Risk Partner

Southern Cross; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing leave

Health insurance

Life insurance

Parental leave

Wellbeing programme

Volunteer day

Job summary

Southern Cross Health Insurance in Auckland is seeking a Risk Partner (Line 1) to help our business teams identify and manage risk, support controls, and drive risk maturity across the organisation.

You will facilitate workshops, review incidents, turn risk data into insights for governance, and influence decision making across BAU and change initiatives.

This is a visible role requiring strong relationships, curiosity, and ability to navigate change in a NZ-owned, member-focused organisation.

Qualifications

• 3+ years' experience in risk, compliance, controls, assurance or governance in a Line 1 or Line 2 environment.
• Confident building relationships and providing practical advice to business leaders.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Experience in control testing, issue management or risk assurance activities.
• Ability to influence, challenge constructively and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Continuous improvement mindset and passion for helping teams make better risk-informed decisions.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business leaders to identify, assess and manage risk across day-to-day operations and change initiatives.
• Support control testing, assurance activities and remediation efforts to strengthen risk and compliance outcomes.
• Provide practical risk advice, facilitating workshops and helping teams build stronger risk management practices.
• Turn risk data, incidents and trends into meaningful insights for leaders and governance forums.
• Work collaboratively across the business to embed a proactive risk culture and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Relationship building

Stakeholder comms

Risk management

Control testing

Data analysis

Job description

About us

Southern Cross Health Insurance is shaping a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose is simple: empowering our members to live well for longer. We're here to give peace of mind through timely access to quality care, inspire healthier living, and lead positive change across the health system. As a New Zealand-owned, member-based organisation, we're building a future where wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do -- delivering exceptional value for our members and creating an environment where our people thrive.

Now is an exciting time to join us. You'll be part of a high-performing, values-driven team where people are at the heart of everything we do -- and in return for your talent, you'll have the opportunity to grow, make an impact, and be proud of the difference your work makes.

About the role

As a Risk Partner (Line 1), you'll play a critical role in helping our business teams make informed decisions, manage risk effectively, and continually improve risk maturity across Southern Cross.

No two days are quite the same. One day you might be facilitating a risk workshop with senior stakeholders, the next reviewing an incident to understand root causes, testing key controls, or turning risk data into meaningful insights for governance reporting. You'll play an important role in helping our teams not only identify risks but also take action to address them and improve outcomes for our members.

This is a highly visible role where you'll influence decision-making, provide meaningful risk insights and help drive a proactive risk culture across both business-as-usual and change initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with business leaders to identify, assess and manage risk across day-to-day operations and change initiatives.
• Support control testing, assurance activities and remediation efforts to strengthen risk and compliance outcomes.
• Provide practical risk advice, facilitating workshops and helping teams build stronger risk management practices.
• Turn risk data, incidents and trends into meaningful insights for leaders and governance forums.
• Work collaboratively across the business to embed a proactive risk culture and drive continuous improvement.
  

About you

You're someone who enjoys building relationships and having meaningful conversations with stakeholders. You know that effective risk management isn't about ticking boxes. It's about helping people understand risks, strengthening controls and making better business decisions.

You enjoy getting into the detail when needed, whether that's investigating an issue, assessing control effectiveness or analysing data, but you're equally comfortable stepping back and communicating insights to senior leaders.

We're looking for someone who is naturally curious, confident asking questions and willing to challenge constructively. You'll be comfortable working in a changing environment, able to manage ambiguity, and motivated by helping teams continuously improve how they manage risk.

You'll bring

• 3+ years' experience from a risk, compliance, controls, assurance or governance background, and be comfortable working across a variety of topics and stakeholder groups within a Line 1 or Line 2 environment.
• Confidence building relationships and providing practical advice to business leaders.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Experience in control testing, issue management or risk assurance activities.
• The ability to influence, challenge constructively and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• A continuous improvement mindset and passion for helping teams make better risk-informed decisions.
  

Who we are

Ngākau nui. Āhurutanga. Tikanga.

Join a proud, diverse team that's always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a caring, honest and open culture, we think you'll love working with us.

We know our team's culture and wellbeing drive us forward. That's why we prioritise not only professional development but opportunities to thrive personally. We offer exceptional work/life balance, and our people are encouraged - and rewarded - for living well.

Southern Cross employee benefits include:

• Five days of wellbeing leave per year

• Health insurance for you and your immediate whānau

• Life insurance cover and discounts on pet and travel insurance

• Extra parental leave benefits and financial wellbeing support

• Participation in our workplace wellbeing programme

• The option to purchase flexi leave for study, volunteering, or supporting your whānau

• An annual volunteer day to contribute to a cause with your team

This role is Auckland based. While we appreciate interest from candidates in other locations, we're unfortunately not able to consider remote options.

We are proud to have taken the Pride Pledge, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and belonging. We also facilitate an active, employee‑led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum, which includes our Rainbow Network, Māori Network, Pasifika Collective, and Neurodiversity and Whānau Support networks.

If you share our commitment and passion, we'd love to hear from you.