Senior Manager – Audit & Risk

About the role

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is seeking a Senior Manager – Audit & Risk to lead its enterprise‑wide audit and risk function. You will operate at the heart of strategic decision‑making, providing independent insight, strengthening organisational resilience, and protecting the institution’s reputation.

Key responsibilities

• Own and evolve the audit and risk ecosystem, from framework design to execution and insight delivery.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive and governance leaders, delivering clear, independent assurance.
• Lead a forward‑looking audit programme, including horizon scanning and emerging‑risk identification.
• Act as the escalation point for critical and complex risks, shaping organisational responses.
• Embed risk ownership, accountability and capability across all levels of the organisation.
• Produce governance‑ready insights and reporting that influence strategic direction.

Required profile

• Minimum 7 years of experience in audit, risk or assurance leadership.
• Deep knowledge of risk frameworks, audit standards and governance practices.
• Proven ability to engage and influence senior leaders and governance forums.
• Track record of building organisational capability and driving improvement.
• Judgement and confidence to act as a trusted escalation point in complex environments.

Required skills

What we offer

• Operational independence within a connected system.
• Opportunity to shape how risk and assurance inform strategy and long‑term resilience.
• Work in a kaupapa Māori environment that prioritises collective wellbeing.
• Impactful role beyond compliance, influencing organisational thinking about risk.