Manager, Operational Risk Advisory

Job Title

Manager, Operational Risk Advisory

Job Description

Rabobank New Zealand is part of a global co‑operative bank with a deep heritage in food and agribusiness. We combine the scale and strength of a global organisation with a locally focused approach, allowing us to stay close to our customers and deliver practical outcomes.

Our co‑operative roots shape how we work. We focus on building long-term relationships, supporting our customers and communities, and creating sustainable value. We aim to keep things simple, practical, and customer-focused, and we’re always looking for ways to improve how we work.

We are looking for an experienced, IT-savvy, data-confident Operational Risk Manager to join our second line team in a hands-on, trans-Tasman role supporting business units across New Zealand and Australia. This is an opportunity to step into a role with real ownership and influence, applying operational risk frameworks in practice, shaping how risk is managed day-to-day, and directly improving business outcomes.

If you enjoy working with systems, using data to generate insights, improving processes, and helping others make well-informed decisions, this could be a great fit.

About the role | Mō te tūranga

As Manager, Operational Risk Advisory, you will provide advice, insight, and constructive challenge to support how operational risk is managed across the business.

You’ll play an important role in embedding and continuously improving our Operational Risk Framework, taking ownership of key activities and helping ensure it is applied in a way that supports the business and delivers real value.

This role requires a balance of practical thinking, analytical capability, and strong stakeholder engagement, along with the confidence to ask questions and challenge where needed.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with first line stakeholders across New Zealand and Australia to identify, assess, and manage operational risks across business activities.
• Provide second line review and constructive challenge on change initiatives, risk acceptances, and key decisions.
• Provide risk input into business change and governance processes, ensuring alignment with risk appetite and framework requirements.
• Monitor risk against limits and thresholds, taking ownership of insights and working with stakeholders to drive effective resolution.
• Deliver control testing and assurance activities (including deep dives and reviews), ensuring control effectiveness and driving remediation through to closure.
• Support the uplift of risk capability through coaching, workshops, and practical guidance to the first line.
• Review and challenge incident reporting and root cause analysis, ensuring meaningful insights are captured and used to strengthen controls.
• Play a key role in embedding and continuously improving the Operational Risk Framework, including policy documents, controls, and risk appetite measures.
• Take ownership of maintaining and enhancing risk systems (including Archer), along with reporting, ensuring strong data quality and actionable insights.
• Drive continuous improvement in operational risk processes, with a focus on simplicity, efficiency, and usability.
• Partner with stakeholders to translate regulatory expectations into practical, fit‑for‑purpose risk and control solutions.
• Promote the use of process mapping and end‑to‑end value chain thinking to strengthen risk identification and control design.

What you’ll need

• 5–8 years’ experience in operational risk or a related risk role.
• Strong ability to analyse data and generate clear, actionable insights.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to take ownership and deliver practical outcomes.

Desirable

• Experience working in or advising the banking or financial services sector.
• Experience working within a global organisation.
• Exposure to process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) or process engineering approaches.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving capability, with attention to detail.
• Ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively across the business.
• A curious mindset and desire to understand systems and processes.
• Strong organisational skills with a structured, disciplined approach.
• Ability to balance regulatory and policy expectations with practical business outcomes.

In return we can offer you:

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a values-driven organisation with an ambitious growth strategy. We have a workplace culture that our people are proud of, where we embrace inclusion and belonging and strive to deliver positive experiences for our people and clients. 

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a range of perks and benefits, including personal and professional development opportunities, health and wellbeing initiatives, additional leave benefits, a flexible workplace and insurance and financial benefits.

If you are interested in Growing a better New Zealand together (kia ngātahi te tipu o Aotearoa) please follow the link and apply online or visit www.rabobank.co.nz./careers.

Applications close Sunday 24 May 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.