Are you passionate about making risk management practical, meaningful and a genuine part of better decision-making?
Join British Heart Foundation (BHF) as our Risk Lead and help shape how risk is understood and managed across the organisation. Working closely with the Head of Risk and Income Protection, you’ll lead the practical implementation and continued improvement of BHF’s risk management framework, helping colleagues protect our work and deliver greater impact for people affected by heart and circulatory diseases.
You’ll work across BHF to strengthen risk ownership, assess risks and controls, identify emerging and organisation-wide themes, and turn complex information into clear recommendations and action. You’ll also coach and support colleagues, facilitate risk discussions and provide credible, constructive challenge to senior stakeholders.
This is a varied and influential role where you’ll:
- Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of BHF’s risk management framework, tools and guidance.
- Work with directorates and risk owners to strengthen risk identification, ownership, controls and mitigation.
- Build risk capability through practical coaching, guidance and facilitation.
- Review risk positions and control effectiveness, identifying where further assurance or action is needed.
- Identify emerging and systemic risks and help determine the right response or escalation.
- Turn risk, control, assurance and performance information into clear insight and recommendations.
- Build effective relationships across specialist functions, including insurance, income protection and assurance.
- Provide targeted risk advice and constructive challenge on significant decisions and programmes.
If you enjoy combining strategic thinking with practical delivery, influencing at a senior level and helping others build confidence in managing risk, we’d love to hear from you.
About you
We’re looking for an experienced risk professional who can make risk management clear, accessible and relevant. You’ll be confident working across a complex organisation, able to bring together different perspectives and comfortable constructively challenging senior stakeholders while building strong working relationships.
You’ll bring:
- Strong practical knowledge of enterprise and operational risk management, including risk assessment, appetite, controls, assurance, treatment and escalation.
- Significant experience in risk management, internal audit or assurance.
- Experience delivering measurable improvements in risk management, assurance, governance or a comparable environment.
- Confidence facilitating risk discussions and providing constructive challenge to senior stakeholders.
- Strong analytical judgement, with the ability to turn complex risk and performance information into practical insight and action.
- Experience assessing risks, controls, mitigation and supporting evidence.
- The ability to coach others and build confidence and capability in managing risk.
- Sound judgement and the ability to balance risk, opportunity and proportionality.
- A collaborative, proactive approach and confidence working with ambiguity and across organisational boundaries.
Working arrangements
This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week in our London office. This may vary from time to time so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause.
Interview process
Interviews will be held shortly after the closing date in November. First stage interviews will be held via MS Teams and second stage interviews will be in person at our London office (NW1 7AW).
Belonging at BHF
BHF values the diversity of our communities and is committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and valued. By fostering a culture of inclusion, we believe we are better equipped to achieve our mission of helping people have a healthier heart for longer.
To hear from our people, check out Belonging at BHF.
Benefits and development
We offer a competitive range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, and opportunities for personal and professional growth and continuous learning. To find out more about our benefits you can download the Benefits document at the bottom of this page or check out our Benefits and Development pages.
Need more help balancing your work and home life? Talk to us about what flexibility is available at the application or interview stage.
How to apply
It’s quick and easy to apply for a role at the BHF. Just click on the apply button below. All you’ll need is an up-to-date CV and to answer a couple of application question.
Our recruitment processes are fair, accessible, and inclusive. BHF use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey.
We support responsible use of AI to help shape your application. By applying for a role at BHF, you confirm that your application is authentic and reflects your own skills and experience, to ensure everyone is assessed fairly.
Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please Contact us.