Senior Risk Business Partner (Line 1) - IT

Partners Life; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive training

Career development

Discretionary bonus

Life insurance

Income protection

Birthday leave

Long service leave

Maternity leave top up

Flexible hybrid working

Modern office

Job summary

Partners Life is seeking a Senior Risk Business Partner to embed strong technology risk practices within the IT function. You will act as the primary Line 1 risk adviser to IT leaders, guiding risk decisions and strengthening governance.

You will collaborate with IT leaders to identify, assess and manage technology, operational and cyber risks while enabling innovation and strategic outcomes within a regulated insurer environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in IT risk, technology risk, cyber risk, governance, or technology assurance.
• Strong relationship-building and business partnering skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Ability to translate complex risk matters into pragmatic business actions.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted adviser to the IT Leadership Team with practical risk guidance.
• Partner with technology leaders to manage IT risks, controls and compliance obligations.
• Lead technology risk assessments, control reviews, RCSAs and related activities across IT.
• Support identification and remediation of incidents, issues and vulnerabilities.
• Provide oversight and reporting on technology risks, KRIs, controls and threats.
• Deliver risk insights and trend analysis to governance forums and leadership.

Skills

IT risk

Technology risk

Cyber risk

Governance

Technology assurance

IT audit

Stakeholder management

Risk reporting

Job description

If you are looking to join a company that’s redefining the insurance landscape and is 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 pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Senior Risk Business Partner to be part of our high-performing IT function.

This is a true business partnering role that goes beyond risk reporting and compliance. You will work closely with senior technology leaders to embed strong risk management practices across IT, helping the business proactively identify, assess and manage technology, operational and cyber risks while supporting strategic decision-making and innovation. The role acts as the primary Line 1 risk adviser to IT leaders and teams, providing practical guidance, challenge and insight to strengthen risk culture, controls and governance across the function.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape and mature technology risk capabilities within one of New Zealand's leading life insurers.

What you will do as a Senior Risk Business Partner

• Act as a trusted adviser to the IT Leadership Team, providing practical and commercially focused technology risk advice while constructively challenging thinking and supporting strategic decision-making.
• Partner with technology leaders to proactively manage IT risks, controls and compliance obligations.
• Lead and facilitate technology risk assessments, control reviews, RCSAs and other risk management activities across the IT function.
• Support the identification and management of incidents, issues, vulnerabilities and remediation activities.
• Provide oversight and reporting on technology risks, key risk indicators, controls and emerging threats.
• Deliver meaningful risk insights, reporting and trend analysis to support governance forums and leadership decision-making.
• Help strengthen risk culture through coaching, education and leadership across technology teams.
• Support regulatory change initiatives and governance activities impacting technology and information management practices.
• Contribute to the ongoing maturity and effectiveness of our technology risk management framework and operational resilience practices.

About you

You will be an experienced technology risk professional who enjoys working closely with the business, building trusted relationships and influencing outcomes.

To be successful in this role, you will have a strong background in IT risk, technology controls, technology governance, cyber risk or technology assurance. You understand how technology functions operate and can confidently partner with leaders to strengthen risk management practices while enabling innovation and business performance.

You bring exceptional relationship-building and business partnering skills, with the ability to influence without authority and communicate effectively at all levels. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity, solving complex problems and providing pragmatic risk advice in a fast-paced environment.

You will bring

• Proven experience in IT risk, technology risk, cyber risk, technology governance, technology assurance, IT audit or a related discipline.
• Strong understanding of technology risk frameworks, controls management, risk assessments, incidents, remediation and governance practices.
• Experience supporting leaders with risk registers, RCSAs, controls, key risk indicators and risk reporting.
• Experience working within highly regulated environments, ideally financial services, insurance, banking or similar sectors.
• Strong business partnering and stakeholder management skills with the confidence to engage senior leaders and influence outcomes.
• Expertise in facilitating risk assessments, managing issues and supporting remediation activities.
• Strong analytical, communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex risk matters into practical business actions.

Ideally, you'll also have

• Experience in cyber security risk or technology controls environments.
• Knowledge of relevant standards and frameworks (e.g. NIST, ITIL and COBIT) would be beneficial.
• IT Risk and assurance related certifications (e.g. CISA, CISSP or similar) would be preferred.
• Exposure to operational resilience, information security, regulatory change or technology governance frameworks.
• Experience using enterprise risk management systems, governance tools and reporting frameworks.

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. Here are just some of the benefits you will enjoy as part of our family (some benefits apply to permanent employees only):

• Comprehensive training and ongoing support.
• Genuine career development and progression opportunities.
• Participation in our discretionary bonus scheme after 12 months' service.
• Life insurance and income protection cover at our cost, plus discounted medical insurance (permanent employees only).
• Birthday leave and long service leave.
• Maternity leave salary top up, reduced hours options, and secondary parental leave.
• Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
• Modern office with a stunning view in the heart of Takapuna.

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