VP, Identity Governance and Administration - REMOTE

Join the People Helping People

Velera is the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated fintech solutions provider. The company serves more than 4,000 financial institutions throughout North America, operating with velocity to help our clients keep pace with the rapid momentum of change and fuel growth in the new era of financial services. Our purpose: We accelerate partners’ success through innovative financial technology solutions and inspired service.

This position will own the global strategy, roadmap, and operational execution of the enterprise Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) program. This is a high-visibility, leadership role responsible for ensuring that identity is the foundational control plane for security, compliance, and digital transformation across the organization. Incumbent will lead a team that governs joiner-mover-leaver processes, access certifications, role lifecycle management, privileged access management (PAM) integration, birthright access, access analytics, and automation of identity-related controls at scale.

• Define and execute the multi-year global IGA strategy and roadmap aligned with Zero Trust, cloud transformation, M&A integration, and regulatory requirements (SOX, GDPR, CCPA, PCI-DSS, DORA, etc.).
• Own all aspects of the enterprise IGA platform including architecture, deployment, upgrades, and integration with HRIS, PAM, Cloud IAM (AWS, Azure), ITSM, and SIEM.
• Lead a high-performing team (engineers, architects, and analysts) across multiple geographies; provide mentorship and career development.
• Establish and continuously improve identity governance processes: access reviews/certifications, role mining & engineering, SoD conflict management, birthright & request-based provisioning, and access analytics/risk scoring.
• Serve as the primary escalation point and executive sponsor for identity-related audits and regulatory examinations.
• Partner closely with business unit leaders to balance security, compliance, and user experience.
• Drive automation and self-service initiatives to reduce manual access fulfillment and certification burden.
• Own vendor relationships and contracts for IGA and related identity tools; lead RFP processes when required.
• Establish KPIs, KRIs, and executive-level reporting on the health and maturity of the IGA program (certification completion rates, orphan/ghost account reduction, time-to-revoke, etc.).
• Create and update an Identity Strategy that advances the IGA program and ensures program maturity increases and meets the needs of the business.
• Ability to balance multiple projects, work in fast-paced environment, and meet deadlines
• Ability to work collaboratively with individuals at all levels of the corporation and with professional services firms (e.g., external auditors); Strong business, leadership, and management skills
• Demonstrated excellent analytical and quantitative skills
• Ability to exercise discretion and good judgment in making decisions
• Ability to handle complex budgets and maintain adherence to budget targets
• Knowledge of various relevant compliance frameworks and practices
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of materials handled

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• CISSP Certification required
• CISA/CISM certifications preferred
• 7 years in identity and access management leadership roles.
• Proven experience standing up or transforming an enterprise-scale IGA program in a complex, highly regulated environment (financial services, healthcare, or global tech strongly preferred).
• Deep hands-on expertise with at least one major IGA platform (Saviynt preferred) and strong familiarity with the broader market.
• Demonstrated success integrating IGA with privileged access management, cloud IAM, and HR systems.
• Experience leading large, distributed teams (15+ people) and managing multi-million-dollar budgets.
• Strong understanding of role-based access control (RBAC), attribute-based access control (ABAC), risk-based certification, and access intelligence/analytics.
• Advanced knowledge of IGA concepts, strategy, and execution

About Velera

At Velera we are committed to fostering a workplace where every employee feels valued, respected, and connected. We understand, attract and engage a diverse workforce where every employee can live up to their full potential; ensuring that our employee base reflects the consumers we serve. The result of this effort is an inclusive environment where diverse talent thrives. We strive to foster a safe and inclusive work environment for people to bring their authentic selves in order to build a better community within our company and with our partners. Learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and InclusionHERE!

Pay Equity

Actual Pay will be adjusted based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Great Work/Life Benefits!

• Competitive wages

• Medical with telemedicine

• Dental and Vision

• Basic and Optional Life Insurance

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Maternity, Parental, Family Care

• Community Volunteer Time Off

• 12 Paid Holidays

• Company Paid Disability Insurance

• 401k (with employer match)

• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) with company provided contributions

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• Supplemental Insurance

• Mental Health and Well-being: Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Wellness program

• Benefits are subject to generally applicable eligibility, waiting period, contribution, and other requirements and conditions

Velera is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local law.

Velera is an Equal Opportunity Employer that complies with the laws and regulations set forth in the following "EEO is the Law" Poster. Velera will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information.

Velera is an E-Verify Employer. Review the E-Verify Poster here. For information regarding your Right To Work, please click here.

This role is currently not eligible for sponsorship.

As an ongoing commitment to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities please contact a recruiter at recruiters@velera.com for assistance.