Chief Risk Officer

We are seeking an exceptional executive to serve as our Chief Risk Officer — a senior leader who will protect and advance this institution’s long-term health by owning enterprise risk, regulatory relationships, compliance, legal affairs, and the people and culture functions that make us who we are. This is a broad, high-impact role for a leader who is energized by variety, comfortable with complexity, and passionate about the credit union mission.

Reporting directly to the President/CEO and serving on the executive leadership team, the CRO will be a trusted advisor to the executive team and Board of Directors while operating as a genuine partner to every line of business. We are a $790 million institution with an innovation-forward culture, and we need a CRO who leads in a collaborative approach with pragmatism and solutions.

Regulatory Exams & Risk Governance

• Serve as the institution’s primary contact for state regulatory exams, and supervisory correspondence
• Lead exam preparation, management, and remediation across all business lines
• Design and maintain the enterprise risk management framework including risk appetite, risk register, and board-level risk reporting
• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments and advise the CEO and Board on emerging risks and required responses
• Oversee BSA/AML program and Bank Secrecy Act Officer responsibilities

Compliance

• Oversee the enterprise compliance management system through the Director of Compliance
• Ensure institutional compliance with NCUA rules, BSA/AML, CFPB requirements, TILA, RESPA, HMDA, FCRA, UDAAP, and applicable state regulations
• Drive a compliance culture that is practical and business-enabling across all departments
• Support the institution’s innovation agenda by providing timely compliance guidance on new products, technology partnerships, and emerging payment services

Legal Affairs

• Provide or coordinate legal guidance to the CEO, executive team, and Board through the Staff Attorney and outside counsel relationships
• Oversee review and negotiation of material contracts, vendor agreements, and strategic partnerships
• Manage litigation, regulatory inquiries, and dispute resolution in coordination with outside counsel
• Ensure corporate governance documents, bylaws, and board policies remain current and legally sound

Human Resources & Recruiting

• Lead HR strategy in a culture where people leadership is distributed and every manager is expected to lead with HR competence
• Oversee HR Manager in delivering core HR services including benefits administration, employee relations, performance management, and workforce compliance
• Own the institution’s recruiting strategy and ensure we attract, develop, and retain top talent at every level
• Partner with the CEO and executive team on compensation philosophy, succession planning, and organizational development

Vendor Management

• Own the institution’s vendor management program including third-party risk assessment, due diligence, contract oversight, and performance monitoring
• Ensure vendor management practices meet NCUA third-party guidance expectations
• Partner with the VP of Technology Innovation on technology vendor relationships and fintech partnerships

Policy Administration

• Own the institution’s policy governance framework ensuring all policies are current, accessible, consistently applied, and reviewed on schedule
• Lead the annual policy review cycle in partnership with business owners
• Ensure policy changes are communicated effectively, and training is provided where needed

This role is intentionally broad, and we know the right person may not have held every function listed above. We are open to candidates from diverse professional backgrounds — risk, compliance, legal, HR, or government/regulatory affairs — who have demonstrated the executive leadership and judgment to own a wide portfolio.

The profiles that tend to succeed in roles like this:

• Senior compliance or risk executives who have progressively expanded beyond their core discipline into broader operational or governance leadership
• Regulatory or government affairs professionals who have built enterprise risk and compliance functions from a policy and examiner’s perspective
• Credit union league or trade association executives with deep regulatory relationships and a mission-first orientation
• Legal executives who have grown into enterprise risk and compliance scope through institutional leadership

A J.D. or advanced degree is valued but not required. What matters most is the quality of your judgment, the strength of your relationships, and your ability to lead people through complexity with clarity and calm.

Required

• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in financial services, with significant time in risk, compliance, legal, or HR functions
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse, multidisciplinary teams at an executive or senior executive level
• Deep familiarity with the credit union regulatory environment and examination process
• Experience presenting to and advising boards of directors or supervisory committees
• Track record of building collaborative, solutions-oriented cultures within governance and oversight functions

Preferred

• Prior experience at a credit union or community financial institution
• Active J.D. with bar membership (valued, not required)
• BSA/AML compliance experience including Bank Secrecy Act Officer function
• Experience managing vendor risk programs aligned to NCUA third-party guidance
• Government affairs or legislative advocacy experience at the state or federal level

Leadership Attributes

• Executive presence and credibility with the Board and regulatory examiners
• Business-enabling mindset — finds the path to yes while protecting the institution
• High integrity and discretion; trusted with the institution’s most sensitive matters
• Genuine alignment with the credit union philosophy of member service and financial literacy
• Collaborative and approachable; builds trust across teams and levels
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with aggressive goals
• Comfortable operating in an entrepreneurial culture where leaders are expected to be hands-on

We offer a competitive executive compensation package commensurate with the scope and strategic importance of this role.

• 6% 401(k) match with immediate vesting
• Generous holiday schedule, paid vacation time, and sick leave
• Company paid term life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• Professional memberships, certifications, and continuing education fully covered
• Relocation assistance available for out-of-market candidates