Senior Manager - Risk, Compliance and Governance

About Cancer Council Australia

Cancer Council Australia is the nation’s leading non-government cancer control organisation, focused on reducing the impact of cancer through research, prevention, and support. We work alongside the community, health professionals, and government to provide trusted information and services to those affected by cancer. With a mission to save lives and create a cancer free future, Cancer Council offers a purpose driven workplace where everyone can make a meaningful difference to help improve outcomes for people affected by cancer.

About the role

The Senior Manager - Risk, Compliance & Governance is responsible for embedding a proactive, practical and contemporary approach to enterprise risk, governance and compliance across Cancer Council Australia. Reporting to the Director - Commercial & Corporate Services, you will work closely with the Executive Leadership Team, Board and Finance, Risk & Audit Committee to develop and implement fit-for-purpose frameworks, provide trusted strategic advice, and build organisational capability to ensure risk-informed decision-making is embedded across all levels of the organisation. 

As Cancer Council Australia continues to evolve in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, this role will be instrumental in developing and strengthening organisational resilience and supporting sound governance. You will partner with leaders across the organisation to foster a positive risk culture, strengthen accountability, and implement practical governance and compliance frameworks that enable informed decision-making while safeguarding the organisation's reputation, people and resources. This is a unique opportunity to influence strategic outcomes, enhance organisational performance, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of one of Australia's most respected not-for-profit organisations.

The role is an opportunity to lead and shape risk, governance and compliance practices in an environment where these practices are relatively immature and requires a stronger focus, which is aligned with risk management being a key strategic priority of Cancer Council Australia.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading Cancer Council Australia's enterprise risk management framework and risk reporting.
• Developing and embedding compliance frameworks, policies and governance practices.
• Supporting the Executive Leadership Team, Finance, Risk & Audit Committee and Board with high-quality reporting and governance advice.
• Leading the organisation's internal audit program and monitoring implementation of audit recommendations.
• Overseeing incident management, business continuity planning and organisational resilience initiatives.
• Managing the organisation's insurance portfolio, renewals and claims.
• Monitoring legislative and regulatory changes and advising on organisational impacts.
• Delivering training and capability-building initiatives that strengthen risk awareness and accountability across the organisation.
• Building trusted relationships with senior leaders, regulators, auditors and external stakeholders.

About you

You are a hands-on and strategic and collaborative leader with exceptional stakeholder engagement, communication and problem-solving skills. You have a proven track record of partnering with senior leaders to navigate complex organisational challenges and are confident influencing at Executive and Board level while remaining “across the details”, practical, solutions focused and commercially minded. You excel at translating complex legislative, regulatory and governance requirements into pragmatic, business focused solutions that support informed decision making and continuous improvement.

With a strong focus on partnering rather than policing, you build trusted relationships across the organisation and foster a culture where effective governance, accountability and risk management enable strategic priorities to be achieved. You are equally comfortable operating strategically and delivering operational outcomes. You bring a proactive mindset, sound judgement and the ability to balance risk with opportunity, helping leaders make confident decisions in an evolving regulatory environment. You have an ability to influence, build capability and drive organisational maturity and will be instrumental in strengthening Cancer Council Australia's governance, compliance and risk culture.

You bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in risk management, law, business, or a related discipline.
• Extensive risk and compliance management experience at a senior level, preferably within the not-for-profit or public sector.
• A pragmatic approach to risk management with strong commercial acumen.
• Solutions driven and results focussed attitude, with strong time management skills and the ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Australian regulatory frameworks including ACNC, WHS, and privacy legislation.
• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong report writing skills (Board level).
• Proven ability to develop and implement risk frameworks and lead organisational change.
• Experience working with Boards or governance committees.
• Information Technology and Privacy risk (cybersecurity, data security).
• Expertise in insurance renewals and claims and managing insurance portfolios
• Familiarity with ISO 31000 Risk Management and other risk management standards.
• Understanding of funding compliance and reporting obligations in the NFP sector.
• Experience in crisis management or business continuity planning.
• Manufacturing / Product background – regulatory affairs

Our Culture

Cancer Council Australia is here for all Australians affected by cancer. We actively promote and foster a working environment that values diversity, difference and inclusion. As we strive to achieve our vision of a cancer free future, we welcome and actively encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, CALD, LGBTQIA+ peoples and people living with a disability.