risk management tools
- A clear interest in leveraging technology to solve operational problems and automate risk and compliance processes
- Strong communicator who can translate complex risk concepts into clear, actionable guidance for technical and non-technical stakeholders
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with SQL
- Professional certification in risk management or compliance (e.g., ACAMS, ICA, FRM, CRISC, or equivalent)
- Experience with risk management tools and GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platforms
- Familiarity with data analytics tools (e.g., Metabase, SQL, Excel/Power BI) for risk reporting and monitoring
- Experience building prototypes, workflows, and automations using tools like Retool, Zapier, n8n, Replit, or Cursor
- Experience managing high-value merchant disputes and financial reconciliations
- Prior experience in a startup or high-growth environment building compliance or risk functions from scratch
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