Director, Operational Risk

Ready to be pushed beyond what you think you’re capable of? At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world. It’s a massive, ambitious opportunity that demands the best of us, every day, as we build the emerging onchain platform — and with it, the future global financial system. To achieve our mission, we’re seeking a very specific candidate. We want someone who is passionate about our mission and who believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology to update the financial system. We want someone who is eager to leave their mark on the world, who relishes the pressure and privilege of working with high caliber colleagues, and who actively seeks feedback to keep leveling up. We want someone who will run towards, not away from, solving the company’s hardest problems. Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone. But if you want to build the future alongside others who excel in their disciplines and expect the same from you, there’s no better place to be. While many roles at Coinbase are remote-first, we are not remote-only. In-person participation is required throughout the year. Team and company-wide offsites are held multiple times annually to foster collaboration, connection, and alignment. Attendance is expected and fully supported. Coinbase is looking for a Director of Operational Risk, reporting to the VP of Financial & Operational Risk, to mature this global second-line function. This role will work cross-functionally with Technology Risk, Enterprise Risk, and product and engineering teams across the company to ensure Coinbase effectively identifies and manages its operational risk and resiliency. This is a high-impact leadership position that ensures we identify and mitigate systemic vulnerabilities while enabling the business to scale safely. What you’ll be doing (ie. job duties): Lead the global Operational Risk function, evolving the second line of defense framework across the entire organization. Identify and measure operational risks, including via managing the Risk and Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) program, and recommend and prioritize best practice controls to maintain operational risk within appetite Develop and monitor Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) to provide senior leadership and the Board with data-driven insights into the company’s operational health. Evolve the operational incident management process. Perform root cause analysis, scenario stress testing, and track remediation efforts to prevent recurrence of systemic failures or losses. Evaluate the operational readiness and risk profile of new business initiatives. Oversee Operational Resiliency, including business continuity and crisis management. Embed resiliency into the product lifecycle, ensuring the firm can maintain critical services through disruptions by aligning with global standards and local regulatory requirements. What we look for in you (ie. job requirements): 15+ years of operational risk management experience within a regulated financial institution or fintech. Deep expertise in ORM frameworks and a proven track record of implementing scalable programs. Collaborative business partner while remaining able to challenge first-line owners effectively. Clear communicator who can translate complex operational failures into actionable insights for senior stakeholders. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, operate flexibly in a high-growth environment, and drive effective solutions. Nice to haves: Crypto industry experience. Advanced degree or professional risk certifications. PID: P75779 Pay Transparency Notice: Depending on your work location, the target annual base salary for this position can range as detailed below. Total compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility and benefits (including medical, dental, vision and 401(k)). Annual base salary range (excluding equity and bonus): $245,140—$288,400 USD Please be advised that each candidate may submit a maximum of four applications within any 30-day period. We encourage you to carefully evaluate how your skills and interests align with Coinbase's roles before applying. Commitment to Equal Opportunity Coinbase is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by applicable law. Coinbase will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. For US applicants, you may view the Employee Rights and the Know Your Rights notices by clicking on their corresponding links. Additionally, Coinbase participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Coinbase is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at accommodations[at]coinbase.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. For quick access to screen reading technology compatible with this site click here to download a free compatible screen reader (free step by step tutorial can be found here). Global Data Privacy Notice for Job Candidates and Applicants Depending on your location, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may regulate the way we manage the data of job applicants. Our full notice outlining how data will be processed as part of the application procedure for applicable locations is available here. By submitting your application, you are agreeing to our use and processing of your data as required. For US applicants only, by submitting your application you are agreeing to arbitration of disputes as outlined here. AI Disclosure For select roles, Coinbase is piloting an AI tool based on machine learning technologies to conduct initial screening interviews to qualified applicants. The tool simulates realistic interview scenarios and engages in dynamic conversation. A human recruiter will review your interview responses, provided in the form of a voice recording and/or transcript, to assess them against the qualifications and characteristics outlined in the job description. For select roles, Coinbase is also piloting an AI interview intelligence platform to transcribe and summarize interview notes, allowing our interviewers to fully focus on you as the candidate. The above pilots are for testing purposes and Coinbase will not use AI to make decisions impacting employment. To request a reasonable accommodation due to disability, please contact accommodations[at]coinbase.com