Head of Risk

Lead risk management activities for Aave Protocol, protecting the protocol and its users while overseeing risk frameworks, parameters, collateral onboarding, liquidation performance, market structure analysis, and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build the Risk function, setting direction, priorities, and standards
• Own and evolve risk management frameworks and policies
• Coordinate with external risk service provider teams to align on risk parameters
• Set, monitor, and adjust protocol risk parameters across deployments and markets
• Approve and sign off on collateral onboarding decisions and risk assessments
• Review liquidation performance and recommend improvements to liquidation mechanisms
• Lead risk governance processes and present risk analyses to the DAO
• Monitor market structure changes and their implications for protocol risk
• Take full accountability for risk outcomes and drive a culture of ownership within the function

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in risk management, with a strong preference for DeFi or crypto-native experience
• Proven experience leading and managing a risk team
• Deep understanding of DeFi protocols, markets, governance, parameters, and risk dynamics
• Strong grasp of market structure, portfolio risk management, and stress testing methodologies
• Experience working with or managing external risk service providers
• Strong sense of accountability and ownership
• Excellent judgment under uncertainty
• Strong communication skills for governance proposals, risk reports, and stakeholder alignment
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Previous experience working directly with DeFi governance processes
• Background in traditional finance risk management
• Familiarity with risk tooling and simulation platforms used in DeFi