Assistant Vice President, First Line Operational Risk

Merrick Bank • South Jordan, UT

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Join our team - and take the next step in achieving a fulfilling career! What We Do At CardWorks, we aim to help people connect with possibility and opportunity using our financial servicing expertise. Building meaningful, long-term relationships with consumers, our employees, and our clients is what matters most. Who We Are CardWorks, Inc. is a diversified consumer finance service provider and parent company of CardWorks Servicing, LLC, Merrick Bank and Carson Smithfield, LLC. CardWorks Servicing, LLC provides end-to end operational servicing functions for credit cards, secured cards, and installment loans. We service consumer and small business loans across the credit spectrum and offers backup servicing and due diligence services to capital providers and trustees. Merrick Bank is an FDIC-insured Utah Industrial Loan Bank. Merrick operates three main business lines: credit cards, recreational lending, and merchant services. Carson Smithfield, LLC provides a variety of post-charge-off debt recovery services, including digital self-service, IVR, live agent, and external agency management. Position Summary The Assistant Vice President (AVP) supports and executes the Oversight & Non-Card First Line of Defense (FLOD) Risk strategy and governance model. This role is responsible for day-to-day program execution, portfolio coordination, analytics and reporting delivery (Power BI), SharePoint knowledge management, and first-line risk routines (RCSA support, control library maintenance, issues management, KRIs/KPIs). Ideally, the qualified candidate will work at the following location(s): South Jordan, UT or Wilmington, DE. A hybrid work model or fully remote model can be considered based on hiring manager decision and priorities of the role. The AVP partners with Operations leaders, Compliance, Audit, Risk, OCM/PMO, and Technology to ensure exam-ready, well-documented, and scalable outcomes, while providing hands-on leadership to managers and analysts supporting Non-Card Operations. Scope & Portfolio Provide first-line risk support for Non-Card First Line Risk, including: Recreational Lending Flow Lending Deposit Operations Merchant Operations Execute standardized first-line governance activities, including: Documentation and evidence management RCSA support and control mapping maintenance Issue identification, tracking, and remediation support KRI/KPI development, monitoring, and reporting Coordinate cross-functional project and change support in partnership with OCM/PMO, Compliance, Audit, Risk, Technology, and business owners Support operational performance and risk analytics, reporting accuracy, and data stewardship Maintain knowledge management practices and system support for SharePoint, Power BI, and related tooling Coverage Areas & Tools Projects & Portfolio Support Intake coordination, status tracking, RAID logs, and executive updates Data Analytics & BI Power BI datasets and dashboards KPI/KRI monitoring, trend analysis, and data quality checks SharePoint Administration Site structure, metadata/taxonomy, permissions, retention, and documentation standards Process Mapping & Improvement Lean/Kaizen support, SOP updates, and alignment to control design Change Management Integration Requirements support, testing evidence coordination, readiness assessments, and go-live criteria Access Evidence & User Access Reviews Coordination with IAM/IT and business stakeholders Third-Party / Vendor Support SLA/KPI tracking, attestations, testing coordination, and issue follow-up Exam & Audit Readiness Artifact management, sampling coordination, and walkthrough preparation Essential Functions Program Execution & Governance Execute Oversight & Non-Card FLOD Risk standards, routines, and deliverables as defined by senior leadership. Maintain KRI/KPI reporting, issue tracking, and RCSA support processes. Prepare management reporting, dashboards, and materials for leadership and committee reviews. Analytics & Systems Support Manage Power BI dashboards, datasets, and reporting outputs supporting operational and risk visibility. Ensure data integrity, documentation, and consistency across reporting and evidence repositories. Support workflow automation and integration (e.g., Power Automate, ServiceNow/Archer coordination). Risk & Change Integration Coordinate first-line risk checkpoints within projects and change initiatives. Support issue lifecycle activities, including documentation, remediation tracking, and sustainability validation. Partner with Compliance, Audit, and Risk on exams, audits, walkthroughs, and validations. People & Vendor Leadership Lead managers, analysts, and project resources supporting oversight, analytics, and governance activities. Provide coaching, prioritization, and workload management to ensure timely, accurate delivery. Support vendor coordination and expense management; assist with tracking ROI on tools and process improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Finance, Accounting, Risk Management, or a related field required. Equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 8+ years of financial services experience with 3–5 years in first-line oversight, risk, operations, or analytics leadership roles.
• Strong working knowledge of: RCSA, KRIs/KPIs, issue management, and first-line governance Power BI reporting and analytics SharePoint knowledge management and documentation standards
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively across Operations, Compliance, Audit, Risk, and Technology.
• Strong execution mindset with attention to detail, regulatory readiness, and follow-through.

Nice To Haves

• Certifications preferred: PMP, Lean Six Sigma, CRCM, or analytics/BI-related credentials.
• Hands-on familiarity with ServiceNow and/or Archer, SQL/DAX concepts, and reporting automation tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide first-line risk support for Non-Card First Line Risk, including: Recreational Lending Flow Lending Deposit Operations Merchant Operations
• Execute standardized first-line governance activities, including: Documentation and evidence management RCSA support and control mapping maintenance Issue identification, tracking, and remediation support KRI/KPI development, monitoring, and reporting
• Coordinate cross-functional project and change support in partnership with OCM/PMO, Compliance, Audit, Risk, Technology, and business owners
• Support operational performance and risk analytics, reporting accuracy, and data stewardship
• Maintain knowledge management practices and system support for SharePoint, Power BI, and related tooling
• Execute Oversight & Non-Card FLOD Risk standards, routines, and deliverables as defined by senior leadership.
• Maintain KRI/KPI reporting, issue tracking, and RCSA support processes.
• Prepare management reporting, dashboards, and materials for leadership and committee reviews.
• Manage Power BI dashboards, datasets, and reporting outputs supporting operational and risk visibility.
• Ensure data integrity, documentation, and consistency across reporting and evidence repositories.
• Support workflow automation and integration (e.g., Power Automate, ServiceNow/Archer coordination).
• Coordinate first-line risk checkpoints within projects and change initiatives.
• Support issue lifecycle activities, including documentation, remediation tracking, and sustainability validation.
• Partner with Compliance, Audit, and Risk on exams, audits, walkthroughs, and validations.
• Lead managers, analysts, and project resources supporting oversight, analytics, and governance activities.
• Provide coaching, prioritization, and workload management to ensure timely, accurate delivery.
• Support vendor coordination and expense management; assist with tracking ROI on tools and process improvements.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay, including a Bonus Target or Variable Pay Incentive Program
• Benefits Package -Medical, Dental, and Vision (plus much more)
• 401(k) Plan with Company Match
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Wellness Programs
• Group Life and AD&D Insurance
• Paid Vacation, Sick Days and bank Holidays
• Employee Engagement Activities including Employee Appreciation Day, DEI Employee Resource Groups, Corporate Social Responsibility, Service Recognition

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level