Senior Manager Cyber Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)

Partners Life; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and development

Discretionary bonus after 12 months’"

Life insurance and income protection

Birthday leave

Long service leave

Parental leave top-up and flexible/hyb

Flexible hybrid working arrangements

Modern Takapuna office

Job summary

Partners Life Limited is seeking a Senior Manager, Cyber Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) to lead and uplift the organisation's cyber risk and GRC capability. You will report to the Head of Cyber Security and guide a small specialist team to ensure cyber risks, obligations and decisions are clearly understood and effectively managed.

You will shape risk, compliance, audit and control assurance, support supplier security, and drive security maturity across technology, risk,

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in cyber security governance, risk, assurance or advisory roles within regulated environments.
• Relevant certifications such as CISM, CISA, CRISC or CISSP are desirable.
• Strong working knowledge of NIST CSF, CIS Controls and ISO 27001 with practical control assurance experience.
• Demonstrated people leadership, coaching and performance management experience.
• Experience across supplier security, compliance, audit, policy, risk reporting and maturity improvement.
• Experience leading risk assessments and establishing effective risk registers, exceptions and treatment plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead the GRC capability with clear priorities, accountability, reporting and escalation pathways.
• Manage the cyber risk framework, risk register, risk assessments, exceptions, treatment plans and reporting.
• Oversee cyber compliance, audit, evidence readiness, findings management and risk‑based control assurance.
• Lead supplier security requirements, due diligence, risk assessments and ongoing monitoring for critical and higher‑risk suppliers.
• Maintain practical, current cyber policies and standards and support security awareness and maturity uplift.
• Provide timely GRC support during cyber incidents, including advice, stakeholder updates, decision records and post‑incident actions.
• Coach and develop the team while building strong relationships across the wider organisation.

Skills

Cyber risk leadership

Governance

Risk assessments

Supplier security

Policy & standards

Audit & control

People leadership

Communication

Education

CISM, CISA, CRISC or CISSP certifications

Tertiary qualification

Tools

NIST CSF

CIS Controls

ISO 27001

Job description

• Lead and strengthen an organisation wide cyber GRC capability

• Shape cyber risk, assurance, supplier security and policy practices

• Manage and develop a high performing team of cyber risk specialists

Partners Life is one of New Zealand’s largest life and health insurance companies. As part of the Daiichi Life Group, a leading global insurance provider, we are writing our next chapter of growth and opportunity.

We know the industry needs bold thinkers and passionate people to help reshape the future of insurance, and that is exactly who we are looking for. We are committed to doing things differently, lifting industry standards, challenging the status quo, and delivering real value through innovation and personalised advice.

If you are looking to join a company that’s redefining the insurance landscape and backed by the strength of a global group, Partners Life is the place to grow your career and make a real impact.

About the opportunity

We are excited to announce a new opportunity for a Senior Manager, Cyber Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) to join our busy cyber security team and build and uplift our cyber security GRC capability. Reporting to the Head of Cyber Security, you will lead a small specialist team and help ensure cyber risks, obligations and decisions are clearly understood, managed and reported.

You will bring structure and visibility across cyber risk and exception management, compliance, audit and control assurance, supplier security, policy and standards. You will also support security awareness and cyber maturity initiatives, and contribute risk, compliance, coordination and communications expertise during cyber incidents.

Working closely with Technology, Risk & Compliance, Legal, Procurement and business leaders, you will translate complex cyber issues into clear, practical advice and support the business to operate within its risk appetite and meet its regulatory and internal obligations.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading the GRC capability, setting clear priorities, accountabilities, reporting and escalation pathways.

• Managing the cyber risk framework, risk register, risk assessments, exceptions, treatment plans and reporting.

• Overseeing cyber compliance, audit, evidence readiness, findings management and risk-based control assurance.

• Leading supplier security requirements, due diligence, risk assessments and ongoing monitoring, particularly for critical and higher-risk suppliers.

• Maintaining practical, current cyber policies and standards and supporting security awareness and maturity uplift.

• Providing timely GRC support during cyber incidents, including advice, stakeholder updates, decision records and post-incident actions.

• Coaching and developing the team while building strong relationships across the wider organization.

About you

You are an experienced pragmatic cyber risk leader who can bring order to complexity, influence across functions and balance sound governance with practical business outcomes. You are comfortable moving between strategic discussions and the operational detail needed to make frameworks work in practice.

You will bring people leadership and coaching experience, along with strong communication & interpersonal skills that enable you to build trusted relationships across technical and non-technical teams.

What will help you succeed in this role:

• Extensive experience in cyber security governance, risk, assurance or advisory roles, ideally within a regulated environment.

• Relevant tertiary qualification and/or certifications such as CISM, CISA, CRISC or CISSP would be desirable.

• Strong working knowledge of NIST CSF, CIS Controls and ISO 27001, together with practical control assurance experience.

• Demonstrated people leadership, coaching and performance management experience.

• Demonstrated experience across supplier security, compliance, audit, policy, risk reporting and maturity improvement.

• Experience leading risk assessments and establishing effective approaches to risk registers, exceptions and treatment plans.

What we offer

At Partners Life, we believe our people are our greatest asset and are proud to invest in their growth, wellbeing and success. As part of our team, you’ll have access to a range of benefits, with eligibility varying by benefit and employment type:

• Comprehensive training and ongoing support

• Genuine learning and development opportunities

• Participation in our discretionary bonus scheme after 12 months’ service

• Life insurance and income protection covers at our cost, plus discounted medical insurance

• Birthday leave (where eligible)

• Long service leave

• Parental leave salary top-up, reduced hours options and secondary parental leave

• Flexible hybrid working arrangements (where eligible)

• A modern office with stunning views in the heart of Takapuna

To be eligible to apply for this role, you must have the legal right to work in New Zealand.

We are not engaging recruitment agencies for this role.