How to hire a risk manager

How to hire a risk manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step risk manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a risk manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new risk manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a risk manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the risk manager you need to hire. Certain risk manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A risk manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, risk managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents risk manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Risk Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Risk Manager	Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	$40-76
   Credit And Collection Manager	A credit and collection manager is responsible for evaluating credit services and supervising the credit and collection team in reaching out to clients with outstanding debts and credit applications. Credit and collection managers oversee the cash flow systems and identify opportunities to minimize excessive loss and resolve credit disputes... Show more	$22-52
   Administrative & Finance Manager	An administrative and finance manager handles a company's expenditures, requests, invoices, and other financial documentation. Their primary duty is to oversee a finance team's daily work... Show more	$26-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Oversight
   • Risk Assessments
   • Project Management
   • Portfolio
   • Strong Analytical
   • Operational Risk
   • Risk Management
   • Patient Safety
   • Internal Audit
   • Patients
   • Credit Risk
   • Regulatory Compliance
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • SQL

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead team in addressing Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, and SAS70 compliance and control mandates.
   • Develop procedures and policies to manage site implementation of successful JD Edwards ERP system.
   • Direct staff, manage A/R and reconciliations, petty cash disbursements and tracking of all incoming claims and payments.
   • Manage the loan loss receivables SAS data mart, document change initiatives, implement SAS coding changes and process ongoing updates.
   • Manage accounting procedures and general ledger reconciliations.
   • Lead SOX project planning and implementation, successfully implement the corporate governance policies and internal control framework.

   More risk manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the risk manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A risk manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a risk manager in Florida may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level risk manager. Additionally, a risk manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average risk manager salary

   $116,072yearly

   $55.80 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level risk manager salary

   $84,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average risk manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$135,721	$65
   2	New York	$123,640	$59
   3	Connecticut	$121,662	$58
   4	Massachusetts	$119,966	$58
   5	Delaware	$117,699	$57
   6	New Jersey	$115,505	$56
   7	Virginia	$115,266	$55
   8	Washington	$114,233	$55
   9	District of Columbia	$114,006	$55
   10	Ohio	$113,042	$54
   11	Illinois	$108,327	$52
   12	Maryland	$107,225	$52
   13	Michigan	$106,893	$51
   14	North Carolina	$106,632	$51
   15	Pennsylvania	$105,491	$51
   16	Maine	$104,710	$50
   17	Nevada	$101,459	$49
   18	Oregon	$100,920	$49
   19	Georgia	$99,843	$48
   20	Minnesota	$99,003	$48

   Average risk manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Credit Karma	$165,496	$79.57
   2	Brex	$152,637	$73.38	4
   3	Meta	$152,514	$73.32	36
   4	McKinsey & Company Inc	$150,499	$72.36
   5	Apple	$149,764	$72.00	8
   6	Coinbase	$147,768	$71.04	136
   7	Lyft	$146,153	$70.27	6
   8	Fundbox	$144,643	$69.54
   9	First Republic Bank	$142,316	$68.42
   10	Chime	$141,552	$68.05	5
   11	Bill.com	$140,888	$67.73	7
   12	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	$140,464	$67.53	10
   13	Tudor Funds	$140,395	$67.50
   14	Santander Private Banking International	$140,023	$67.32	8
   15	Better	$139,928	$67.27
   16	PayPal	$139,829	$67.23	3
   17	SoFi	$139,720	$67.17	21
   18	Bunge	$139,353	$67.00	6
   19	Southern California Edison	$138,349	$66.51	1
   20	Western Alliance Bank	$138,187	$66.44	42

4. Writing a risk manager job description

   A job description for a risk manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a risk manager job description:

   Risk manager job description example

   Mazars in US is an independent member firm of Mazars Group, an international audit, tax and advisory organization with operations in over 90 countries. With roots going back to 1921 in the US, the firm has significant national presence in strategic geographies, providing seamless access to 26,000+ professionals around the world. Our industry specialists deliver tailored services to a wide range of clients across sectors, including individuals, high-growth emerging companies, privately-owned businesses and large enterprises.
   
   Mazars works as a single, integrated team, committed to helping our clients and people succeed by respecting who they are and how they work, adapting our approach accordingly. We take pride in what we do and are committed to playing our part in building the economic foundations of a fair and prosperous world.
   
   Mazars USA LLP seeks an experienced professional for a Manager in its Quality & Risk Management (Q&RM) Team. This role will assist the firm in ensuring compliance with both U.S and International standards for a professional service firm's system of quality control. As a member of our team, you will be responsible for managing the coordination of the Firm's internal and external inspections, as well as assisting in the remediation of findings. The position will report directly to the Director of Compliance and Monitoring and will support our commitment to quality, ethics, independence and technical excellence.
   
   The Quality and Risk Manager will be responsible for monitoring the compliance with the Firm quality requirements.
   Professional Responsibilities:
   Assist with the coordination of internal inspections of audit and attest engagements, including selection of engagements, identification of focus areas, and development of inspection checklists. Facilitate the internal monitoring of the firm's upcoming new system of quality management under ISQM1, including gathering and analyzing data from our quality risk indicators. Assist with the coordination of the Firm's external inspections, including AICPA peer review, PCAOB, FDIC, DOL, etc. Manage the completion of the Mazars Group quality reporting. Assist with performing root cause analysis and determining applicable action steps to address findings. Oversee execution of action plans and remediation resulting from internal and external inspection findings. Perform lookback procedures to ensure corrective actions have been taken by engagement teams and the Firm to address findings from internal or external inspections and for improvements in the subsequent year.
   
   Qualifications:
   Bachelor's degree in Accounting CPA active license 7+ years of relevant experience in either public accounting, a regulatory inspection role, internal audit, or a combination thereof. Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills (both oral and written). Excellent organizational and project management skills. Demonstrated ability to lead teams, mentor, and train others. Working knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) and PCAOB Standards. Working knowledge of quality management standards set by the AICPA, IAASB and PCAOB Basic knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Strong analytical ability, critical thinking capacity, and diligently performs assigned tasks independently. Proficient with Microsoft Office applications. A multi-dimensional team player with a "can do, problem-solving" mentality.
   
   What We Offer
   
   Competitive base salary and incentive compensation plan A comprehensive, competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and life insurance plans, a generous paid days' off (PDO) plan, and a competitive 401k Plan A dynamic, diverse work experience in a growing global organization An inclusive, client-centered environment where you can develop new skills, enhance your overall business knowledge and work with world-class professionals Intensive customized training, including in-house leadership development programs, continuing professional education courses, and both classroom and on-the-job training Opportunity for International Mobility experiences are also made available
   
   Mazars USA LLP is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and maintains a drug-free workplace.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find risk managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any risk managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level risk managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your risk manager job on Zippia to find and recruit risk manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit risk managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new risk manager

   Once you've found the risk manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a risk manager?