Senior Risk Manager

Company: Community Financial System, Inc.
Location: Syracuse
Posted on: May 15, 2025

Job Description:

Overview:

Before applying for this role, please read the following information about this opportunity found below.

Northeast Retirement Services (NRS) offers administration and processing solutions for large Financial Services organizations in the area of employee benefit plans and charitable programs, including services for all types of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, endowment programs and charitable trusts. Our clients include institutional investors, brokers, advisors and financial services firms requiring flexible, customized platforms for their customers. NRS' business model enables us to create an integrated approach that provides responsive & comprehensive solutions.

NRS leverages technology and its partners' strengths to bring measurable value to our clients. Our teams address strategy, operations, risk and technical issues in formulating end-to-end administrative solutions that are tailored to a client's specific situation and processing requirements.

Responsibilities:

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Enterprise Risk Manager to lead and oversee the execution of first line control testing activities across the Institutional Trust Department. This role is critical in ensuring that controls are properly designed, effectively implemented, and operating as intended to mitigate business and operational risks. The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in risk management, internal controls, and leadership, with the ability to work cross-functionally and influence control culture across the organization. Experience in establishing a First Line of Controls Testing environment a plus.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead a team of analysts in planning, executing, and reporting on first line of defense (1LOD) control testing and monitoring activities.
Oversee the development and maintenance of testing procedures, methodologies, and documentation standards.
Partner with process and control owners to identify key controls and ensure testing coverage aligns with risk priorities.
Review testing results, identify trends or emerging risk issues, and ensure timely escalation and reporting to leadership.
Provide coaching, training, and development to team members to strengthen control testing expertise and consistency.
Coordinate with second and third lines of defense (CFSI Enterprise Risk Management, CFSI Internal Audit) to ensure alignment and minimize duplication of efforts.
Support enterprise risk assessments, control self-assessments (RCSA), and control remediation validation.
Drive continuous improvement of control testing processes, tools, and risk/control reporting.
Required travel approximately 25%
Maintain proficient knowledge of, and demonstrate ongoing compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to this position, ensure ongoing adherence to policies, procedures, and internal controls, and meet all training requirements in a timely manner

Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Risk Management, or a related field.
5+ years of experience in internal controls, risk management, audit, or compliance;
Strong knowledge of control frameworks (e.g., COSO), operational risk management, and regulatory expectations.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills; ability to present findings to senior stakeholders.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with GRC tools (e.g., AuditBoard) is a plus.
All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Preferred:

Professional certifications such as CPA, CIA, CISA, or CRMA.
Experience in Financial Services, Trust Regulatory Compliance, Audit and ERISA
Familiarity with control testing automation or data analytics in risk/control environments.
Supervisory or management experience

Min: USD $66,000.00/Yr. Max: USD $108,804.00/Yr. Other Job Information:

Compensation: Commensurate with experience plus potential for annual merit increase. In addition to your competitive salary, you will be rewarded benefits including: 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, Medical, Vision & Dental insurance, 401K with generous match, Pension, Tuition Reimbursement, Banking discounts and the list goes on!

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk or sit. Use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, and speak and hear. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to focus.

The Company is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. If you have a physical or mental impairment and would like to request an accommodation with respect to the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department.

Keywords: Community Financial System, Inc., Irondequoit , Senior Risk Manager, Accounting, Auditing , Syracuse, New York