Risk and Compliance Manager
Career GuideKey Responsibilities
- Build and maintain a risk and compliance program
- Identify and assess business risks
- Create and update policies and standards
- Design and improve internal controls
- Plan and run compliance testing
- Lead risk and compliance reporting for leadership
- Manage regulatory and audit requests
- Investigate compliance issues and coordinate fixes
- Deliver compliance training and awareness
- Track issues and ensure corrective actions are completed
- Support third party risk reviews for vendors
- Partner with Legal, Finance, Security, and Operations teams
Top Skills for Success
Risk Assessment
Policy Development
Control Design
Audit Readiness
Regulatory Research
Issue Management
Stakeholder Management
Clear Writing
Data Analysis
Project Management
Incident Response Coordination
Vendor Risk Management
Career Progression
Can Lead To
Senior Risk and Compliance Manager
Director of Risk and Compliance
Head of Compliance
Chief Compliance Officer
Enterprise Risk Manager
Internal Audit Manager
Governance Risk and Compliance Lead
Transition Opportunities
Operational Risk Manager
Information Security Risk Manager
Privacy Manager
Financial Crime Compliance Manager
Quality and Regulatory Manager
Business Continuity Manager
Common Skill Gaps
Often Missing Skills
Control TestingRegulatory MappingMetrics ReportingRoot Cause AnalysisProcess DocumentationChange ManagementRisk Appetite Definition
Development SuggestionsPractice turning requirements into simple controls and test plans. Build a monthly dashboard with a small set of meaningful indicators. Strengthen investigation skills by using structured root cause analysis and documenting actions from discovery to closure.
Salary & Demand
Median Salary Range
Entry Level$75,000–$100,000
Mid Level$100,000–$140,000
Senior Level$140,000–$190,000
Growth Trend
Steady growth. Hiring is supported by tighter regulations, increased data privacy needs, stronger expectations from customers, and greater focus on operational resilience.Companies Hiring
Major Employers
JPMorgan ChaseBank of AmericaWells FargoCitigroupGoldman SachsMorgan StanleyUnitedHealth GroupCVS HealthPfizerJohnson and JohnsonAmazonMicrosoftDeloitteAccentureKPMG
Industry Sectors
BankingInsurancePaymentsHealthcarePharmaceuticalsMedical devicesTechnologyRetailManufacturingEnergyTelecommunicationsConsulting
Recommended Next Steps
1
Review job postings in your target industry and list the top 10 repeated requirements2
Build a portfolio example that includes a policy, a risk register, and a control test plan3
Strengthen reporting by creating a simple risk and compliance dashboard with clear metrics4
Take a recognized compliance or risk certification aligned to your industry5
Practice stakeholder communication by writing short executive updates that focus on impact and next actions6
Gain hands on exposure by supporting an internal audit, vendor review, or regulatory exam response