Senior Manager - Risk Assurance

Role Summary:

The Senior Manager Risk Assurance will lead the organizations Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Audit, and Fraud Risk portfolios across global telecom BPO operations. This is a strategic leadership role responsible for strengthening governance frameworks, ensuring contractual and regulatory compliance across geographies, driving audit excellence, proactively identifying fraud risks, and embedding a mature risk culture across delivery and support functions. The role requires strong stakeholder management across global telecom clients, delivery leaders, and corporate functions, while balancing governance rigor with operational agility.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM):

- Lead and enhance the enterprise-wide risk management framework across telecom accounts and regions.

- Ensure adherence to client contractual obligations and SLAs.

- Ensure adherence to telecom regulatory requirements across operating geographies.

- Ensure adherence to data privacy, information security, and compliance mandates.

- Design and implement risk and control self-assessments (RCSA).

- Design and implement risk control matrix (RCM).

- Design and implement risk registers and mitigation tracking.

- Design and implement key risk indicators (KRIs) and dashboards.

- Conduct periodic risk reviews with senior leadership.

- Drive measurable improvements in risk maturity.

- Provide structured risk reporting to executive leadership and clients.

2. Internal Audit Leadership:

- Develop and execute a risk-based annual audit plan covering Delivery and Support Functions (HR, Quality, Delivery functions, etc.).

- Oversee process audits, compliance audits, contractual adherence reviews, thematic and surprise audits, and consulting engagements.

- Ensure high audit quality, robust root cause analysis, and sustainable remediation.

- Track timely closure of audit findings and reduce recurrence.

- Present audit summaries, trends, and systemic risks to senior stakeholders.

- Drive standardization, automation, and analytics within audit processes where feasible.

3. Fraud Risk Management:

- Lead the enterprise fraud risk framework across telecom operations.

- Identify vulnerabilities across operational processes, commissions, customer onboarding, and system access, etc.

- Establish preventive and detective control mechanisms.

- Oversee fraud investigations in coordination with HR, Legal, and client stakeholders.

- Strengthen whistleblower mechanisms and fraud case governance.

- Conduct fraud awareness and ethical conduct programs.

- Monitor fraud metrics and implement systemic control enhancements.

4. Governance & Stakeholder Management:

- Partner with Delivery Heads and Account Leaders to embed strong governance practices without impacting operational efficiency.

- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on risk exposure and mitigation strategies.

- Support client governance forums and compliance discussions as required.

People Leadership & Governance:

- Drive capability development across Risk, Audit, and Fraud domains.

- Establish clear performance management, succession planning, and competency frameworks.

- Build a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.

- Ensure strong cross-functional collaboration with Operations, IT, HR, Finance, and Legal.

Key Stakeholders:

- Global Telecom Clients (Risk, Compliance, and Operations Teams)

- Delivery Heads & Account Leaders

- Corporate Compliance & Legal

- IT Security & InfoSec Teams

- Senior Executive Leadership

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

- Improvement in risk maturity assessment scores including enhanced culture.

- Reduction in repeat audit findings.

- % closure of audit observations within SLA.

- Reduction in fraud-related control gaps and incidents.

- Client satisfaction on governance and compliance metrics.

- Strength and stability of the Risk Assurance team.

Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

- Bachelors degree (Mandatory).

- MBA / CA / CIA / CISA or equivalent certifications preferred.

Experience:

- 12-18 years of experience in Risk, Internal Audit, Compliance, or Fraud Management.

- Minimum 5-7 years in a leadership role managing managers.

- Experience in BPO / ITES / Shared Services environments preferred.

- Exposure to Telecom clients or other regulated industries highly desirable.

- Experience managing multi-geo operations is a plus.

Core Competencies:

- Enterprise Risk Management expertise.

- Risk-based Internal Audit.

- Fraud Risk & Investigation Oversight.

- Regulatory & Contractual Compliance.

- Executive Stakeholder Management.

- Strategic Thinking & Commercial Acumen.

- Data-driven decision-making.

- Strong written and verbal executive communication.

Leadership Attributes:

- High integrity and ethical standards.

- Balanced approach to governance and business enablement.

- Strong influencing and negotiation skills.

- Structured, analytical mindset.

- Ability to operate effectively in high-pressure, multi-geo environments.