Ict Risk And Assurance Lead

New Zealand Government; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff wellbeing benefits

Flexible working

Job summary

Transpower is seeking an experienced ICT Risk & Assurance Manager to lead risk assessments, assurance activities and reporting across ICT, OT and cloud environments. You'll influence senior leaders and shape resilience, governance and regulatory readiness in a critical national infrastructure context.

Reporting to the Head of Security Services, you'll build risk models, maintain assurance schedules, and deliver executive reporting while providing practical leadership to cross-functional teams

Qualifications

• At least five years’ experience in ICT security, risk, assurance, audit or governance, including developing and operating ICT risk and assurance frameworks.
• Sound understanding of ICT security environments and the implications of security risks for critical services.
• Experience in regulatory compliance, assurance reviews and security control assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to support delivery teams at an operational level and senior leaders as a trusted adviser, providing clear reporting, practical advice and effective stakeholder engagement.
• A relevant tertiary qualification e.g. computer science, cyber security, information security, engineering, risk management or similar.
• Ideally, you will have worked in a large corporate or government organisation in an operational role combining hands-on delivery with risk and assurance leadership. Experience in critical infrastructure or utilities would be advantageous, as would familiarity with NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls or IEC 62443.

Responsibilities

• Providing leadership and subject matter expertise on ICT risk, governance and assurance matters, and building risk and assurance capability across Transpower as part of a group of practitioners across the organisation.
• Managing the assurance schedule and facilitating regular reviews of the effectiveness of risk controls, tracking findings to ensure agreed actions are completed on time and to quality.
• Developing and maintaining bowtie-based risk models with a Semi-Quantified Risk Analysis approach to defining risk levels.
• Preparing executive reporting on risk exposure, control effectiveness, compliance and resilience.
• Developing and maintaining policies and standards for ICT risk management, providing compliance advice to management and delivery teams, and preparing Transpower for cybersecurity regulation by supporting engagement with regulators and government agencies.

Skills

ICT risk management

Stakeholder influence

Security governance

Regulatory understanding

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

Tools

NIST

ISO 27001

CIS Controls

IEC 62443

Job description

Assure IT, OT and cloud environments through astute risk assessments

• Manage our assurance schedule to ensure high-quality, comprehensive delivery
• Influence senior leaders and strengthen critical infrastructure resilience

Bring your expertise to a hands-on role helping shape Transpower’s ICT risk and assurance practice alongside technical leaders and risk practitioners.

Transpower owns and operates New Zealand’s National Grid and, as System Operator, manages the real-time operation of the electricity system. Our purpose is to empower the energy future for New Zealand – enabling a net-zero carbon economy and a reliable, secure electricity system.

About the team

Our Security Services team sits within Information Services and Technology (IST), helping protect the technology, identities and services that support Transpower’s critical operations. Working across information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and cloud environments, the team brings together security operations, architecture and design, identity and access management, and risk and assurance expertise.

About the opportunity

With our incumbent retiring, we are looking for an experienced ICT risk and assurance practitioner who enjoys doing the work as well as improving how it’s done. As our ICT Risk & Assurance Manager, you’ll manage and personally deliver risk assessments, assurance activities and reporting, while providing practical thought / technical leadership across ICT risk, assurance, resilience and governance. Reporting to the Head of Security Services within IST, you’ll also work closely with Transpower’s Head of Risk and Assurance.

Through evidence-based assurance and constructive challenge, you’ll help leaders understand ICT risks, help make informed investment decisions and gain confidence that security controls deliver the intended protection. You’ll collaborate with security specialists, technology and delivery teams, Enterprise Risk, Legal and Privacy, and business leaders. Beyond Transpower, you’ll engage with auditors, assessors, regulators, and industry partners.

Hands-on work will include:

• Providing leadership and subject matter expertise on ICT risk, governance and assurance matters, and building risk and assurance capability across Transpower as part of a group of practitioners across the organisation.
• Managing the assurance schedule and facilitating regular reviews of the effectiveness of risk controls, tracking findings to ensure agreed actions are completed on time and to quality.
• Developing and maintaining bowtie-based risk models with a Semi-Quantified Risk Analysis approach to defining risk levels.
• Preparing executive reporting on risk exposure, control effectiveness, compliance and resilience.
• Developing and maintaining policies and standards for ICT risk management, providing compliance advice to management and delivery teams, and preparing Transpower for cybersecurity regulation by supporting engagement with regulators and government agencies.

What will you bring?

Outstanding communication skills (both verbal and written) curiosity, sound judgement, and the confidence to ask constructive questions. Comfortable moving between technical detail and the bigger picture, you can translate complex security issues into clear business advice and recommendations. Your collaborative approach helps you build trust, influence senior stakeholders, manage expectations, and strengthen risk ownership without losing sight of operational realities.

At least five years’ experience in ICT security, risk, assurance, audit or governance, including developing and operating ICT risk and assurance frameworks.

Sound understanding of ICT security environments and the implications of security risks for critical services.

Experience in regulatory compliance, assurance reviews and security control assessments.

Demonstrated ability to support delivery teams at an operational level and senior leaders as a trusted adviser, providing clear reporting, practical advice and effective stakeholder engagement.

A relevant tertiary qualification e.g. computer science, cyber security, information security, engineering, risk management or similar.

Ideally, you will have worked in a large corporate or government organisation in an operational role combining hands-on delivery with risk and assurance leadership. Experience in critical infrastructure or utilities would be advantageous, as would familiarity with NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls or IEC 62443.

Join us at Transpower!

Our people care deeply about each other and New Zealand. With more than thirty-one ethnicities represented across Transpower, our diverse perspectives, knowledge and experience are willingly shared. We work in the office or on-site for a minimum of three days each week to support relationships, learning and delivery, with adaptable daily start and finish times. We prioritise wellbeing through a range of employee health and wellness benefits – check them out here : https : / / www.transpower.co.nz / about-us / careers-transpower / staff-benefits

Next steps

Applications close Monday 16 November. However, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we may contact you for an exploratory conversation ahead of the closing date. A handover with our knowledgeable incumbent is planned for January. Wellington is the preferred location for this role however Hamilton may be considered depending on your experience, communication and influencing skills. Existing eligibility to work in New Zealand is essential.