Risk and Assurance Advisor

Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa; Palmerston North; On-site; NZD 84,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

Massey University is seeking an experienced risk and assurance professional to turn complex information into practical advice and strengthen organisational capability. You will provide specialist risk and assurance guidance across a large, complex university environment and embed risk-informed thinking in decision-making.

You will help strengthen enterprise risk practices, contribute to internal audit activities, and partner with strategic programmes to embed risk in governance.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years' experience in risk management, internal audit, or assurance within a large or complex organisation, professional services firm, or similarly regulated environment.
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent proven professional experience.
• Experience developing, implementing, or improving risk management frameworks, systems, tools, and processes.
• Practical experience providing risk advice in complex, ambiguous, or emerging situations.
• Experience with risk-based assurance and internal audit methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to identify root causes and develop pragmatic recommendations.
• The confidence to engage, influence and build trusted relationships with senior leaders, managers, and specialist teams.
• Knowledge of relevant enterprise risk management frameworks, including ISO 31000, and an understanding of internal audit standards and methodologies.
• Strong digital capability, with an interest in using data analytics and AI-enabled tools to improve risk insight and assurance practices.

Responsibilities

• Support the continued development and improvement of enterprise risk frameworks, tools, and practices.
• Analyse emerging and enterprise-wide risks and translate complex information into clear, practical advice.
• Provide risk insights and reporting to support senior leadership and governance decision-making.
• Contribute to risk-based internal audit and assurance engagements, including planning, evidence review, findings, recommendations, and follow-up.
• Partner with strategic programmes, major investments, and change initiatives to embed risk into governance and decision-making.
• Work with leaders and teams to strengthen controls, processes, and systems.
• Build risk capability through practical guidance, workshops, tools, and coaching.
• Use data, technology, and contemporary approaches to improve risk insight, assurance efficiency, and reporting.

Skills

Risk management

Internal audit

Governance

Data analytics

Stakeholder engagement

ISO 31000

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

Job description

This is an opportunity to do more than identify and report risk. We are looking for an experienced risk and assurance professional who can turn complex information into practical advice, strengthen organisational capability, and help leaders make well-informed decisions.

Working within the Office of Governance and Assurance, you will provide specialist risk and assurance advice across a large and complex University environment. You will help strengthen enterprise risk and assurance practices, contribute to internal audit and assurance activity, and work alongside leaders and teams to embed risk-informed thinking into everyday decision-making.

Mo tenei turanga mahi | About the role

You will:

• Support the continued development and improvement of enterprise risk frameworks, tools, and practices.
• Analyse emerging and enterprise-wide risks and translate complex information into clear, practical advice.
• Provide risk insights and reporting to support senior leadership and governance decision-making.
• Contribute to risk-based internal audit and assurance engagements, including planning, evidence review, findings, recommendations, and follow-up.
• Partner with strategic programmes, major investments, and change initiatives to embed risk into governance and decision-making.
• Work with leaders and teams to strengthen controls, processes, and systems.
• Build risk capability through practical guidance, workshops, tools, and coaching.
• Use data, technology, and contemporary approaches to improve risk insight, assurance efficiency, and reporting.

Mou | About you

You are someone who can see beyond the risk register. You understand how effective risk and assurance practices support better decisions, stronger organisations, and good governance.

You will bring:

• A minimum of five years' experience in risk management, internal audit, or assurance within a large or complex organisation, professional services firm, or similarly regulated environment.
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent proven professional experience.
• Experience developing, implementing, or improving risk management frameworks, systems, tools, and processes.
• Practical experience providing risk advice in complex, ambiguous, or emerging situations.
• Experience with risk-based assurance and internal audit methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to identify root causes and develop pragmatic recommendations.
• The confidence to engage, influence and build trusted relationships with senior leaders, managers, and specialist teams.
• Knowledge of relevant enterprise risk management frameworks, including ISO 31000, and an understanding of internal audit standards and methodologies.
• Strong digital capability, with an interest in using data analytics and AI-enabled tools to improve risk insight and assurance practices.

Experience within tertiary education or another complex regulatory environment would be an advantage.

Ko nga hua o te turanga? | What is in it for you?

At Massey University, you will have the opportunity to influence how risk and assurance supports decision-making across an organisation delivering education, research, and impact throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. You will work across a diverse and complex organisation, engaging with senior leaders, strategic programmes and specialist teams while helping strengthen Massey's approach to risk, assurance, governance, and organisational integrity.

This is an opportunity to bring your technical expertise, curiosity, and judgement to a role where you can help shape how the University thinks about and responds to risk not simply how it reports it. If you are naturally curious, comfortable working with complexity and ambiguity, and enjoy finding practical ways to strengthen systems, controls, and organisational resilience, we would love to hear from you. Appointment will be reflective of skills and experience with the Grade 7 ($83,818 - $117,788) range.

Desired Skills and Experience

Risk, governance