Business Risk & Control Officer, Square Financial Services

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams - People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more - provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.
The Role
Square Financial Services, Inc. (the "Bank" or "SFS") is a wholly owned subsidiary of Block, Inc., operating under an industrial bank charter granted by the Utah Department of Financial Institutions (UDFI) and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Since opening in 2021, SFS has supported Block's mission of economic empowerment by delivering responsible lending and savings solutions that help small businesses and consumers thrive.
The Business Risk & Control Officer ("BRCO") ensures SFS moves at fintech speed while maintaining bank-level safety and soundness. This role embeds risk thinking into the first line of defense (the "FLOD") by designing and implementing scalable, automated, and well-controlled processes that support SFS's growth trajectory and Block's broader ecosystem.
Reporting directly to the CEO, the BRCO acts as a horizontal integrator across the FLOD - Product, Credit, and Operations - bridging functions and driving front-to-back accountability. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable shaping enterprise-level risk strategy, presenting to key stakeholders including the Bank Board, and driving implementation of tactical process improvements across the Bank.
This role focuses on three primary mandates:

• Risk, Control & Issue Management: Building and embedding robust first-line control frameworks.
• Process Improvement & Industrialization: Optimizing and automating business processes for scale and efficiency.
• Business Support: Supporting future-state business and product operating models

You Will
Risk, Control & Issue Management

• Establish and maintain a comprehensive front-to-back Process-Risk-Control ("PRC") framework across all business and product functions.
• Partner with Product, Credit, and Operations to embed risk assessment, control design, and testing into daily business execution.
• Maintain process inventories, control documentation, and standardized testing methodologies.
• Coordinate with the Chief Risk Officer and Chief Compliance Officer to ensure alignment across credit, operational, compliance, and cybersecurity risks.
• Lead the issue management process: identify, categorize, and track operational risk issues from discovery through closure, ensuring accountability and timely remediation.
• Produce regular risk reporting for executive management and quarterly updates to the Board on issue trends, control performance, and emerging risks.
• Partner with business leaders to conduct product risk assessments for new or enhanced offerings and ensure appropriate sign-off before launch.

Process Improvement & Industrialization

• Lead continuous improvement efforts to reduce operational complexity and risk while enhancing scalability.
• Identify manual or inefficient processes and develop automation or reengineering solutions with clear ROI and risk reduction.
• Facilitate end-to-end process walkthroughs and challenge current state designs to ensure clear ownership and effective execution.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to drive consistency and operational leverage as volumes grow.
• Partner with Finance to monitor operational expense performance and identify efficiency opportunities.
• Evaluate and oversee the use of AI, automation and other emerging technologies to streamline operations and improve decision-making.

Business Support

• Partner with the Chief Banking Officer to shape SFS's future business model
• Develop and implement risk and control frameworks for existing and new products and services, ensuring compliance with banking regulatory requirements .
• Design and advise on operating models that support scaling new products and services.

You Have

• 12+ years of professional experience in banking, financial services, or fintech, with 5+ years in risk management, operations, or control leadership.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Operations, or related field required.
• Deep understanding of first-line risk and control frameworks and practical experience embedding them into fast-moving, technology-enabled environments.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in both strategic and hands-on roles, balancing detail orientation with executive-level communication.
• Proven success working cross-functionally with Product, Risk, and Operations teams in highly matrixed organizations.
• Strong understanding of regulatory expectations for operational risk, AI/ML governance, model risk, and third-party/vendor oversight.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence across all levels.
• Experience engaging with auditors and regulators preferred.

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.
Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.
To find a location's zone designation, please refer to this resource . If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.
Zone A:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Zone B:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Zone C:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Zone D:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Use of AI in Our Hiring Process
We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws.
Contact us at [email protected] with hiring practice or data usage questions.
Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.