Head of Risk

Kaizen Recruitment; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaizen Recruitment is recruiting for a Head of Risk in Australia, leading the enterprise risk function within a highly regulated financial services context. The role focuses on strengthening risk culture, resilience, and board-ready risk insights for decision-making.

You will partner with executive leadership and the Board, shaping the risk landscape while maintaining independence and governance discipline across risk and assurance activities.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading enterprise risk management in regulated financial services environments.
• Proven ability to translate complex risk matters into practical business actions.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership and boards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the enterprise risk function and develop a high-performing team.
• Enhance the risk management framework, policies and methodologies.
• Oversee risk identification, assessment, monitoring and reporting across the organisation.
• Develop risk appetite frameworks, risk profiles and KRIs.
• Provide independent risk advice to executives and board committees.
• Oversee technology and operational risk within a regulated context.
• Coordinate assurance activities across risk, compliance, governance and audit functions.

Skills

Enterprise risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory knowledge (APRA)

Risk reporting & governance

Leadership & coaching

Education

Tertiary qualifications in business/finance/risk management

Professional risk/governance qualifications (ed.)

Job description

About the Company

Our client is a well-established and highly respected financial services organisation with a strong commitment to delivering positive outcomes for its members. Operating within a regulated environment, the business is undergoing an exciting period of transformation and continuous improvement, with a strong focus on governance, operational resilience, risk maturity and strategic decision-making.

With a collaborative and values-driven culture, this organisation offers the opportunity to partner closely with executive leadership and the Board while playing a critical role in shaping its future risk landscape.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Risk Officer, the Head of Risk will lead the organisation's enterprise risk management function and oversee the ongoing development and effectiveness of the risk management framework.

The successful candidate will play a key role in strengthening risk culture, enhancing operational resilience, overseeing emerging risk, technology and cyber risk, and ensuring Executive and Board stakeholders receive meaningful risk insights to support decision-making.

The role will suit an experienced risk leader who enjoys partnering with senior stakeholders while maintaining strong independence and governance discipline within a highly regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the enterprise risk function, fostering a high-performing and engaged team.
• Drive the ongoing enhancement of the enterprise risk management framework, policies and methodologies.
• Oversee enterprise-wide risk identification, assessment, monitoring and reporting activities.
• Develop and maintain risk appetite frameworks, risk profiles and key risk indicators.
• Provide independent risk advice and constructive challenge to executives, board committees and business leaders.
• Lead emerging risk assessments and forward-looking risk analysis.
• Oversee operational resilience, business continuity and third-party risk management practices.
• Provide second-line oversight of technology, cyber and operational risk exposures.
• Enhance organisational risk capability through coaching, education and stakeholder engagement.
• Prepare high-quality risk reporting for executive leadership, committees and the Board.
• Coordinate assurance activities across risk, compliance, governance and audit functions.
• Support engagement with regulators, auditors and external stakeholders as required.

Key Requirements

• Extensive experience in enterprise risk management within superannuation, banking, insurance or broader financial services.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise risk frameworks, risk appetite, controls assessment, operational risk and assurance programs.
• Demonstrated experience operating within APRA-regulated or similarly regulated environments.
• Deep understanding of operational resilience, business continuity, outsourcing risk and third-party risk management.
• Experience overseeing technology, cyber security and broader non-financial risk disciplines.
• Proven ability to influence and engage Executive stakeholders, Boards and Board Committees.
• Strong people leadership experience with a track record of building and developing high-performing teams.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex risk matters into practical business outcomes.
• High levels of judgement, integrity, independence and professional credibility.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in business, finance, risk management, commerce or a related discipline.
• Professional risk, governance or assurance qualifications will be highly regarded.