About this role
Wells Fargo is seeking a strategic and influential risk leader to join Wealth & Investment Management (WIM) as a WIM Senior Privacy & Strategic Risk Lead, serving as a trusted advisor across several critical risk programs, with primary responsibility for Privacy leadership and oversight.
This highly visible role sits within the WIM front-line risk shared services organization and provides advisory, governance, and program leadership across Privacy, Technology & Information Security Risk, Data Loss Prevention, Compromised Data, Physical Security Risk, and other strategic risk programs and initiatives. The successful candidate will partner closely with business leaders and stakeholders, Legal, Independent Risk Management, Control, and Technology teams to identify emerging risks, strengthen governance, influence enterprise decisions, and deliver practical solutions that support both risk management and business objectives.
This role requires a self-directed leader who can quickly become productive, navigate ambiguity, and partner across multiple disciplines to advance key business and risk priorities. The ideal candidate thrives in complex environments, demonstrates strong executive presence, builds credibility quickly, and balances strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
In this role, you will:
- Serve as the primary Privacy Risk leader for Wealth & Investment Management, representing business interests in enterprise privacy initiatives, governance forums, policy implementations, and exams, as well as advising on privacy risk assessments throughout WIM.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and business partners on privacy, technology risk, information security, data governance, and emerging risk matters impacting the business.
- Lead the implementation, oversight, and continuous improvement of risk programs including Privacy, Technology & Information Security Risk, Data Loss Prevention, Compromised Data, and Physical Security Risk.
- Interpret regulatory, policy, and control requirements and translate them into practical business solutions that effectively mitigate risk while enabling business objectives.
- Partner across business, Legal, Independent Risk Management, Control, and Technology teams to assess risks and implement effective solutions.
- Drive governance, issue management, control oversight, monitoring, reporting, and remediation activities across multiple risk domains.
- Represent WIM in enterprise-level discussions, advocating for business needs while promoting sound risk management practices.
- Develop executive-level communications, presentations, and reporting materials for leadership teams, governance committees, and enterprise forums.
- Influence outcomes across a highly matrixed organization where success depends on building strong relationships, fostering collaboration, and aligning stakeholders.
- Lead response efforts related to urgent privacy, data protection, and risk management issues while exercising sound judgment and appropriate urgency.
- Identify opportunities to enhance controls, simplify processes, and leverage technology, automation, and AI-driven solutions to improve program effectiveness.
- Provide strategic consultation on new business initiatives, marketing activities, products, and operational changes to ensure risk considerations are appropriately addressed.
- Support the development and evolution of risk management frameworks, governance practices, and control environments across WIM.
- Serve as a key partner and backup support resource across parallel risk programs, including Insider Threat, Records, and other emerging strategic risk initiatives.
Required Qualifications:
- 7+ years of risk management, business controls, quality assurance, business operations, compliance, or process experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience within financial services, wealth management, banking, or another highly regulated industry.
- Demonstrated expertise in privacy risk management, governance, policy interpretation, privacy program leadership, or privacy advisory functions.
- Deep expertise in risk and control management and/or consulting.
- Understanding of privacy and data protection regulations impacting financial services, including Regulation S-P, GLBA, and state privacy laws.
- Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) preferred.
- Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM).
- Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM).
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
- Juris Doctor (JD) or other advanced degree preferred but not required.
- Experience working for a federal financial services regulator.
- Experience serving as a Chief Privacy Officer, Head of Privacy, Group Privacy Leader, Risk/Control/Compliance Executive, or similar governance leadership.
- Experience partnering with executive leadership and influencing decisions across large, matrixed organizations.
- Experience with technology risk, information security, operational risk, control design, issue management, governance, or regulatory compliance programs.
- Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, independently identify priorities, and drive results in complex environments.
- Strong business judgment with the ability to balance risk management requirements and business objectives.
- Experience supporting audits, regulatory examinations, risk assessments, issue remediation, or regulatory change initiatives.
- Demonstrated success building partnerships and influencing stakeholders without direct authority.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
- Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and executive communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a strong sense of ownership, urgency, and attention to detail.
- Experience leveraging technology, automation, data analytics, or AI-enabled solutions to improve business processes or risk management capabilities.
Job Expectations
- Quickly develop an understanding of WIM's privacy, technology risk, information security, and strategic risk landscape and establish credibility as a trusted advisor.
- Take ownership of critical risk programs with limited direction, proactively identifying priorities, stakeholders, and opportunities for improvement.
- Serve as a confident and effective representative for WIM in enterprise forums, governance discussions, policy reviews, and stakeholder engagements.
- Develop strong relationships across business, risk, legal, independent risk management, control, and technology teams to drive effective risk management outcomes.
- Apply sound judgment and act with urgency when addressing privacy matters, emerging risks, operational issues, and business-critical requests.
- Translate complex policy, regulatory, and control requirements into practical, business-focused solutions.
- Influence decision-making and gain stakeholder alignment in a matrixed environment where success often depends on collaboration rather than direct authority.
- Continuously assess and enhance risk programs, controls, processes, and governance practices to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
- Embrace technology, automation, and AI-driven capabilities to streamline processes and focus efforts on high-value risk management activities.
- Demonstrate intellectual curiosity, challenge assumptions appropriately, and seek opportunities to strengthen the overall control environment.
- Effectively manage multiple priorities while maintaining a strong sense of accountability, ownership, and attention to detail.
- Balance strategic thinking with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and execute against critical business and risk objectives.
Pay Range
Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.
$159,000.00 - $279,000.00
Benefits
Wells Fargo provides eligible employees with a comprehensive set of benefits, many of which are listed below. Visit Benefits - Wells Fargo Jobs for an overview of the following benefit plans and programs offered to employees.
- Health benefits
- 401(k) Plan
- Paid time off
- Disability benefits
- Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
- Parental leave
- Critical caregiving leave
- Discounts and savings
- Commuter benefits
- Tuition reimbursement
- Scholarships for dependent children
- Adoption reimbursement
Posting End Date
1 Oct 2026
*Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.
We Value Equal Opportunity
Wells Fargo is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit’s risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.
Applicants with Disabilities
To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit
Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo
.
Drug and Alcohol Policy
Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace. Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.
Wells Fargo Recruitment and Hiring Requirements
a. Third-Party recordings are prohibited unless authorized by Wells Fargo.
b. Wells Fargo requires you to directly represent your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process.