Head of Compliance & Risk

seek.com.au; Sydney; On-site; AUD 230,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Head of Compliance & Risk role based in Sydney CBD, full‑time, leading risk, compliance and assurance across a growing organisation. You will own risk frameworks, provide board‑level guidance and drive governance with practical business outcomes.

Seeking a credible leader with 10+ years in risk/compliance, strong leadership, stakeholder influence and hands‑on experience in a lean team. Senior governance exposure and technology‑driven improvements are essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience across risk and compliance, including 2-3 years in a senior leadership role.
• Experience leading, managing and developing a small risk and compliance team.
• Experience preparing Board or Risk Committee papers and presenting to directors.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills.
• Hands-on approach in a lean team environment.
• Confidence using technology and automation to improve risk and compliance processes.

Responsibilities

• Own the enterprise risk framework, risk registers and risk appetite, ensuring a practical and proportionate approach.
• Prepare Board and Audit & Risk Committee reporting and lead quarterly Risk Committee meetings.
• Advise senior executives on risk exposure, investment decisions and emerging business risks.
• Oversee AML/CTF compliance, regulatory obligations, compliance monitoring and regulatory change.
• Lead frameworks covering conflicts of interest, whistleblowing, fraud prevention and payroll compliance.
• Develop the risk-based internal audit plan and manage external audit providers through to action closure.
• Oversee WHS, incident management, business continuity and care governance reporting.
• Improve risk reporting, dashboards and action tracking through technology, automation and AI.
• Lead the Compliance Manager and manage external advisers and service providers.

Skills

Executive leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Education

Tertiary qualifications in law, business or risk

Job description

Sydney CBD | Full-Time

We’re on the lookout for an experienced and commercially minded Head of Compliance & Risk to take ownership of risk, compliance and assurance across a growing organisation. If you’re a pragmatic risk leader who enjoys partnering with executives, navigating regulatory requirements and building frameworks that support smart business decisions. This could be the perfect next step in your career.

What you’ll do

You’ll lead the development of the organisation’s risk and compliance framework, providing practical advice to senior leaders and the Board while ensuring regulatory obligations are met. This is a hands‑on leadership role with broad exposure across governance, internal audit, AML/CTF, workplace health and safety, business continuity and conduct risk.

Day to day, you will:

Own the enterprise risk framework, risk registers and risk appetite, ensuring a practical and proportionate approach

Prepare Board and Audit & Risk Committee reporting and lead quarterly Risk Committee meetings

Advise senior executives on risk exposure, investment decisions and emerging business risks

Oversee AML/CTF compliance, regulatory obligations, compliance monitoring and regulatory change

Lead frameworks covering conflicts of interest, whistleblowing, fraud prevention and payroll compliance

Develop the risk-based internal audit plan and manage external audit providers through to action closure

Oversee WHS, incident management, business continuity and care governance reporting

Improve risk reporting, dashboards and action tracking through technology, automation and AI

Lead the Compliance Manager and manage external advisers and service providers

About you

You’re a credible and commercially astute risk professional who can balance strong governance with practical business outcomes. Comfortable operating at executive and Board level, you can challenge constructively, simplify complex requirements and build a risk‑aware culture without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

You’ll also bring:

10+ years’ experience across risk and compliance, including at least 2-3 years in a senior leadership role

Experience leading, managing and developing a small risk and compliance team

Experience preparing Board or Risk Committee papers and presenting to directors

Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills

A hands‑on approach, with the ability to operate effectively in a lean team environment

Confidence using technology and automation to improve risk and compliance processes

Relevant tertiary qualifications in law, business, risk or a related discipline

Why you’ll love it here

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a broad risk and compliance portfolio, working directly with senior executives and the Board. You’ll have the scope to shape the risk framework, influence key business decisions and build practical governance processes that support sustainable growth, with the autonomy to make a meaningful impact.