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Head of RISK ESG

BNP Paribas CIB Spain Added on Sep 15, 2026
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The Head of RISK ESG in Madrid takes the lead on embedding environmental, social, and governance factors into the structural risk framework of a global financial powerhouse. You will manage a growing team of experts, acting as a bridge between the Madrid hub and central leadership in Paris and London to ensure risk management remains robust against emerging climate and social pressures. Your work involves translating high-level ESG strategy into actionable oversight and rigorous analytical reports for top-tier management.

This role is vital because it places you at the steering wheel of the transition to sustainable development within a systemic European bank. By identifying and mitigating ESG-related credit, market, and operational risks, you directly influence how capital is allocated toward a greener economy and ensure the institution remains resilient against physical and transition climate risks. It is a strategic gatekeeper position where technical risk expertise meets genuine planetary impact.

This suits someone who possesses extensive experience in banking risk or audit and thrives in a high-stakes, transversal environment. You should be a natural leader who enjoys coaching diverse teams while navigating complex regulatory landscapes across multiple European jurisdictions.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission is to lead the RISK ESG Madrid Hub, ensuring the team delivers high-quality analysis across credit, market, and operational risk domains. You will act as a senior representative in the Management Committee, bridging the gap between local execution and global strategy. Responsibility extends to producing strategic notes for the Group CRO and Board, focusing on emerging ESG themes and performance signals. You will also oversee the closure of supervisory recommendations and the integration of nature-related risks into existing frameworks.

Key learning opportunities for this job

You will gain deep expertise in supervisory ESG expectations, including direct exposure to On-Site Inspection (OSI) processes and evolving regulatory requirements from European banking authorities. This role provides a front-row seat to how a major bank operationalizes nature risk and climate transition metrics. Furthermore, the multi-manager, international setup offers a masterclass in cross-border leadership. You will learn to navigate the complexities of a global banking group while honing your ability to influence high-level strategy at the intersection of finance and sustainability.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate brings over 15 years of experience in Risk Management, Audit, or Inspection Générale within the financial services sector. While a deep understanding of ESG is highly beneficial, a proven track record of managing technical teams and driving transversal workstreams is paramount. Soft skills are just as critical; you need the ability to synthesize complex data into clear insights for senior executives. Fluency in English and French is required to effectively collaborate with the Paris and London hubs, while Spanish proficiency supports local team integration.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Focus your application on your leadership philosophy and your ability to manage decentralized teams. Provide concrete examples of where you have successfully integrated new risk drivers into established frameworks or handled complex regulatory audits. Highlight your trilingual capabilities and cultural agility, as the role requires constant coordination between the Spanish, French, and UK offices. Align your personal values with the bank's goal of being the preferred partner for clients in their transition to sustainable development.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role focuses heavily on transition and physical risks associated with climate change, ensuring they are embedded into credit and market risk assessments. This includes the development of ESG-A questionnaires and portfolio deep dives to identify vulnerabilities. There is also a growing focus on nature-related risks and biodiversity loss. You will work to ensure that the bank's operational and credit frameworks reflect the potential financial impacts of environmental degradation, aligning with global reporting standards.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

A significant challenge will be resource optimization in a fast-evolving regulatory landscape where priorities can shift rapidly. You must balance the demands of business-as-usual risk oversight with high-priority strategic projects and supervisory inspections. Additionally, managing a multi-location team requires meticulous communication to ensure consistency in risk assessment methodologies. You will need to maintain high standards of delivery while fostering a sense of belonging for the Madrid-based team within the wider international structure.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day involves a mix of coaching sessions with Madrid team members and strategic synchronization meetings with the Paris and London RISK ESG heads. You might spend the morning reviewing a strategic note for the Group CRO and the afternoon coordinating a supervisory response. Visibility is key, so you will frequently interact with the Management Committee to represent the hub's progress. The work is highly varied, ranging from deep-dive technical reviews of credit portfolios to high-level resource planning and talent development initiatives.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This position offers significant senior leadership exposure, placing you in direct contact with the Head of RISK ESG and the Group CRO. Success in this role can lead to executive positions within the broader Risk function or specialized ESG leadership roles across the bank's global network. Given the bank's presence in 65 countries, there are ample opportunities for international mobility. The role also serves as a gateway to becoming a thought leader in the rapidly maturing field of ESG risk within the European banking sector.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will primarily interact with the Head of RISK ESG and the local Madrid RISK Hub management. Externally, your work will be visible to banking supervisors and auditors during inspections and regulatory reviews. Internal stakeholders also include the Group Chief Risk Officer (CRO), Board members, and colleagues in Credit Risk, Market Risk, and Operational Risk teams. Collaborating with these diverse groups ensures that ESG considerations are not siloed but integrated throughout the entire risk function.

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