First Line Risk Manager

First Line Risk Manager - Commercial Banking Location: Johnston, RI or Westwood, MA Work Authorization This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship, now or in the future. Description At Citizens, we're building one of the strongest regional banking franchises in the country through disciplined growth, responsible risk management, and a commitment to doing the right thing for our customers, colleagues, communities, and shareholders. We're seeking an experienced First Line Risk Manager to support Commercial Banking risk management activities. This role is ideal for a risk professional who has direct experience executing risk programs within Commercial Banking, Business Banking, Commercial Lending, Treasury Management, Wholesale Payments, Cash Management, or related banking businesses. The successful candidate will independently execute Risk & Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs), evaluate control effectiveness, identify emerging risks, support governance activities, challenge business assumptions, and partner closely with Commercial Banking stakeholders to ensure risks are appropriately identified, assessed, monitored, and managed. This is a highly collaborative, hands-on risk execution role requiring strong risk judgment, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to influence business partners while maintaining an effective challenge mindset.

Risk Assessment & Risk Program Execution Lead and execute Risk & Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs) across Commercial Banking products, services, and processes. Identify, assess, document, and monitor risks and associated controls. Evaluate inherent and residual risk exposures and recommend risk mitigation strategies. Support risk assessments associated with new products, process changes, technology implementations, and business initiatives. Apply risk-based judgment to complex business situations and provide thoughtful recommendations to stakeholders. Compliance & Controls Execute control monitoring and control testing activities. Assess control design and operating effectiveness. Identify control gaps and recommend practical improvements. Document results, observations, conclusions, and corrective actions. Support audits, regulatory examinations, assurance reviews, and management responses. Issue Management & Remediation Author, track, validate, and close issues through established governance processes. Perform root-cause analysis and evaluate the sustainability of remediation activities. Challenge remediation plans where necessary to ensure issues are fully addressed. Monitor issue trends and identify emerging risks requiring escalation. Risk Governance Maintain risk, control, process, and issue inventories. Ensure alignment between risks, controls, policies, procedures, assessments, and remediation activities. Prepare governance reporting, metrics, and management presentations. Participate in risk governance forums and stakeholder discussions. Business Partnership Partner closely with Commercial Banking stakeholders to support responsible growth. Provide effective challenge while maintaining strong working relationships. Collaborate across Risk, Compliance, Audit, Operations, Product, Technology, and business teams to drive sound risk management decisions. Key Experiences We're Looking For Successful candidates will typically demonstrate experience in several of the following areas: Executing end-to-end RCSAs Risk identification and control evaluation Risk-based decision making and judgment Control monitoring and testing Issue management and remediation validation Governance reporting and committee participation New product and change risk assessments Commercial Banking risk management First Line Risk ownership within a banking environment Required Qualifications Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience. Commercial Banking, Business Banking, Commercial Lending, Treasury Management, Wholesale