Controls Specialist

This role provides a fantastic opportunity to act as a first-line risk and control SME, supporting the key businesses which make up the Retail Products area and with a keen focus on Unsecured Lending. You’ll play a key role in supporting Business-as-Usual (BAU) and Change activity, enabling safe growth by ensuring risks are understood, and proportionate controls are in place, ensuring compliance with regulations, supporting strong performance expectations and good customer outcomes in line with our strategic commitments.

It's an exciting time to join our team. We’ve laid the foundations and are focussed on accelerating risk and control management across the business, embedding our product governance standards and risk management framework.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.
 

The working hours (per week) for this role can be between 30 and 35 hours.

This is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll be located at our nearest regional office or hub. There will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration and in some locations you’ll be expected to spend at least two days a week, or if part time you'll spend 40% of your working time, in the office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. 

Virgin Money is now part of Nationwide

Nationwide acquired Virgin Money in October 2024. Virgin Money continues to serve customers on the high street, and there will be a phased and considered integration over the coming years.

You’ll be employed by Nationwide from day one, delivering real impact and benefitting from a highly competitive range of benefits. We’re a workplace where you’re rewarded, recognised and celebrated.

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

What you’ll be doing
 

As a Risk, Control and Compliance SME, you will act as a key business partner to the Unsecured Lending product teams, enabling sustainable growth while maintaining a robust risk environment. You will work closely with business and change stakeholders to ensure risks are identified, well understood and effectively mitigated. This includes providing expert guidance on incidents, the application of Group policies and control standards, product governance, and leading activity to ensure compliance with core regulatory requirements.

You will also play a pivotal role in strengthening risk reporting, delivering clear insights and meaningful analysis to a range of forums and senior stakeholders, helping to shape informed and proactive decision‑making across the business.

About you

For this role, you will have:

• Demonstrable knowledge of Consumer Duty and general product governance principles

• Practical experience of working within a risk and control environment in financial services and a strong understanding of Risk Management Frameworks

• A focus on detail along with the ability to present your findings to a senior audience in a clear and concise manner

• Resilience and confidence when operating in an environment where change is the norm

• An understanding of the Regulatory landscape and its requirements 

• The ability to build effective relationships and the confidence to adapt these skills to communicate with a variety of peers and senior stakeholders across the Group

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

The extras you’ll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 25 days holiday, pro rata

• Access to private medical insurance

• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement

• Access to an annual performance-related bonus

• Training and development to help you progress your career

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death

• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness

• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us. 

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.