Head of Risk in Christchurch, Canterbury at Ravensdown

The Head of Risk leads Ravensdown’s enterprise risk function, partnering across the business to embed strong risk practices and enable confident decision-making.

This role runs the enterprise risk management framework, supporting the Board and Audit & Risk Committee with risk appetite, strategic risk (the risks the Board is most concerned about), and effective oversight of risk across the Group.

Working closely with senior leaders, the Board and key committees, you will help ensure enterprise risks are identified, assessed, managed and reported through the Risk Management Committee and other governance forums.

• Lead the enterprise risk function, including the ongoing development, maintenance and promotion of the risk management framework, policies, tools and reporting.
• Partner with leaders across the business to embed good risk practice, uplift capability, and support consistent risk identification, assessment and treatment.
• Support the Board and Audit & Risk Committee with risk appetite, strategic risk oversight and clear reporting on the risks that matter most.
• Facilitate enterprise risk processes, including risk workshops, risk register management, and consolidated reporting, ensuring insights are practical and action-oriented.
• Coordinate and support the Risk Management Committee, including agendas, papers, minutes and follow-up of agreed actions.
• Provide independent second-line challenge and advice to ensure key risks are appropriately managed and controls are effective.
• Oversee and/or coordinate assurance activity (including internal reviews and external assurance) to provide visibility of control effectiveness, compliance and improvement opportunities.
• Contribute to related risk disciplines such as fraud risk management, business continuity and insurance, working with subject matter experts across the Group.
• Ensure risk management practices align with relevant legislation, professional standards and internal governance requirements.

You are a senior enterprise risk professional with the credibility and confidence to partner with executives, governance committees and Boards.

You bring sound judgement, strong facilitation skills and the ability to translate complex risk information into clear, practical advice. You are comfortable influencing without authority, working autonomously, and building trusted relationships across the organisation—particularly when supporting risk appetite, strategic risk and enterprise risk reporting.

Essential

• Relevant tertiary qualification (e.g., Business, Risk, Accounting, Law or related discipline)
• Extensive experience in enterprise risk management, including risk frameworks, risk appetite and strategic risk oversight
• Proven experience preparing high-quality papers and presenting to executive leadership and/or Board committees
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to influence across a diverse organisation
• Strong analytical capability, with an ability to prioritise and focus on what matters most
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment

Desirable

• Professional certification and/or membership (e.g., Certified Risk Professional, CA/CPA, CIA, or equivalent)
• Experience coordinating assurance activity (internal reviews and/or external assurance providers)
• Experience with operational risk, business continuity and/or insurance
• Health and Safety auditing or assurance experience
• Experience in the agricultural or manufacturing sector

In return for your skills, we offer a very competitive package that includes an array of insurances, phone, laptop, company uniform allowance, plus excellent training opportunities in a supportive cooperative environment.

Ravensdown as a co-operative is all about essential farm inputs, and smart people using smart tools with the latest science in mind and our shareholders’ interests at heart.

We are an integral part of the food creation process. We are the only co-operative that tests for, advises about, buys, ships, stores, spreads, measures and maps food creating nutrients and fertiliser in a truly integrated way.

Using technology, science, and smart people, we work in partnership with our farmers to provide the nutrients and agronomic solutions they need, together with innovative environmental products and services.

Through this, we are committed to Smarter farming for a better New Zealand, Ka pūkekotia a Rongomātāne, ka poho kererū a Aotearoa

Click on the ‘Apply’ button to create a profile and submit your CV and cover letter.

Ravensdown is committed to a drug and alcohol free workplace. The successful applicant will be required to undergo a pre-employment drug and alcohol test.