Director, Vendor Risk Management and T&E

Director, Vendor Risk Management and T&E

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The Director of Vendor Risk Management and T&E oversees third‑party risk assessments and ensures compliance with corporate travel and expense policies. This role supports enterprise risk mitigation by evaluating vendor relationships, monitoring contractual obligations, and ensuring regulatory adherence. Additionally, the Director manages the end‑to‑end travel and expense process—policy enforcement, expense auditing, and system optimization—to ensure cost efficiency and employee compliance.

• Maintain, develop, and execute a holistic third‑party risk strategy and roadmap aligned with regulatory standards and industry best practices.
• Support regulatory & audit activities—prepare for and respond to regulatory examinations and internal audits; collaborate on risk appetite statements and regulatory reporting.
• Optimize third‑party risk management by enhancing governance frameworks, streamlining processes, and leveraging technology to improve efficiency; partner with SMEs and business lines to implement best practices, deliver training, monitor key risk indicators, support regulatory exams and audits, and lead deployment of the Governance Risk and Compliance platform for full‑life‑cycle management.
• Develop dashboard presentations and reports, and provide periodic updates to various Risk Committees on the status of the third‑party risk management program.
• Provide appropriate guidance, advice, and credible challenge to internal vendor relationship managers and vendors.
• Identify and communicate aggregated vendor risks to business lines throughout the organization.
• Update and document due diligence tracking with real‑time status and elevate issues and concerns (e.g., oversight deficiencies, program concerns, and open risk items).
• Oversee corporate travel programs, including booking platforms and preferred vendor relationships.
• Lead and contribute to developing the T&E program within the firm, creating a policy and training support to employees on travel and expense policies.

• Ensure compliance with Northwest’s policies and procedures, and Federal/State regulations.
• Navigate Microsoft Office software, computer applications, and department‑specific software to maximize technology tools and efficiency.
• Work as part of a team.
• Work with on‑site equipment.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business Finance, or a related field.
• Juris Doctor Degree.

• 8–12 years of banking, legal, or regulatory experience.

• Understanding of contracts.
• Experience with regulators and regulatory matters.
• Experience with risk and control self‑assessments.
• Experience with operational risk programs.
• Experience with information security and IT management.
• Able to communicate effectively to senior leadership.
• Experience with oversight of risk and control self‑assessment activities.
• Evaluating completeness of identified risks and controls, and assessment of adherence to program requirements.
• Knowledge and experience with operational risk management frameworks.

Northwest is an equal‑opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.