Risk and Compliance Officer

About AARNet

Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet) was established in 1989 and is widely regarded as the founder of the Internet in Australia and renowned as the architect, builder and operator of world-class network infrastructure for research and education. 

As Australia’s National Research and Education Network (NREN). We connect over one million users — researchers, faculty, staff, students, hospitals, vocational training providers, schools and museums — across Australia.

We are an organisation of innovators, doers, and courageous thinkers. We don’t settle for the status quo; instead, we anticipate the future needs of our customers and build solutions today. If you share our imagination, foresight, and drive to shape the future, why not come and join us?

https://www.aarnet.edu.au/

Role Purpose

The Risk and Compliance Officer is a key role within the Commercial and Strategy team to drive the management of AARNet’s overall governance, risk and compliance programs including compliance to various regulations across government, industry and customers. 

This role will support the Director, Commercial & Strategy, own the risk management process and assist in monitoring governance compliance. This role will have the opportunity to drive sustainable change by defining process improvement through definition, technology and automation. As the Risk and Compliance Office, you will provide administrative, system and project management support across a variety of functions including policy management, compliance, and risk management.

Key Accountabilities

At AARNet, all employees are accountable for:

• Actively promoting safe work practices in the workplace during all activities consistent with AARNet’s policies and comply with all WH&S legislation, policies and procedures.
• Actively contributes to a safe and supportive working environment that is inclusive of all staff through celebrating their nationality, cultural background, LGBTI status, abilities, gender and age.

In this role, your main responsibilities are:

Risk Management

• Ownership of Risk Management governance and acting as a thought leader and spokesperson for best practices in risk management
• Driving the implementation and consistent adoption of AARNet’s risk management framework across the organisation
• Continuously improve how the organisation handles risk, it’s risk appetite statements and reporting tools
• Assisting the business to identify risks, including identification of risk causes, assessments, controls and development of action plans to address control gaps
• Review and track mitigation planning
• Lead regular risk reviews with CEO and members of senior management leadership team
• Prepare and present regular reporting to the Audit, Finance and Risk committee and the Board of Directors

Compliance

• Develop and implement an overarching Compliance Policy and Compliance Management Framework (CMF)
• Maintain and track compliance monitoring activities in AARNet’s existing compliance calendar
• Implement a control testing framework across the business
• Design and implement a centralised issue and breach management policy and process
• Establish and report on aggregate view of compliance issues across the business
• Embed compliance process and review into business activities
• Monitor AARNet’s regulatory obligations and updates to ensure compliance with relevant legislations
• Conduct audit and reviews to evaluate business compliance with the applicable laws, processes and policies

Privacy

• Own the Privacy Policy for AARNet by conducting regular reviews and updating the policy and procedures to ensure they align with current legal and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct and manage privacy impact assessments across the business on AARNet’s products, initiatives and vendors
• Facilitate regular privacy training and awareness activities across AARNet
• Manage data breaches or privacy incidents, lead responses in accordance with regulatory requirements
• Advise, design and audit the implementation of data handling procedures
• Involvement on various committees providing privacy advice and manage privacy risks across AARNet
• Champion best practice privacy management and implement continuous improvements to strengthen privacy compliance within the organisation.

About you in the role

You will celebrate diversity, inclusion, belonging and welcome all people regardless of lifestyle choices, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Your directorate: Commercial & Legal

You’ll report to: Director, Commercial and Strategy

Your expertise, experience & qualifications

• Relevant degree in Business or Law
• 3-5 years experience in Risk management, auditing, governance or related fields
• Experience in conducting internal audits and developing audit processes
• Experience in risk management frameworks, controls and processes including development of documentation
• Working knowledge of Privacy Legislation and the Telecommunications Act

Even better

Although not essential to the role, it would be even better if you had any of the following experience/skills:

• Industry recognised certification in Compliance and Risk Management or Auditing advantageous
• Excellent communication skills to present to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Problem solving
• Collaboration skills
• Passion for process improvements

Benefits at AARNet

AARNet is committed to diversity and providing equal opportunity to all. We’re a great place to work if you want to make a difference.

AARNet provides a host of other benefits in line with our HR policies which include:

• Competitive remuneration;
• 17% superannuation; 
• Flexible work options including a hybrid work model;
• Focus on wellbeing – year-round initiatives and social engagement activities;
• Ethical Leadership: A sector leader in cyber security, social responsibility, and equal opportunity;
• Options to purchase additional Annual Leave; 
• 2 days paid Women’s Wellness Leave per month; 
• 24 weeks paid Parental Leave – Primary Carer; 
• Welcome back to AARNet superannuation payment – on unpaid Parental Leave for Primary Carer; 
• 4 weeks paid Birth Trauma Leave; 
• 24 weeks paid - Adoption Leave; 
• 16 weeks paid Parental Leave – Secondary Carer; 
• 5 days paid – First Nations Cultural Leave; 
• 2 days paid Family Wedding Leave; 
• 24 weeks paid – Foster Carer Leave; 
• 5 days paid – Fertility Leave; 
• 8 weeks paid – Gender Affirmation Leave; 
• Strong Equal Opportunity focus;  
• Modern office environment: Hotdesking system and new facilities;
• Support your success: A culture and company structure that allows your career to grow with access to leading edge technologies;
• An opportunity to give back to the academic and research sector.