Director, HR First Line Controls Management & Oversight

Overview

We are looking for a passionate risk and controls professional with past experience building and managing a best-in-class controls environment.

This role will report directly to the Head of HR Crew Experience and Strategic Support Services the central resources team for Vanguard’s HR Division.

In this role, you will design, lead, and manage a robust HR 1st line controls environment. You will partner closely with senior leaders to drive a risk-smart culture as well as manage corporate initiatives in partnership with 2nd line risk and our 3rd line audit team.

In this role you will

• Design, build, oversee, and manage a best-in-class HR controls environment. Lead the on-going documentation, review, testing, and implementation of HR business controls by leveraging best practices internally and externally to establish an effective first line of defense .
• Set and lead overall control programs for Vanguard HR, both internally and externally, ensuring an effective control environment to properly manage risk.

Identifies divisional / business risks or gaps and oversees continuous improvement of processes across HR. Ensures compliance with regulations and mitigate enterprise-wide business risk.

Lead coordination of external and internal audits.

• Build a HR vendor management governance and oversight capability, adopting the central standards from enterprise. Work closely with HR vendor owners to ensure best practices are in-place, documented, and operating in accordance with our business continuity, controls, and risk standards.
• Partner with HR 2nd line risk to develop our consistent and robust HR risk management processes related to risk identification, risk assessment, issue and incident management, reporting, and training.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships across 2nd line (risk, compliance, legal) and 3rd line (audit) to ensure strong support across enterprise-wide initiatives and a consistent risk management approach.

Partner closely with all 3 lines to coordinates divisional / business control activities across the enterprise.

• Provide decision support and make key decisions that provide strategic direction for business controls.
• Coach, guide, and develop a team of HR controls / risk professionals. Provide guidance, training, and motivation as necessary to develop employees (Vanguard crew).

Set performance standards, review performance, provide feedback, and make informed compensation decisions in accordance with all applicable Human Resources policies and procedures.

• Maintain an expert level of Vanguard and industry knowledge. Keep current on Vanguard policies and objectives, continue to expand knowledge of the business and industry, and keep current on competition.
• Review all applicable current and future regulatory requirements to ensure effective controls, procedures and oversight reviews are in place.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

What it takes

• Minimum of ten years related work experience. Supervisory experience preferred.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience. Graduate degree preferred.
• Experience building and implementing a controls or risk program.

The ideal candidate excels at these top capabilities

• Change management : The ability to lead through transitions and transformations. Knowledge of and ability to align the organization's people and culture with changes in business strategy, organizational structure, technology, and business processes to facilitate the adoption of new offers or strategies.
• Strategic thinking : Working through ambiguity, seeing the big picture, and identifying future possibilities.
• Persuasion and Influence : Understands the importance of insightful listening and can provide information and messages in a way that produces clarity and impact.

Exhibits a high level of cultural competence and authenticity to garner the respect, trust, and support of others to constructively challenge the status quo often in circumstances without formal authority.

Results orientation : Setting high personal standards of excellence and continuously looking for ways to improve performance.

Investing and taking appropriate risks while evaluating potential return.

• Collaboration : Listening and exuding confidence to effectively interact with internal partners including (but not limited to) HR teams, Legal, Finance, IT and Data and Analytics, with humility, transparency, inclusivity, and agility.
• Solving problems with data and analysis : Leveraging insights to prioritize resources and investments and pivot on less effective strategies.
• Developing talent : Proactively engaging external talent, building, and nurturing internal talent; empowering individuals and managing diverse teams to drive engagement and performance.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

We are Vanguard. Together, we’re changing the way the world invests.

For us, investing doesn’t just end in value. It starts with values. Because when you invest with courage, when you invest with clarity, and when you invest with care, you can get so much more in return.

We invest with purpose and that’s how we’ve become a global market leader. Here, we grow by doing the right thing for the people we serve. And so can you.

We want to make success accessible to everyone. This is our opportunity. Let’s make it count.

Inclusion Statement

Vanguard’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusion is firmly rooted in our culture. Every decision we make to best serve our clients, crew (internally employees are referred to as crew), and communities is guided by one simple statement : Do the right thing.

We believe that a critical aspect of doing the right thing requires building diverse, inclusive, and highly effective teams of individuals who are as unique as the clients they serve.

We empower our crew to contribute their distinct strengths to achieving Vanguard’s core purpose through our values.

When all crew members feel valued and included, our ability to collaborate and innovate is amplified, and we are united in delivering on Vanguard's core purpose.

Our core purpose : To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection.

We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.