Risk and Controls Enablement Specialist

Location: Melbourne or Sydney
Team: First Line Risk

Is this your next role?

At Heartland, we believe in helping our people Bring your Heart. Build your future.

We're looking for an experienced Risk & Controls Enablement Specialist to join our First Line Risk team at Heartland Bank Australia.

In this senior specialist role, you will partner with leaders and business owners to embed effective risk management and controls into everyday operations and decision-making. You will provide practical guidance and constructive challenge across risk and control self-assessments, control design and testing, obligations, incidents, issues and remediation activities.

You will also use risk and control data to identify emerging trends and improvement opportunities, helping to strengthen risk capability, accountability and consistent practices across the Bank.

A bit about us

At Heartland Bank Australia, we believe banking should help people get more from life. Whether we're helping Australians make more of their retirement, supporting farmers to grow their businesses or helping customers build their savings, our focus is on practical solutions that make a real difference.

We're a specialist bank with big ambitions and a culture where people are encouraged to bring their ideas, take ownership and grow with the business. We're part of the wider Heartland Group and combine the ambition of a growing business with a practical, people-first approach.

We back our people to take ownership, challenge the status quo and make a genuine difference for our customers and communities.

What you'll do:

• Partner with business leaders and owners to embed Heartland's Risk Management Framework into day-to-day operations.
• Facilitate risk and control self-assessments, including risk identification, control mapping, documentation and follow-up.
• Guide business owners in designing, documenting and maintaining effective controls, procedures and evidence requirements.
• Plan and perform Line 1 control testing and quality reviews, documenting clear and defensible conclusions.
• Evaluate control effectiveness, identify weaknesses and constructively challenge remediation plans.
• Guide the assessment and documentation of incidents, breaches, issues and control deficiencies.
• Facilitate root-cause analysis and support the development of practical, sustainable remediation plans.
• Monitor risk profiles, control performance and remediation activity, escalating material or overdue matters.
• Maintain accurate and current risk, control, obligation, issue and action records in Protecht.
• Prepare clear, timely and decision-useful reporting for business leaders and governance forums.
• Provide practical coaching and guidance that strengthens risk ownership and capability across Line 1.
• Collaborate with Line 2 Risk and Compliance and Internal Audit while maintaining clear lines of accountability.

What you'll bring

You will bring at least five years' experience in operational risk, compliance, controls assurance or a related risk management discipline, ideally within banking or financial services. 

You'll also bring: 

• Experience facilitating risk and control self-assessments and maintaining business risk profiles. 

• Strong capability in evaluating control design and effectiveness and performing control testing. 

• Experience managing incidents, issues, breaches, root-cause analysis and remediation activities. 

• Sound working knowledge of APRA prudential requirements, risk management frameworks and regulatory obligations applicable to an authorised deposit-taking institution. 

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to identify trends, recurring failures and practical improvement opportunities. 

• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and explain technical risk matters to non-specialist audiences. 

• The ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver accurate, high-quality outcomes. 

• Experience using an enterprise risk management system, with Protecht experience highly regarded. 

• A relevant qualification in business, risk, law, finance or a related discipline is preferred. 

You'll thrive at Heartland if you

• Build trusted relationships while maintaining independence of thought and constructive challenge. 

• Take ownership of work from start to finish and deliver clear, accurate and defensible outcomes. 
• Use data and evidence to identify trends and practical improvement opportunities. 
• Communicate complex risk and control matters clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences. 
• Enjoy coaching others to strengthen risk ownership, capability and accountability. 

Why Heartland?

At Heartland, our Employee Value Proposition is simple: Bring your Heart. Build your future.

Bring your Heart means bringing who you are to work: your ideas, experience, ambition and care for the people around you. At Heartland, we want you to do work that means something, be part of a culture where you belong and have the flexibility to make work fit alongside your life.

Build your future means having the opportunity to keep moving forward. It’s our commitment to helping you grow. You’ll have opportunities to learn, develop your skills, take on new challenges and shape a career that reflects your ambitions.

Together, it’s the promise we make to our people: bring what makes you, you, and we’ll give you the opportunity and support to build what comes next.

What's in it for you?

At Heartland, we believe great benefits are about more than perks. They're about supporting our people to grow, thrive and do their best work.

Built around your whole life | Always Evolving

• Hybrid working from day one
• Flexible work arrangements18 weeks paid parental leave for all parents, plus super on unpaid parental leave
• Access to an employee discounts platform and
• Novated leasing
• Free annual flu vaccinations

Grow & be rewarded | Be Ambitious

• Career development and internal opportunities
• Learning and development programs
• Competitive remuneration and incentive opportunities

Work that means something | Do What's Right

• Strong values-led and ethical culture
• Paid volunteer day each year
• Confidential SpeakUp and whistleblower protections
• Meaningful work that supports customers and communities

A culture built for everyone | One Team

• Employee networks, social committee and team events
• Wellbeing initiatives and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Inclusive and flexible ways of working
• A collaborative environment where everyone belongs
  

At Heartland, you'll be supported to make a genuine impact while building a rewarding career with a business that's growing and evolving alongside you.

Can you see yourself here?

We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed.

We welcome different perspectives and experiences because we know our best work happens when people can bring their heart to what they do and contribute their unique strengths.

If you're excited by this opportunity and can see yourself thriving at Heartland, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and Bring your Heart. Build your future.