Senior Manager - Project Risk

• Senior leadership role within the Bank’s Line 2 Business Risk Oversight function
• Shape risk oversight across major projects and transformation programs
• 5 year fixed-term contract

About the role

The Reserve Bank of Australia is undertaking significant change across its technology, infrastructure, operations and enterprise capabilities. Effective delivery of this change is critical to the Bank’s ability to achieve its strategic priorities and continue performing functions that matter to all Australians.

We are seeking an experienced project risk leader to head our Project Risk and Oversight team within the Bank’s second line of accountability.

Reporting to the Deputy Head, Business Risk Oversight, you will lead independent review, challenge and insight across the Bank’s portfolio of major projects and transformation programs. Your role will be to help senior leaders and governance forums understand whether material risks are being identified and managed, whether delivery confidence is supported by evidence, and whether proposed decisions remain within the Bank’s risk appetite.

Your remit will cover both:

• Delivery risk, including risks to scope, schedule, cost, benefits and successful implementation; and
• Delivered risk, including risks introduced into the Bank’s operations, systems, processes and control environment through change.

You will work closely with senior executives, project sponsors, the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office, delivery teams, risk specialists and Audit. You will maintain the independence of Line 2 while building the trusted relationships needed to influence decisions and strengthen outcomes.

This is an opportunity to shape a growing capability, establish a forward-looking approach to project risk oversight and make a tangible contribution to the delivery of the Bank’s strategic priorities.

Your key responsibilities:

• Lead a small team providing independent Line 2 oversight of major projects, programs and transformation initiatives.
• Maintain a clear, risk-based approach for determining where Line 2 oversight will add the greatest value.
• Provide independent advice and constructive challenge to executives, project sponsors and governance committees on delivery risk, delivered risk and significant project decisions.
• Assess whether reported project status and delivery confidence are supported by evidence across scope, schedule, cost, resourcing, dependencies, benefits, controls and implementation readiness.
• Identify emerging risks, control weaknesses, governance gaps and systemic themes across the change portfolio.
• Lead targeted reviews, thematic assessments, deep dives and other Line 2 review activities at critical decision points.
• Challenge material assumptions, risk acceptance and proposed commitments where the evidence, risk exposure or remaining uncertainty is not sufficiently clear.
• Oversee the development of integrated and forward-looking review plans, working with the first line and Audit to improve coverage and avoid unnecessary duplication.
• Produce concise, decision-useful reporting for senior management, executive committees and Board committees.
• Strengthen the Bank’s approach to project risk, delivered risk, benefits realisation and the transition of risk ownership into business-as-usual operations.
• Influence improvements to project governance, risk management, escalation and decision-making across the Bank.
• Lead, coach and develop team members, while drawing on specialist risk expertise where required.

About you

You will be an experienced risk, assurance or transformation leader who can operate credibly across complex projects while retaining a clear enterprise and Line 2 perspective.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in project risk, program assurance, transformation governance, enterprise or operational risk, internal audit, project controls or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience providing independent oversight and constructive challenge across major projects, programs or transformation portfolios.
• Strong understanding of project and program governance, risk management, assurance and control frameworks.
• The ability to assess delivery confidence across scope, schedule, cost, benefits, resourcing, dependencies, governance and implementation readiness.
• Experience evaluating complex technology, cyber security, infrastructure, operational or enterprise transformation initiatives.
• Strong judgement and the confidence to distinguish evidence of activity from evidence that risk is being effectively reduced.
• The ability to identify root causes, interconnected risks and portfolio-wide themes rather than considering projects only in isolation.
• A proven ability to influence executives, project sponsors and senior delivery leaders, including where difficult or sensitive messages need to be raised.
• Experience producing high-quality reporting and presenting complex risk matters to executive or Board-level governance forums.
• The ability to translate detailed project and technical information into clear business implications and practical recommendations.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing high-performing risk or assurance professionals.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in risk, project management, business, finance, technology, engineering or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Professional qualifications in risk, project management, assurance, accounting or internal audit would be well regarded.

Your Team

Business Risk Oversight forms part of the Bank’s Risk and Compliance Department and provides independent Line 2 review, challenge and insight across material enterprise risks.

The Project Risk and Oversight team works across the Bank’s portfolio of strategic change. The team does not manage projects or own their risks. Instead, it helps decision-makers understand whether risks are being effectively managed, whether controls and mitigations are working, and whether material commitments are supported by sufficient evidence.

Success in the role will require professional independence, intellectual curiosity and the ability to build trusted relationships without compromising the clarity of Line 2 review and challenge.

Be More
Working for an organisation that truly makes a difference to the people of Australia, we can offer development and career opportunities in a collaborative environment that supports your growth, wellbeing and promotes flexibility. Your individual growth and success drives the RBA forward as an organisation. Be more means you can do more, for yourself and for Australia.
Why RBA?
The RBA makes an important contribution to the Australian economy through the pursuit of national economic policy objectives and associated activities in financial markets and banking. We also issue Australia's banknotes and operate infrastructure critical to the payments system, all of which contribute to the welfare of the Australian people. Made up of specialists across a wide range of fields, our people, values, and culture play a critical role in achieving our objectives. Striving to be Open & Dynamic, we consider and incorporate different perspectives, work across teams and are transparent with each other, whilst delivering quality together effectively and focusing on outcomes by prioritising, testing, learning, and refining as we go. Our people conduct themselves with a high degree of integrity, while striving for excellence in the work they perform and the outcomes they achieve. We encourage intelligent inquiry and we treat one another with respect while promoting the public interest through our efforts. We know it is the growth and success of our people that drives the RBA forward. Come and make a bigger contribution while you build and develop your own skills too, because being more means you can do more, for yourself and for Australia.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion through key initiatives. We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse background, those living with a disability and from the LGBTQ+ community. We are committed to making the recruitment process fair and equitable for all our candidates.

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