Head of Risk, Bitfinex

Salary not provided

Expert level

Remote from Europe, UK

Digital asset trading platform

Job no longer available

Digital asset trading platform

201-500 employees

FintechB2CB2BCryptocurrencyTrading

Job no longer available

Salary not provided

Expert level

Remote from Europe, UK

201-500 employees

FintechB2CB2BCryptocurrencyTrading

Company mission

To give users the ultimate cryptocurrency trading experience.

Job

Company

Role

Who you are

If you’re a visionary who thrives at the intersection of technology, knowledge and innovation, we want to hear from you!
10+ years of experience in risk management, with at least 3 years in a leadership role within fintech, crypto, banking, or financial services
Deep knowledge of crypto markets, blockchain technologies, and regulatory expectations
Experience designing and operationalising ERM frameworks
Proven ability to engage with regulators, auditors, and senior stakeholders
Strong understanding of market and liquidity risk modelling, stress testing, and capital adequacy
Familiarity with cybersecurity and operational resilience principles
Excellent analytical, communication, and leadership skills
Advanced degree in finance, economics, risk management, or a related field. Professional certifications including (FRM, PRM, CFA) are a plus
Must be able to work independently with minimum supervision in managing the team and collaborating with peers
Flexibility as to working arrangements and hours
Confidence in making decisions as delegated by the CEO
Frequent travel may be required, e.g. inter-office / team supervision, attendance at conferences, training, and meetings with peers, law enforcement, regulators and other financial institutions

What the job involves

To lead the development and execution of an enterprise-wide risk strategy that supports innovation, operational integrity, and regulatory excellence in a rapidly evolving digital asset ecosystem
Reporting directly to the CEO, the HRO owns the full spectrum of risk oversight and is responsible for identifying, assessing, quantifying and managing the risks (other than AML Compliance Risks) facing the organisation. These include financial risks such as credit, market and liquidity risk, together with operational risks such as fraud, cybersecurity and technology risks
Bring deep experience in navigating complex financial systems, a command of emerging risks in blockchain and crypto markets, and a proven ability to lead through ambiguity
As a transformative leadership role with enterprise-wide impact, you will not only safeguard the company’s risk posture but also enable its continued innovative expansion across products, geographies, and regulatory regimes
The Head of Risk will serve as a key member of the Senior Management Team, shaping strategic decisions, engaging with regulators and stakeholders, and building a resilient risk culture that supports long-term growth
Provide visionary leadership in designing and institutionalising a comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, ensuring it is dynamic, forward-looking, and fully integrated into the organisation’s strategic planning and operational execution
Act as a trusted advisor to Senior Management and the Board of Directors on all risk-related matters (with the exception of AML Risk), articulating the firm’s risk profile, emerging threats, and mitigation strategies with clarity, precision, and authority
Drive the development and oversight of market, credit, and liquidity risk frameworks, ensuring robust risk identification, real-time exposure management, and alignment with evolving trading activities, treasury practices, and capital adequacy objectives
Oversee the enterprise-wide operational risk architecture, embedding strong internal controls across key functions such as custody, wallet infrastructure, customer onboarding, payments, and service operations, with a relentless focus on resilience and efficiency
Champion a proactive approach to technology and cyber risk management, collaborating closely with engineering, infrastructure, and cybersecurity leadership to ensure system integrity, data protection, and business continuity in a high-velocity environment
Partner with Legal, Compliance and Licensing to anticipate and navigate regulatory developments globally, ensuring risk-informed compliance strategies, licensing readiness, and sustainable scalability across jurisdictions and product lines
Lead the development of sophisticated risk analytics and reporting capabilities, delivering timely, actionable intelligence to senior stakeholders through automated dashboards, scenario planning, and stress testing frameworks
Serve as the Senior Management sponsor for incident response, post-mortem reviews, and cross-functional lessons-learned processes, ensuring accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement across the risk lifecycle
Build and inspire a high-impact risk organisation, fostering a culture of ownership, agility, and excellence while serving as a visible leader and change agent across the company’s global footprint
Cross-Functional Relationships incl.:
Senior Management and Leadership, including the CCO, CFO, COO, CEO, CTO, CISO, CIO (Chief Investment Officer), VP Head of Licensing, Director of Finance
Internal / external Legal Counsel
Head of Internal Audit / external audit partners
Regulators
Industry Peers

Our take

Since its 2012 founding, Bitfinex has consistently been one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, supporting over 150 currencies and offering multiple trading options. Its popularity is largely down to how user friendly it is for all levels of trader, from beginner to pro.

For all its popularity, it’s impossible to ignore the controversies the company has faced, along with its sister currency Tether. This includes hacking, a highly publicized settlement over an alleged $850 million loss cover-up, and its involvement in a shadow banking operation which landed the perpetrator 6 years in prison.

It’s also worth noting however, that bad press has dogged a lot of major players in the crypto world. Bitfinex’s supporters don’t seem to have been swayed by the headlines, and the company continues to move on. In 2022, it gained access to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and the company is hoping to gain regulatory approval and licensing around the world.