We are seeking a seasoned fraud professional to lead the strategy, execution, and continuous optimization of fraud controls across debit cards, ACH-like products, and real-time payment rails (e.g., Zelle, RTP, Bill Pay). This role will own the end-to-end real-time decisioning ecosystem-including fraud rules, detection capabilities, risk assessments, and customer experience trade-offs-while partnering cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Risk, and Operations to deliver scalable, modern fraud prevention solutions.
The ideal candidate brings deep domain expertise in debit and real-time payments fraud, strong technical acumen in rules engines and analytics, and a proven ability to lead teams, influence stakeholders, and communicate complex risk narratives to senior leadership.
Key Responsibilities - Set Fraud Strategy & Coverage: Define fraud prevention strategy across debit and real-time payment channels, including risk appetite and control coverage.
- Own Real-Time Decisioning: Design and manage fraud rules, decision logic, and detection strategies within real-time decisioning platforms.
- Lead Platform & Capability Build: Drive enhancements and implementation of fraud rules engines and decisioning platforms in partnership with engineering.
- Optimize Performance Outcomes: Monitor and improve fraud detection, false positives, and client friction through ongoing control tuning and performance management.
- Leverage Data & Models: Use analytics and model insights to identify trends, refine strategies, and improve detection effectiveness.
- Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Risk, and Operations to embed fraud controls into customer journeys and new product launches.
- Influence Senior Stakeholders: Communicate fraud risk, performance, and trade-offs clearly through strong executive storytelling.
- Lead & Develop Team: Build and manage a high-performing team of fraud strategy and analytics professionals.
- Ensure Strong Governance: Maintain disciplined control testing, monitoring, and adherence to risk and regulatory standards.
Qualifications Required Experience
- 10 + years in fraud risk, payments risk, or financial crimes
- Deep expertise in: Debit card fraud (CNP and CP) Real-time payments (Zelle, RTP, P2P, Bill Pay and other emerging payments)
- 5+ years of people management experience leading high-performing teams
- Proven experience managing real-time fraud decisioning environments and rules strategies
- Strong experience partnering across Product, Engineering, Risk, and Operations
- Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, Finance, Computer Science, or a related field. Graduate degree preferred.
Technical & Analytical Skills
- Expertise in fraud rules engines / decisioning platforms
- Strong analytical capabilities (data analysis, segmentation, performance optimization)
- Working knowledge of fraud models / machine learning concepts and model governance
- Ability to translate data into actionable fraud strategies and business decisions
- Strong experience with analytical tools such as Python, R, SAS, SQL, and platforms such as Tableau or Power BI.
Leadership & Communication
- Strong stakeholder management with ability to influence senior leaders
- Excellent communication and executive storytelling skills
- Highly collaborative with a track record of driving alignment across teams
Special Factors Sponsorship Vanguard is offering visa sponsorship for this position.
About Vanguard At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission-we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
How We Work Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.
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