Group Compliance & Risk Manager - Education

UP Education; Auckland; On-site; NZD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Australasian education provider is seeking a Risk and Compliance Leader to oversee key risks and regulatory compliance across New Zealand and Australia. You will ensure proactive reporting and collaboration with senior stakeholders. Ideal candidates will have proven experience in compliance or risk in regulated industries, exceptional communication skills, and a desire to contribute to the organization's success.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in compliance, risk, or governance within regulated service industries.
• Familiarity with cross-border regulatory environments (NZ and Australia) or ability to learn quickly.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with experience reporting to Boards or senior executives.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, combining influence with collaboration.
• High professional integrity and sound judgement.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Group risk register and consolidate key risks across all entities.
• Monitor regulatory developments across NZQA, TEC, ASQA, TEQSA, CRICOS, and ESOS.
• Deliver clear and timely risk and compliance reporting to the CFO and Executive Team.
• Advise compliance leaders, regulators, auditors, and investors to strengthen collaboration.
• Provide assurance and insights to support governance and major projects.

Skills

Compliance expertise

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Advanced communication skills

Presentation to Boards

Job description

Company Overview

UP Education is a leading Australasian dual-sector education group, delivering foundation, vocational and higher education to domestic and international students. At UP Education, we are on a mission: to elevate and empower students to unlock their potential. We are known for our agility and responsiveness to the changing world. Our people come from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and bring a broad range of professional experience. We are firm believers in the power of education to transform lives and are driven to make a significant impact in the communities we work with. We are committed to staff development. To find out more about us, please visit https://www.up.education/

Overview

This is a pivotal Group-level role leading risk and compliance across New Zealand and Australia for one of the region’s largest private education providers.

What You’ll Do

You’ll take responsibility for ensuring the Group maintains a consolidated and proactive view of its risk and compliance environment. Your work will span strategic reporting, regulatory engagement, and building trust with stakeholders at every level. In practice, this means:

• Overseeing the Group risk register and consolidating key risks across all entities.
• Monitoring regulatory developments across NZQA, TEC, ASQA, TEQSA, CRICOS, and ESOS.
• Delivering clear and timely risk and compliance reporting to the CFO, Executive Team, and Board.
• Advising entity compliance leaders, regulators, auditors, and investors, strengthening collaboration across the Group.
• Providing assurance and insights to support governance, investor confidence, and major projects.

Qualifications

You’ll be an experienced compliance or risk professional who can navigate complex, regulated environments and deliver insights with authority. You’re confident influencing senior stakeholders, simplifying complexity, and constructively challenging where needed. To succeed, you’ll bring:

• Proven experience in compliance, risk, or governance within regulated service industries.
• Familiarity with cross-border regulatory environments (NZ and Australia) or the ability to learn quickly.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with experience reporting to Boards or senior executives.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, combining influence with collaboration.
• High professional integrity, sound judgement, and the ability to proactively raise and manage risk.

Additional Information

Why join us? At UP Education, you’ll work with a fast-growing, trans-Tasman organisation dedicated to empowering students and shaping futures. This is a highly visible role where your expertise will directly contribute to the Group’s success and resilience.

Questions about your identity help us appreciate the diversity of individuals looking to work with us, ensuring we’re attracting applications from people with identities and perspectives that are as diverse as our students.

We are an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to equity, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.