General Manager Customer Care

Bendigo Bank; Adelaide; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Diverse workforce and culture

Support for adjustment for disabilities

Job summary

Bendigo Bank is seeking a strategic leader for the Customer Enablement division to enhance support services. The role involves overseeing key functions like Mortgage Help and Customer Resolutions, requiring significant senior management experience in banking.

The ideal candidate will champion customer vulnerability initiatives and ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks. Offering a full-time, permanent position with hybrid work options, this is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference.

Qualifications

• Significant senior management experience in banking/financial services.
• Expert knowledge of regulatory frameworks especially ASIC RG 271.
• Exceptional risk leadership experience in an APRA-regulated organisation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a vision for Customer Support and Remediation.
• Oversee operations of key services like Mortgage Help and Customer Resolutions.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary team to enhance customer support.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Negotiation

Empathy

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in business or similar

Master's or postgraduate qualification in Finance

Job description

Closing date: 10th of June 2026 (shortlisting and interviews may commence prior to closing date so don’t delay: apply now!)

Lead a function that makes a profound difference in the lives of our customers when they need it most.

It starts here. With Bendigo Bank… and you.

About the Division

Join our Customer Enablement division, a team dedicated to empowering our customer-facing staff and digital platforms to deliver an exceptional and consistent customer experience. The Customer Care function is the heart of this division. They provide dedicated, compassionate support to customers during their most challenging times, leading the Group's Mortgage Help (Arrears and Hardship), Customer Resolutions (Complaints Management), Deceased Estates, Collections, and Customer Remediation functions. Their core purpose is to deliver fair, empathetic, and timely outcomes while upholding our commitment to supporting all customers—especially those experiencing vulnerability.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, this is a strategic leadership role where you will be accountable for developing and executing our strategy for customer support, hardship, and remediation.

You will lead a centre of excellence that champions the bank’s approach to customer vulnerability, embedding a culture of empathy, fairness, and proactive support. As a key member of the Customer Enablement Leadership team, you will ensure our critical care functions operate efficiently, effectively, and in full compliance with external regulatory frameworks, including ASIC's Regulatory Guide 271 and the Banking Code of Practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a compelling vision for Customer Support and Remediation that aligns with the bank's strategy and values.
• Operational Excellence: Oversee the day-to-day operations of Mortgage Help, Customer Resolutions, Deceased Estates, and Remediation, driving process optimisation and digital innovation.
• Championing Vulnerability: Develop and embed frameworks to ensure teams are highly trained and equipped to identify and provide tailored, empathetic support to customers with diverse needs.
• Risk & Compliance: Act as the first line of defence for all risks within the function. Ensure absolute compliance with RG 271, the National Credit Code, and the Banking Code of Practice.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong partnerships with internal divisions (Risk, Legal, Retail, Wealth) and external stakeholders, including regulators (ASIC, APRA) and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
• People Leadership: Lead, coach, and develop a large, multi-disciplinary team, fostering a high-performance, resilient, and deeply empathetic culture.

About You

You are an exceptional, customer-centric leader with a proven track record of managing large, complex operational teams within the banking or financial services sector. You possess a deep understanding of collections, financial hardship, complaints management, and remediation processes, coupled with the strategic vision to drive continuous improvement.

To be successful, you will bring

• Significant senior management experience in banking/financial services, specifically leading hardship, collections, complaints, or remediation functions.
• Expert knowledge of regulatory frameworks, particularly ASIC RG 271, the Banking Code of Practice, and the National Credit Code.
• Exceptional risk leadership background in an APRA-regulated organisation.
• A proven track record of engaging effectively with regulators (ASIC, APRA) and external dispute resolution schemes (AFCA).
• High-level negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills, capable of presenting to Executive and Board-level committees.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, multi-disciplinary teams through cultural change and periods of regulatory scrutiny.
• Qualifications: A Bachelor’s Degree in business or a similar discipline is mandatory. A Master's or postgraduate qualification in Finance (or relevant discipline) is highly recommended.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a function that makes a profound difference in the lives of our customers when they need it most. If you are a visionary leader who balances commercial acumen with deep empathy and robust risk management, we want to hear from you!

We offer flexible work options that put our people first, working in a hybrid model with a minimum local Head Office attendance requirement determined by your Leader, to find a rhythm that works best for you and your team. We believe that coming into the office some of the time is the best way to learn, stay connected and collaborate effectively, especially for key activities like team days, 1:1s, and town halls.

This role is a Full time, permanent opportunity based in any of our head office locations.

Please note, all internal candidates are required to notify their immediate leader when applying for a new career opportunity and you will be asked to acknowledge they have done so upon submission of your application.

We believe a diverse workforce supported by an inclusive culture is central to our success and we actively encourage applications from those who bring diversity of thought to our business. We support candidate requests for adjustment to accommodate an illness, injury or disability to equitably participate in the selection process.

So, why work for us?

With over 2.9 million customers, we are one of Australia’s largest retail banks with a vision our purpose – “to feed into the prosperity of our customers and communities, not off it”. In fact, over $366 million have been put back into communities nationwide. We developed Up, Australia's first fully digital bank, which has grown to over one million customers in just six years. We are regularly voted one of Australia’s most trusted brands and this isn’t something we take lightly, which means Bendigo Bank is the Bank you can be proud to work at!

So, what are you waiting for? Come and join the better big bank!

Still in two minds?

Research suggests 60% of women and underrepresented groups might stop here, even after getting as far as drafting an application. We believe that diversity makes every team stronger, so even if you don’t tick every box we still want to see your application!