Head of Risk & Compliance

Head of Risk & Compliance

Private Credit & Investment Management | Auckland

Senior Leadership Role | Financial Services

The Opportunity

Our client is a fast growing private credit and investment management business operating across funds, lending, and sophisticated investment structures. As the business transitions toward greater institutional maturity, they are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Head of Risk & Compliance to build, lead, and enhance their enterprise wide risk and compliance framework.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director and working closely with the Investment Committee, Credit Team, Board, and external advisors, this is a senior control function role that balances strong governance with practical commercial decision making.

This position is both strategic and hands on, ideal for someone who enjoys shaping frameworks while remaining close to the detail in a dynamic, founder led environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive risk management framework covering credit, liquidity, market, operational, conduct, and reputational risk
• Own and maintain the Risk Appetite Statement and ensure alignment with fund mandates, lending policies, and investor expectations
• Ensure full compliance with New Zealand regulatory obligations including FMCA, AML/CFT, privacy, and fair dealing requirements
• Act as the primary internal owner of regulatory compliance across wholesale funds, retail feeder structures where applicable, and offshore investor channels
• Provide independent risk oversight of lending policies, credit approval frameworks, portfolio construction, and concentration limits
• Participate in Investment and Credit Committees as an independent risk voice
• Oversee AML/CFT programmes, investor onboarding, source of funds checks, and ongoing monitoring
• Maintain policies, controls, breach management procedures, and internal assurance programmes
• Promote a strong risk aware and compliant culture across the organisation

About You

Essential

• 10+ years experience in senior risk and or compliance roles within financial services
• Strong working knowledge of New Zealand regulatory frameworks including FMCA and AML/CFT
• Experience in investment management, private credit, lending, or funds management
• Proven ability to operate as an independent control function in a growth environment

Highly Desirable

• Experience with wholesale and retail fund structures
• Prior involvement in fund launches or regulatory approvals
• Tertiary qualification in Law, Finance, Risk, Compliance, or a related discipline

Personal Attributes

• Commercially pragmatic and solutions focused
• High integrity with sound professional judgement
• Confident engaging with senior leadership and external regulators
• Detail oriented with strong execution discipline
• Comfortable operating in fast paced, founder led businesses

Why This Role

• Opportunity to build and own the risk and compliance function at a critical growth stage
• Direct influence over fund governance, investor protection, and regulatory readiness
• Exposure to sophisticated private credit, property backed lending, and fund structures
• Senior leadership visibility with long term career progression

To Apply:

Please send your CV and a brief cover letter to echristopher@adecco.co.nz or call 021 222 0981 for a confidential discussion.

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