Head of Risk, Compliance & Government Relations

Sharp & Carter are partnering with a leading organisation in the financial services sector to appoint a Head of Risk, Compliance & Government Relations to lead the function for a nationally significant business unit operating in a highly regulated environment.

This is a broad and influential leadership role, combining ownership of risk and compliance with a critical government relations and policy mandate. It will suit an experienced executive who understands how to navigate regulatory complexity and is confident engaging directly with government and regulators.

The role

Reporting to the Chief General Counsel with a dotted line to the CEO of the division, you will lead the risk, compliance and audit framework while shaping and executing the organisation’s government relations strategy.

A key part of the role will be anticipating and responding to regulatory change, ensuring the business remains ahead of reform, and actively contributing to policy discussions that impact the sector.

You will operate as a true business partner, working closely with executive stakeholders to balance risk, compliance and commercial outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the risk, compliance and audit function for a large, regulated business unit
• Lead the organisation’s government relations strategy, including direct engagement and advocacy with regulators and government bodies
• Represent the business in industry forums and working groups to influence policy and regulatory direction
• Monitor and interpret legislative and regulatory developments, and guide the business through implementation
• Partner with operational leaders to embed regulatory change into processes, systems and controls
• Develop and embed risk management frameworks, ensuring effective identification, assessment and mitigation of financial and non-financial risks
• Drive and oversee audit and assurance programs, including external audit engagement and response as well as an enhanced fraud detection and mitigation program
• Oversee incident management, investigations and remediation activities, including fraud and compliance matters
• Provide regular, high-quality reporting and insights to executive leadership and governance committees
• Lead and develop a small, high-performing team across compliance, audit and fraud management

About you

You are an experienced executive with a strong background in risk and compliance within a regulated Australian environment, coupled with proven capability in government relations and regulatory engagement.

You bring a commercial mindset, strong judgement, and the ability to operate effectively at both strategic and operational levels.

We are looking for:

• Significant experience (10+ years) in risk, compliance, audit or regulatory environments
• Demonstrated experience engaging with Australian regulators and government stakeholders
• Proven capability in government relations, policy advocacy or regulatory strategy
• Strong understanding of legislative and regulatory frameworks, and how to operationalise change
• Experience in partnering with business leaders to drive risk uplift and continuous improvement
• The ability to influence at executive and board level and manage complex stakeholder environments
• Strong analytical capability and the ability to translate risk into clear, actionable insights
• A leadership style that builds capability, accountability and a strong risk culture

Experience within highly regulated or government-facing sectors, including health, welfare and NDIA with exposure to policy reform or large-scale regulatory change, will be highly regarded.

Why consider this role

This is a rare opportunity to step into a role that goes beyond traditional risk and compliance. You will have the platform to shape regulatory engagement, contribute to policy discussions, and influence how the business responds to ongoing reform.

You’ll be joining a business where this function has real visibility and impact, with direct access to executive leadership and the opportunity to drive meaningful change.

For a confidential discussion or to explore the opportunity further, please apply with a covering letter to:

***email_hidden***

0450 363 147