Sr. Director, Risk Management - Network Policy and Rules Advisory

Sr. Director, Risk Management - Network Policy and Rules Advisory Job Description

The Senior Director, Network Policy & Rules Advisory is a senior, subject-matter expert and strategic advisor responsible for ensuring Discover’s Global Payment Network rules, technical specification and other policies are aligned, current and consistent with industry best practice. This role leads a team of experienced payments professionals to provide an expert advisory and effective challenge function across network initiatives while also leading the modernization and re-architecture of network rules and integration of a rules management and publishing platform to support scalability, transparency and operational efficiency.

This role operates at the intersection of legal, policy, technology and network governance, partnering closely with Legal, Product, Risk, Technology and Operations leaders.

• Serve as a senior advisor and authoritative voice on network rules, operating frameworks, industry standards and recent developments across payments and platform ecosystems
• Provide independent review, industry intelligence and effective challenge to proposed rule changes, product initiatives and network strategies to ensure consistency, clarity and alignment with industry best practices
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies and unintended consequences in the design and implementation of proposed network rules and technical specifications, recommending pragmatic, durable solutions
• Lead, oversee and manage Operating Regulation waiver requests and related processes
• Act as business sponsor and subject-matter lead for the modernization and simplification of the Global Payment Network rules framework and implementation of a rules management and publishing platform
• Mentor, inspire and lead a team of policy advisory professionals, enhancing capability and consistency across the function
• Build strong working relationships with senior stakeholders across Legal, Risk, Product, Technology, Operations and external partners
• Influence outcomes through expertise, credibility and structured reasoning rather than formal authority
• Champion the use of technology (including AI-enables tools where appropriate) to improve rule and specification quality, consistency and operational efficiency, while retaining clear human accountability

• Bachelors Degree or Military Experience
• At least 6 years of experience in an consulting or advisory role within payments or financial services industry
• At least 2 years of experience working with payments network operating rules within a payments network, acquiring or issuing environment

• Prior experience in payments network rules, operating regulations or scheme governance, including multi-party contractual frameworks, preferably working at or closely with card networks, real-time payments networks, clearing and settlement systems or large-scale platforms
• Experience sponsoring or leading delivery of rules management, policy authoring or other publishing systems

At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.

The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.

Chicago, IL: $217,000 - $247,700 for Sr. Director, Risk Management

McLean, VA: $238,700 - $272,400 for Sr. Director, Risk Management

New York, NY: $260,400 - $297,200 for Sr. Director, Risk Management

Riverwoods, IL: $217,000 - $247,700 for Sr. Director, Risk Management

Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.

This role is also eligible to earn performance based incentive compensation, which may include…