Senior Risk and Compliance Specialist

Acenda Life; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Acenda Life is seeking a Senior Risk & Compliance professional to partner with Wrap business units, ensuring key risks and obligations are managed. The role supports the 1st line in incidents, advises on controls, and helps embed a risk-aware culture across the organisation.

The ideal candidate has a tertiary qualification in business/finance/law, 5+ years in risk/compliance within financial services, and strong stakeholder engagement to influence governance outcomes.

Qualifications

• Must have a tertiary qualification in business, finance or law.
• Minimum 5 years’ risk and/or compliance experience in financial services.
• Coaching or mentoring experience is advantageous.
• Strong knowledge of risk frameworks and Australian regulatory landscape.
• Change management experience is desirable; ability to advise on complex requirements.

Responsibilities

• Drive and support risk and compliance services across the Wrap Business Line.
• Provide insights into emerging risks and improvement areas.
• Offer risk, control and compliance guidance to stakeholders.
• Provide 1st Line support on incidents, breaches and issues.
• Facilitate risk assessments, controls reviews and governance forums.
• Collaborate with owners to ensure appropriate controls exist.
• Test design and operating effectiveness of key controls.
• Chair forums and committees; support governance processes.
• Embed risk and compliance culture across the business.

Skills

Risk management

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Written communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Tertiary qualification in business/finance/law

Job description

Reporting to the Head of Risk and Compliance (Wrap), this role is responsible for partnering with one or more business units within the MLC Expand Wrap Business Line, to provide quality and timely risk and compliance services. This role supports the Wrap Platforms business in ensuring they manage their key risks and compliance obligations, thereby protecting the client and member outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive, coordinate and support in the provision of business aligned quality and timely risk and compliance services within the Wrap Business Line.
• Provide insights into emerging risks and areas for improvement.
• Provide risk, control and compliance advice and guidance.
• Provide 1st Line risk and compliance support on incidents, breaches and issues.
• Facilitate the identification and assessment of risks and controls against business objectives and core processes, including facilitating regular reviews and updates.
• Facilitate the understanding of, and adherence to, obligations aligned to processes. Support obligation owners in determining whether appropriate controls exist to manage compliance.
• Perform testing of the design and operating effectiveness of key risk and obligation related controls, and other 1st line assurance activities as required.
• Chair forums, working groups, committees as required, including supporting the effective management of these governance forums.
• Proactively embed and improve risk and compliance culture across the Wrap Business Line.
• Provide input into the drafting and review of risk and compliance matters for forums, committees, boards and other governance forums.

What you will bring

• Tertiary qualification in a relevant field required (Business, Finance or Law related discipline).
• 5+ years risk / compliance experience ideally within financial services.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring other team members is an advantage.
• Sound knowledge of risk management concepts, frameworks, and standards.
• Strong understanding of the Australian regulatory landscape.
• Change management experience in relation to risk and compliance frameworks is highly desirable.
• Advanced ability to research, interpret and advise on complex risk and compliance requirements and scenarios.
• Strong business engagement skills and ability to influence and build trusted relationships.
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communications (including the ability to draft and review board level papers).
• Ability to operate effectively with the ambiguity associated with a large, complex and dynamic business.

Applicants will be required to provide evidence of their eligibility to work in Australia, and at a minimum be required to undertake police and basic credit checks as a condition of employment.

We acknowledge and celebrate the richness that individual differences bring to our team. If you need assistance or an adjustment during the application process, please reach out and let us know.