Senior Manager Product Governance & Risk

Rabobank New Zealand; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive scheme

Wellbeing benefits

Extra leave options

Professional development

Parental leave

Volunteer leave

Team events

Job summary

Rabobank New Zealand is seeking an experienced leader to own Product Governance and first-line risk for Products & Deposits. You will shape governance, drive remediation programs, and influence senior stakeholders across New Zealand and Rabobank Group to balance customer outcomes with compliance and commercial performance.

The role sits in Hamilton, requiring on-site presence and close collaboration with Compliance, Legal, Risk, and Technology teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience within banking or financial services.
• Deep expertise in product governance, risk management, conduct risk and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of the New Zealand banking sector and regulatory environment.
• Proven experience leading complex remediation, risk or change programmes.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing capability.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication abilities.
• A tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously enhance the bank's product governance frameworks and practices.
• Oversee product health checks, product registers and monitoring programmes.
• Develop insightful reporting that supports proactive product oversight and decision making.
• Lead organisation-wide product remediation initiatives from impact assessment through to customer remediation, root cause resolution and executive reporting.
• Act as the key point of contact for product governance, conduct, fraud and operational risk matters.
• Serve as the Products & Deposits Risk Champion.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Regulatory knowledge

Leadership

Banking experience

Change management

Education

Tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline

Job description

Join the ‘Bank of the Year’ as voted for by customers through the 2025 Roy Morgan New Zealand Customer Satisfaction Awards. Rabobank is the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. One of our key strengths lies in our kaimahi (employees) who have a deep understanding of agriculture and are committed to adding long‑term value for our clients.

Our purpose is clear - ‘growing a better New Zealand together’.

Our commitment to our employees and clients is at the heart of everything we do.

Lead Product Governance at New Zealand's leading agribusiness banks!

We’re looking for an experienced and influential leader to take ownership of Product Governance at Rabobank and Risk oversight across our Products & Deposits business unit. This is a unique opportunity to sit at the intersection of product, risk, compliance and customer outcomes, helping to ensure our products remain fair, transparent and aligned with regulatory requirements.

About the role | Mō te tūranga

Reporting directly to the General Manager, Products & Deposits, you’ll be the driving force behind Rabobank New Zealand's product governance and first-line risk management activities for Products & Deposits.

You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how products are developed, monitored and enhanced, while championing customer outcomes.

This is more than a governance role. You’ll lead product remediation programmes, influence senior stakeholders across New Zealand and the broader Rabobank Group, and ensure the right balance between customer experience, regulatory compliance and commercial performance.

What You'll Be Doing

Product Governance & Remediation

• Lead and continuously enhance the bank's product governance frameworks and practices.
• Facilitate the Product Governance Forum and drive meaningful governance outcomes.
• Oversee product health checks, product registers and monitoring programmes.
• Develop insightful reporting that supports proactive product oversight and decision making.
• Lead organisation-wide product remediation initiatives from impact assessment through to customer remediation, root cause resolution and executive reporting.
• Act as the key point of contact for product governance, conduct, fraud and operational risk matters.

First line Risk Management

• Serve as the Products & Deposits Risk Champion.
• Strengthen first‑line risk management practices across operational risk, compliance, fraud, privacy and conduct risk frameworks.
• Drive control assurance activities, risk assessments and regulatory readiness.
• Monitor incidents, findings and remediation actions to ensure timely and effective resolution.
• Represent Products & Deposits at key forums, working groups and committees.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Partner closely with Compliance, First line, Legal, Risk, Operations and Technology teams.
• Engage with senior leaders across New Zealand, Australia and Rabobank's global business.
• Provide expert advice on customer outcomes, conduct risk and product governance best practice.

This role is based in our modern, centrally located Hamilton office, with a minimum expectation of three days onsite each week.

About you | Ō pūkenga

We’re looking for a strategic thinker who thrives in complex, highly regulated environments and enjoys building strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.

You’ll bring:

• 10+ years' experience within banking or financial services.
• Deep expertise in product governance, risk management, conduct risk and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of the New Zealand banking sector and regulatory environment.
• Proven experience leading complex remediation, risk or change programmes.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing capability, including engagement with Executive and senior leadership teams.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication abilities.
• A tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline.

Life at Rabobank | te ora I Rabobank

At Rabobank we offer a range of benefits:

• Access to and eligibility for the Bank’s annual variable remuneration incentive scheme.
• A range of wellbeing benefits including free Flu vaccinations, 2 days wellbeing leave, wellbeing webinars and Employee Assistance Programme.
• Annual leave plus eligibility for an extra week of bonus leave, as well as the option to purchase up to two extra weeks of leave a year.
• Professional development and training.
• Access to 26 weeks fully paid parental leave for new parents, continued payment of the employer KiwiSaver contribution for the 52 weeks.
• Active employee social club and a range of fun activities throughout the year.
• Paid Community Leave Day to undertake volunteer work for the communities we live in and support.

If you are ready to make a difference in a company that encourages forward-thinking and recognises success.

Applications close Tuesday 29 September 2026.

Our Values | ō mātou uara

Rabobank believe embracing inclusion, equity and belonging delivers positive experiences for our people and clients. Our great working conditions, broad learning and development programmes and the opportunity to work together for the greater good are reasons why our employees love working here.

At Rabobank New Zealand, we are committed to our values; we are client-driven, we take responsibility, we are professional and cooperative. We have an open culture, where you can be yourself and be valued for who you are. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, sex/sex characteristics, gender (Inclusive of all genders), gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or other diversity characteristics not mentioned. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Together, we can grow a better world.