The Americas Risk Department, as a second line of defense organization, provides common risk management oversight and services to all businesses and legal entities across Mizuho U.S. Operations (MUSO). Effectively managing risk on a consistent and holistic basis is critical to Mizuho's success in the Americas and in meeting evolving regulatory expectations. The Non-Financial Risk (NFR) Team has built a repeatable and sustainable operational risk framework across the enterprise and is now expanding to include a dedicated focus on Operational Resilience.
Position: Operational Resilience Lead
We are seeking a seasoned Operational Resilience SME to join our team as a key partner in strengthening our bank's resilience posture. In this role, you will lead strategic initiatives and work closely with divisional leadership to ensure that business continuity, disaster recovery, third-party, and technology resilience capabilities are robust, well-assessed, and aligned with regulatory expectations and industry best practices. This role offers an opportunity to influence resilience strategy at the highest levels of the organization.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Oversight:
Collaborate with senior divisional leadership to embed Operational Resilience into strategic, risk-driven decision-making, ensuring that critical business services are designed and maintained to withstand disruptions.
Provide second line oversight of the Operational Resilience program, effectively challenging and refining first line assessments, plans, and implementations at a strategic level.
Serve as a trusted advisor, offering constructive, independent review and challenge of resilience plans, including mapping important business services, setting impact tolerances, and assessing vulnerabilities.
Monitoring, Assessing, and Continuous Improvement:
Develop and implement a comprehensive continuous monitoring program to evaluate the bank's resilience posture, uncover emerging risks, identify structural issues, and seize opportunities for enhancement.
Lead resilience assessing initiatives—including simulations, tabletop exercises, and scenario analyses—to validate business continuity, disaster recovery, third-party resilience, and technology resilience measures.
Oversee deep-dive reviews and thematic analyses to pinpoint gaps, ensure timely resolution of issues, and recommend strategic enhancements to the Operational Resilience framework.
Regulatory and Industry Best Practice Advisory:
Provide expert guidance on regulatory requirements and supervisory expectations for Operational Resilience, with a strong grasp of frameworks such as the BCBS Principles for Operational Resilience, U.S. Federal Reserve/OCC/FDIC guidance, and UK PRA/FCA requirements.
Stay ahead of industry trends and evolving regulations to ensure that our resilience practices are forward-looking and aligned with global best practices.
Prepare and deliver high-impact presentation materials for executive leadership, business partners, and regulators regarding resilience status, risk assessments, and improvement initiatives.
Governance and Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Lead and participate in Operational Resilience governance meetings, engaging key stakeholders to review the current resilience environment and proactively address emerging risks.
Mobilize cross-functional partners—including IT, Business Continuity, Third-Party Risk Management, and Cybersecurity—to investigate and address resilience-related risks, ensuring a coordinated response.
Collaborate with the broader NFR team on new initiatives designed to integrate advanced resilience frameworks into our existing risk management processes.
Qualifications
Bachelor's or master's degree in risk management, business administration, information technology, or a related field.
Minimum of 5+ years' experience in Operational Resilience, business continuity, disaster recovery, technology resilience, or related fields within the financial services industry. Experience in both 1st line and 2nd line roles is preferred.
Relevant professional certifications such as Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), Certified Resilience Professional (CRP), ISO 22301 Lead Implementer, or equivalent.
Demonstrated track record in designing and executing resilience assessing initiatives—including simulations, tabletop exercises, and scenario analyses—to validate and improve resilience capabilities.
Deep understanding of regulatory requirements and supervisory expectations for Operational Resilience, including frameworks such as the BCBS Principles for Operational Resilience, Federal Reserve/OCC/FDIC guidance, and UK PRA/FCA requirements.
Proven ability to effectively challenge first-line inputs and resilience plans with informed, constructive feedback.
Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to assess complex resilience scenarios and implement strategic, actionable solutions.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical and regulatory resilience details for diverse stakeholder groups at all levels.
Strong project management skills with the agility to adapt to shifting priorities and unforeseen challenges.
Familiarity with risk management in Corporate and Investment Banking as well as Capital Markets.
Compliance or audit experience is a plus.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel and PowerPoint.
The expected base salary ranges from $170,000 - $220,000. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, certifications and licenses obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered. In addition to salary and a generous employee benefits package, successful candidates are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus.