Principal, Strategy and Transformation

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze℠, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses.

Positions located in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York follow a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

Overall Purpose

The Principal, Strategy and Transformation is a senior individual contributor role for advancing Risk strategy and leading complex, cross-functional strategic initiatives specifically supporting Zelle International initiative. This role will strengthen the initiative’s risk capabilities, operating models, and execution.

This role translates Risk and business priorities into actionable strategies, frameworks, programs, and implementation plans and leads initiatives from concept and design through execution and adoption. The role may represent Risk as the lead for significant enterprise programs, coordinating Risk workstreams across functions and ensuring that Risk requirements, dependencies, decisions, and deliverables are effectively integrated into broader program objectives.

Operating with significant autonomy and independent judgment, this role partners with senior and executive leaders across the organization, facilitates alignment on complex issues, and communicates Risk strategy, program progress, emerging risks, and recommendations in a clear and executive-ready manner.

Essential Functions

Risk Strategy and Planning

• Translate enterprise and Risk priorities into functional strategies, roadmaps, initiatives, and execution plans that mature Risk capabilities and support business objectives.

• Support the development and ongoing evolution of short- and long-term Risk planning and priorities.

• Identify and assess emerging risk-management practices, industry developments, regulatory considerations, and business trends and translate them into relevant implications and recommendations.

• Connect Risk strategy with business priorities, operating needs, and execution across relevant functions.

• Apply structured problem-solving and sound judgment to complex or ambiguous issues, synthesizing information into actionable recommendations.

Strategic Program and Workstream Leadership

• Lead the Risk workstream for large, complex, cross-functional enterprise programs, representing Risk throughout planning, design, development, implementation, and execution.

• Translate program objectives into an integrated Risk workplan with defined deliverables, milestones, dependencies, decision points, owners, and success measures.

• Establish and maintain appropriate governance, operating rhythms, escalation paths, and reporting mechanisms to support effective execution.

• Coordinate activities across Risk teams and business partners to ensure requirements, decisions, dependencies, and deliverables are understood and appropriately incorporated into broader program plans.

• Proactively identify execution risks, constraints, dependencies, and emerging issues; facilitate resolution and escalate matters requiring senior leadership decisions.

• Monitor progress against commitments and drive accountability for timely completion of Risk deliverables.

• Provide clear and concise program updates to senior and executive stakeholders, including progress, decisions, risks, dependencies, and recommended actions.

• Partner with program and workstream leaders across the organization to resolve competing priorities and maintain alignment on intended outcomes.

Risk Framework, Program, and Capability Development

• Lead the design, development, implementation, and ongoing maturation of Risk frameworks, programs, capabilities, and operating models.

• Define roles, responsibilities, processes, governance, controls, measures, and operating practices required to support sustainable Risk capabilities.

• Guide initiatives from initial concept and assessment through design, implementation, adoption, and measurement of outcomes.

• Identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness, scalability, integration, and consistency of Risk processes and capabilities.

• Partner with first- and second-line Risk teams and other stakeholders to strengthen integration and consistency of Risk practices and outcomes.

• Maintain an end-to-end perspective of how Risk activities, business processes, controls, stakeholders, and program dependencies interact.

Executive Communication and Stakeholder Alignment

• Serve as a trusted Risk advisor to senior and executive stakeholders on strategic initiatives, program execution, and Risk capability development.

• Synthesize complex Risk, regulatory, operational, and program information into clear narratives and decision-ready recommendations.

• Develop concise, executive-ready presentations and materials that communicate strategy, program status, key decisions, risks, and outcomes.

• Facilitate executive forums, working sessions, governance meetings, and decision discussions.

• Influence outcomes across functions and levels without direct authority and create alignment on priorities, ownership, decisions, and next steps.

• Review key deliverables to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with intended strategic outcomes.

• Promote accountability, disciplined execution, collaboration, and continuous improvement across initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education and experience typically obtained through completion of a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Risk Management, Finance, Program Management, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work experience.

• Typically has 15 years of experience or demonstrated portfolio consistent with experience required of the role.

• Demonstrated experience in risk management, enterprise or functional strategy, strategic program leadership, transformation, business operations, or related disciplines.

• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from planning and design through execution.

• Experience establishing program governance, integrated workplans, milestones, dependencies, success measures, and executive reporting.

• Demonstrated ability to identify and manage program risks, issues, dependencies, and competing priorities across multiple stakeholders.

• Strong analytical and structured problem-solving capabilities, including the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous or evolving situations.

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment and accountability without direct authority.

• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and executive communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex information for different audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to develop actionable strategies, frameworks, programs, operating models, or organizational capabilities.

• Background and drug screen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading Risk workstreams within large-scale enterprise programs or business transformations.

• Experience designing or implementing Risk frameworks, programs, capabilities, governance structures, or operating models.

• Experience in payments, banking, fintech, financial services technology, or another regulated environment.

• Experience partnering across first- and second-line Risk functions.

• Experience supporting initiatives involving multiple internal functions and external partners.

• Relevant Risk management, program management, or related professional certification.

Physical Requirements

Working conditions consist of a normal office envi