Group Chief Risk Officer

Company Description:

Trust Payments is an FCA-regulated (UK) and MFSA-regulated (Malta) fintech providing payments and commerce solutions globally. We offer innovative payment methods and cutting-edge technology to sectors including retail, travel, hospitality, forex, and financial services. We have a passionate, collaborative culture where every employee contributes to our success. Find out more at www.trustpayments.com.

Trust Payments has an exciting opportunity for a Group Chief Risk Officer to join their team.

Location: Hybrid, Bromley/ Bournemouth

Salary: Competitive + Benefits

How will you make an impact in this role?

The Role:

The Group CRO is a senior executive accountable for defining, implementing and overseeing the company's risk management framework across its gateway and acquiring businesses. Operating across UK and European markets, the CRO owns the end-to-end risk lifecycle — from credit underwriting and fraud strategy through to operational resilience — ensuring risk appetite supports commercial growth whilst protecting the company, its merchant partners, and the payment ecosystem. Regulatory compliance and AML sit within a separate function.

What We Expect of You, Day To Day:

Risk Strategy & Governance

• Define and own the risk appetite framework, translating Board-level tolerances into measurable limits and escalation triggers across credit, fraud, and operational risk
• Develop and maintain a risk management framework aligned with Visa/Mastercard scheme rules and PSP industry standards
• Chair the Group Risk Committee; present risk reporting to the Board Risk Committee and ExCo, including dashboards, exception reports and forward-looking assessments
• Lead the development and periodic review of risk policies and appetite statements
• Act as primary escalation point for material risk events, and contribute a risk perspective to strategic planning

Credit Risk & Underwriting

• Define and maintain credit risk appetite across all merchant sectors, geographies, and business models
• Design and continuously improve underwriting policies for new merchant onboarding, covering financial due diligence, chargeback risk scoring, and reserve requirements
• Oversee credit decisions for higher-risk applications, including credit committee participation and exception sign-off
• Manage ongoing portfolio credit risk through merchant reviews, limit management, early warning monitoring, and concentration analysis
• Oversee merchant liability management, including security deposits, deferred settlements, and chargeback loss recovery
• Develop stress-testing and scenario analysis capabilities, including tail-risk events such as large merchant failures
• Partner with Sales, Onboarding, and Account Management to ensure risk appetite is commercially understood

Fraud Risk Management

• Own the fraud risk strategy across acquiring and gateway portfolios, covering card-present, card-not-present, account takeover, refund abuse, and emerging typologies
• Set fraud risk appetite and performance thresholds aligned to card scheme monitoring programme requirements
• Ensure compliance with Visa's Fraud Monitoring Programme (VAMP), Mastercard's Excessive Fraud Merchant (ECM) programme, and associated dispute programmes; lead remediation where thresholds are at risk
• Oversee fraud operations including transaction monitoring, alert investigation, case management, and scheme liaison
• Guide selection and optimisation of fraud detection tooling and machine learning models
• Maintain a fraud intelligence capability, including horizon scanning, industry body engagement, and acquiring bank partnerships
• Monitor and manage chargeback ratios at portfolio and merchant level

Operational Risk

• Define the operational risk framework covering process failures, system outages, third-party dependencies, data integrity, and human error
• Maintain the operational risk register in collaboration with department heads
• Oversee BCP/DR risk assessments and ensure residual risks remain within appetite
• Manage third-party and vendor risk assessments across critical suppliers, processors, and banking partners
• Embed a risk event and near-miss reporting culture, with root cause analysis and remediation tracking
• Oversee insurance programme management and embed risk into change management and product development

People & Function Leadership

• Lead and develop a risk team spanning credit underwriting, fraud operations, and operational risk
• Foster a risk-aware culture through training and clear communication of risk standards
• Establish RACI frameworks for risk ownership across the organisation
• Set clear objectives, provide regular feedback, and support career development of direct reports
• Manage the risk function budget and advocate for appropriate resourcing

Essential Requirements

• Significant senior risk management experience within payments, acquiring, card issuing, or adjacent financial services
• Strong technical expertise in merchant acquiring credit risk — underwriting, portfolio management, chargeback liability, and reserve structures
• Sound working knowledge of Visa/Mastercard scheme rules, including the monitoring and non-compliance programs
• Proven track record designing and implementing risk frameworks and appetite statements
• Experience overseeing fraud operations, including transaction monitoring tooling and fraud analytics
• Demonstrable commercial awareness — credible with Sales and Product stakeholders
• Experience chairing or contributing to risk governance committees at senior level
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including Board and ExCo-level presentations
• Sound analytical capability with the ability to interpret data and identify trends

Desirable

• European acquiring or cross-border payments experience across EU/EEA markets
• Exposure to open banking, alternative payment methods, or embedded finance risk
• Experience with risk data infrastructure, model governance, and ML in fraud/credit decisioning
• Prior CRO, Deputy CRO, or equivalent Head of Risk experience in payments or fintech
• Relevant professional qualification (IRM, CFA, ACCA or equivalent)

Benefits

• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements
• Comprehensive wellness initiatives and mental health support
• Generous leave including annual, volunteering, and birthday allowances
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Pension scheme, healthcare plans, and life assurance
• Continuous professional development and career advancement
• Regular team events and a diverse, global working environment

Equal Opportunities

Trust Payments is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace and welcome applications regardless of race, heritage, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or gender identity. If you require reasonable adjustments during the application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team.

Employment is conditional upon successful completion of a background verification check.

Ready to make an impact? Complete the application form and click 'Apply' now.