Director, Risk Consulting

The Opportunity

EY’s Risk Consulting Practice help leading organisations navigate complex risk landscapes, through providing insight and expertise to deliver integrated, technology-enabled solutions across areas such as risk management, internal audit and internal controls and controls transformation.

Risk management is a vital enabler within an organisation; Boards and Executives leverage it to make informed decisions, deliver assurance over key risks and drive effective transformations. Our team works with many of the world’s leading organisations to address the critical challenges they face. In a world marked by uncertainty and complexity, our clients demand integrated, strategic, and tech-enabled end-to-end solutions. We are committed to delivering tailored risk offerings that place client value and relationships at the forefront of our efforts. By prioritising risk, we empower organisations to navigate opportunities and transformations effectively. You can expect to engage with senior client personnel and deliver high-quality outcomes that drive meaningful results.

Our Risk team is made up of talented professionals who value curiosity, innovation and collaboration. Here, you will have an opportunity to build a career as unique as you are. supported by EY’s global scale, inclusive culture, and cutting-edge technology. We’re committed to your growth, offering exceptional career development, diverse experiences, and a flexible work-life balance, including hybrid working. Join us to create an exceptional experience for yourself and help build a better working world for everyone.

This senior leadership role is suited to a driven, passionate individual with an established network and prior success in opportunity generation and sales.

Your Key Responsibilities

We are seeking a highly skilled, experienced and strategic Director in Risk Consulting to join our dynamic Risk team. The ideal candidate will possess a robust network of relationships and industry knowledge across key risk consulting offers and sectors. You will play a key role in leading complex engagements and guiding our diverse set of clients across our various process and controls solutions. This role requires a proven track record of leveraging industry networks to identify and convert opportunities, as well as the ability to build strong relationships with C-suite executives.

• Business Development: Established networks/relationships across key sectors. Leverage of networks to identify, pursue, and convert opportunities, such as proposal development, contribution to additional sales, and production of thought leadership.

• Engagement Delivery: Lead and own the delivery of Risk Consulting engagements (e.g., risk management, internal audit, UK Corporate Reform, SOX 404, controls transformation) ensuring projects are effective, exceeding client expectations and identifying sell-on work.

• Agility: Ability to self-start and balance sales activity with engagement management.

• Trusted Advisor Role: Act as a ‘trusted advisor’ to clients, serving as a first point of contact in navigating complex regulations, including UK Corporate Reform, US Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, Global Internal Audit Standards and other industry-specific requirements; guiding clients on how these regulations impact their internal controls and reporting obligations.

• Client relationship management: Excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their needs and creating tailored solutions.

• Process & Controls Leadership: Lead confidently across the breadth of our process and controls related solutions. Be a present, high touch leader of our team dedicated to developing and nurturing our talent, engaging in internal team initiatives and fostering a positive team culture.

• Solution Development: Develop new solutions and existing offerings pertaining to risk and control strategies, policies and governance.

• Quality and Risk Management: Detailed understanding and demonstratable track record of compliance with quality and risk management principles.

• Business Acumen: Demonstrate business acumen through an ability to understand the broader business context, considering financial, operational, compliance and strategic aspects.

• Learning and Development: Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development for yourself and the wider team, demonstrating a proactive approach and natural curiosity. Providing and inspiring role model for the team.

• Collaboration: Work cross-functionally with internal and client teams across risk, IT, compliance, finance, and security to drive integrated risk management solutions.

• Team Mentorship: Mentor, coach and develop a team of Risk professionals, supporting their professional development and contributing to a positive team environment with continuous growth.

• Industry Knowledge: Stay informed about industry trends, including regulatory changes, technology growth and other relevant risk best practices.

• Performance Excellence: Monitor engagement success metrics and KPIS, proactively resolving deviations to deliver high-quality outcomes.

• Communication: Excellent communication skills and the ability to flex your style, deliver difficult messages whilst maintaining strong relationships.

• Values: Promote our values around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness.

Skills and Experience:

You will be a trusted and inspirational Director with proven ability to balance sales activities and delivery of high-quality and better practice insights across the breadth of our risk, process and controls solutions. You will also foster employee engagement and development of the team.

• Industry Expertise: Industry-leading and demonstrable expertise pertaining to risk, processes and controls solutions with agility and aptitude to flex across solutions and sectors.

• Business Development: Demonstrated success in leveraging industry networks to identify and convert opportunities, with experience in proposal development and thought leadership.

• Relationships: Proven experience in building and maintaining relationships with C-suite executives, with the ability to discuss complex risk solutions confidently.

• Regulatory Knowledge: Strong understanding of complex regulations, including UK Corporate Reform and US Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, with the ability to guide clients on regulatory impacts.

• Communication Skills: Exceptional communication and presentation skills for executive reporting, stakeholder engagement, and internal leadership.

• Leadership: Strong leadership skills and demonstrated ability to inspire, nurture, develop and motivate team members, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous growth.

• Ethical Standards: Strong sense of ethics and integrity, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards while promoting ethical practices within the organisation.

• Proactive Learning: A self-starter with a proactive approach and a strong commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

• Adaptability: Ability to navigate and adapt to changing regulatory environments and emerging risks.

• Audit & Accounting Experience: Proven ability to bring external audit and financial accounting experience to engagements, ensuring strong control frameworks aligned with best practices.

• Systems Expertise: Expertise in core systems (e.g., SAP and Oracle) to identify control weaknesses and recommend improvements.

• Transformation and Digital Solutions: Experience of driving transformation and deploying digital solutions to solve complex client problems.

To qualify for this role, you should have:

• Extensive experience in generating and leading risk, process and control services at large and complex organisations.