Head of Investment Risk

The role

As Head of Investment Risk, you will lead a team of investment risk specialists focused predominantly on the superannuation industry, but also engaging on insurance-related investment risk issues. With unparalleled access to investment risk information and the most senior investment professionals in APRA regulated entities, your team:

• monitors investment risk across the Australian financial system to inform APRA action;

• undertakes prudential reviews of regulated entity investment risk management in conjunction with APRA supervisors;

• devises investment risk mitigation strategies where risk is outside prudential tolerances;

• provides investment risk specialist advice; and

• supports the development of APRA prudential standards, practice guides and other investment risk related prudential policy.

You may also be involved in providing advice to and engaging with other areas of government, including ASIC and Treasury.

The team

The Cross-Industry Risk division (CRD) houses APRA’s risk specialist teams to deliver on our strategy to identify and respond to risks, ensuring that we take a systemwide view. CRD consists of three branches: Financial, Non-Financial and System Risk, which assess priority areas for our prudential response across all of APRA’s regulated entities, providing advice and collaborating with frontline supervisors. This role is based in Sydney. 

Key responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction and business plan of the Investment Risk team, aligned to the APRA Corporate Plan;

• Provide subject matter expertise in support of APRA’s senior leadership, internal governance committees, and other internal and external stakeholders;

• Lead, manage and develop a team of investment risk specialists to deliver APRA’s investment risk needs;

• Provide specialist input into APRA’s prudential policy, data collections and reporting in relation to investment risk;

• Collaborate with other Cross-Industry Risk Division specialists to provide a cohesive prudential risk view across all risk classes for Australia’s financial system;

• Oversee the development of investment risk system-wide and provide relevant entity insights;

• Monitor and assess the investment risk environment across the Australian financial system for relevant prudential vulnerabilities and, where appropriate, recommend a balanced but proactive response; and

• Provide specialist technical advice on investment risk related matters, ensuring the team maintains a deep level of expertise in investment risk and current and emerging issues in investment risk management more broadly.

About you

• Deep knowledge, understanding and experience in the field of investments and investment risk with the ability to identify strategic investment risk issues and develop and implement appropriate solutions;

• Solid strategic leadership capabilities, relationship building, negotiation and influencing capability at senior level;

• Demonstrable expertise across people, project and resource management;

• An ability to scan a breadth of information sources and apply experience and judgement to identify, raise emerging trends and identify usage within organisational context;

• Strong personal integrity and an intuitive understanding of what is reasonable and prudent business practice;

• An ability to establish and maintain sound working relationships with peers, team members and external stakeholders in a professional team environment; and

• Professional qualifications in relevant field or equivalent experience.

To work with us, you need to be an Australian citizen with eligibility to obtain and maintain Australian Government Security clearance.

About APRA

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) was established in 1998 as an independent statutory authority that supervises almost 1,200 financial institutions that manage $8.6 trillion in assets for Australians across the banking, insurance and superannuation sectors. APRA serves the Australian community by helping ensure that financial institutions deliver on the financial commitments they make, with a stable, efficient and competitive financial system.

In overseeing the safety, competitiveness and stability of the financial system, we seek to recruit, develop and retain highly skilled professionals, who want to help shape financial services and protect the financial wellbeing of the Australian community. Our employee base of almost 900 come predominantly from the commercial financial services industry or other government agencies; as such, we have the feel of a small corporate organisation that can work flexibly and with agility.

Why Work for APRA

We recognise the skills, experience and commitment that our staff bring to their professional lives, and we seek to reward them accordingly. We also recognise that for our staff to be able to perform at their best, we need to ensure that they are able to bring their best selves to work. Our commitment to wellbeing is having engaged people supported by resilient leaders within a values-aligned culture.

At APRA, we’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs, feels valued and respected. We aspire to attract and foster diversity of background, thought, and experience, recognising that a broad range of perspectives, approaches and ideas makes us stronger, and better enables us to meet our obligation to protect the financial wellbeing of the Australian community. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, please inform at application stage so we can do our best to accommodate your requirements.