Head of Risk, Compliance & SoD – EL

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This Position reports to:

Your role and responsibilities (Mandatory)
In this role, you will lead the unified Risk, Compliance & Segregation of Duties (RCS) function for EL IS, covering EL risk and compliance globally and SoD services across ABB Business Areas. Acts as the single point of accountability for global SoD services, IT compliance, IS risk management, and digital regulatory compliance, enabling EL IS to sustain its regulatory “license to operate” while supporting digital strategy.

Defines the RCS strategy, governance, operating model, standards, tools, and reporting framework. Transforms fragmented compliance and SoD activities into a scalable, follow-the-sun service model with strong audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder confidence.
The work model for the role is: Hybrid
This role is contributing to the : ELIS
You will be mainly accountable for:

Strategy & Transformation:

·       Integrates Risk & Compliance and Global SoD into one RCS organization under the EL IS Head of SRC.

·       Owns the RCS TOM, service strategy, and roadmap, including follow-the-sun SoD and IS Compliance shared services.

·       Positions RCS as the CoE for SoD, IS risk, IT compliance, and digital regulatory compliance.

·       Drives digital compliance strategy for GDPR, NIS 2.0, Export Controls, CRA, DORA, AI Act, and emerging regulations.

Solutions & Service Delivery:

·       Delivers global SoD services across ABB Business Areas through AMEA, Europe, and Americas hubs.

·       Provides EL IS compliance shared services covering ITGC, SOX/ICoR, security controls, vendor compliance, and digital regulatory obligations.

·       Owns SLAs, quality, budget, and delivery performance for compliance and SoD services.

·       Drives automation, UAM rationalization, tooling optimization, and vendor security evaluation processes.

Monitoring & Reporting:

·       Provides RCS dashboards, KPIs, compliance scorecards, and risk reporting to EL IS HEAD OF SRC, BA CIOs, and senior leadership.

·       Monitors SoD deficiencies, UAR completion, ICoR testing, audit findings, regulatory obligations, and remediation timelines.

·       Performs top-down IS risk assessments, business impact analysis, and mitigation planning.

·       Investigates critical incidents and drives root-cause-based corrective actions with a “no surprises” culture.

Framework & Digital Compliance:

·       Governs the integrated RCS framework covering SoD, ICoR/ITGC, NIST, GDPR, NIS 2.0, CRA, DORA, AI Act, and Export Controls.

·       Leads GDPR, NIS 2.0, and Export Control compliance activities for applicable EL IS systems and entities.

·       Monitors regulatory changes and embeds new digital compliance requirements into systems, projects, and services.

·       Builds compliance capability through training, standards, and stakeholder guidance.

·       Leads internal and external audit readiness, engagement, findings management, and sustainable remediation.

Processes:

·       Establishes global RCS processes and operating standards across regional hubs.

·       Collaborate with GBS IS, SAP CoE, Trade Compliance, Privacy Office, and BA IT to deliver integrated compliance processes.

·       Simplifies and improves ICoR, UAM, SoD, and digital compliance processes using automation and tooling.

·       Enforces ABB-aligned IT policies, controls, and global compliance initiatives.

Stakeholder Management:

·       Builds trusted relationships with EL IS HEAD OF SRC, BA CIOs, Finance, DPOs, Trade Compliance, Audit, and business leaders.

·       Represents RCS in senior leadership, steering committee, audit, and regulatory forums.

·       Explain complex regulatory and control topics clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

·       Manages multi-BA expectations through transparent communication and proactive risk flagging.

Internal Controls:

·       Ensures RCS activities comply with ABB Regulations, Group Guidelines, and internal control requirements.

·       Maintains ICoR controls related to SoD, UAM, risk, compliance, and digital regulatory obligations.

·       Sponsors sustainable remediation of control deficiencies and timely ITGC assertion testing.

·       Ensures compliance with GDPR, NIS 2.0, and export control requirements.

People Leadership:

·       Leads and develops the global RCS team across three hubs, covering hiring, onboarding, performance, development, and succession.

·       Builds the right structure, staffing, skills, and shared-service operating rhythm.

·       Defines a cost-effective internal/external resourcing strategy for SoD and compliance services.

·       Drives Phase 1 and Phase 2 staffing and go-live readiness.

·       Builds a customer-focused, accountable, diverse, and compliance-led culture.

Qualifications for the role (Mandatory)

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Law, Business Administration, or related discipline. Bachelor's degree minimum required.

• Professional certifications strongly preferred: CISA, CISM, CRISC, CISSP, SAP GRC, CDPSE (Data Privacy), or equivalent.

Professional Experience

• 15+ years in IT Compliance, Information Security, Risk Management, SAP GRC, or SoD in large global organizations.

• 10+ years leading global, multi-location IS compliance or SoD delivery functions.

• Proven transformation experience designing operating models, integrating teams, and scaling compliance services.

• Deep expertise in SoD, UAM, SAP GRC, ICoR, ITGC, SAP access controls, ECC, and S/4HANA.

• Strong digital compliance experience across GDPR, NIS 2.0, Export Controls, CRA, DORA, and AI Act.

• Experience managing auditors, regulators, and senior business stakeholders.

• Prior Head of Function, Director, or Senior Manager experience in a global IS/IT risk, compliance, or SoD role.
  

Technical Skills

• Expertise in SAP GRC, SAP security, SoD rulesets, UAM 3.1, SAP authorization, and Fiori access.

• Strong knowledge of ICoR, ITGC, NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, GDPR, NIS 2.0, and DORA.

• Understanding of R2R, P2P, O2C, H2R processes and related IT General Controls.

• Knowledge of Export Control requirements for IT systems, software, and data.

• Proficiency in GRC dashboards, compliance analytics, risk reporting tools, and MS Office.

More about us (Mandatory)
"Electrification provides leading electrical distribution and management technologies, solutions and services to electrify the world in a safe, smart and sustainable way. The portfolio includes medium- and low-voltage electrical components, switchgear, digital devices, enclosures, and circuit breakers, among others. With our products, solutions and services, we collaborate with customers to improve power delivery and security, enhance energy management, efficiency and operational reliability, as we seek to achieve a low carbon society. go.abb/electrification "

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