DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE INDIGENOUS ECONOMY?

First Australians Capital (FAC) exists to empower Indigenous economic prosperity through a thriving, sustainable, and impactful Indigenous economy. We support First Australians' cultural, creative, and economic strength so that they can become free agents driving their economic futures.

FAC operates under an Indigenous First approach, ensuring that our Indigenous stakeholders are the designers and drivers of our team's activities and decisions.

FAC is a small, high-impact organisation. This role operates as a functional lead without direct reports, working across a lean and collaborative team structure with direct access to the Managing Director and Executive leadership.

Position Summary

The Operational Risk and Compliance Lead is FAC's first-line risk leader, embedded within the Business Operations Team and partnering closely with frontline teams to strengthen operational resilience, embed effective risk management practices and ensure compliance with financial crime obligations.

The role provides leadership across operational risk, financial crime (AML/CTF), fraud risk, business continuity, incident management and operational compliance. It supports FAC's lending and operational activities by ensuring risks are understood, managed, and appropriately balanced with customer outcomes and organisational objectives.

As a trusted business partner, the Lead works collaboratively across the whole organisation to build a positive risk culture, strengthen operational capability and enable FAC to achieve its strategic priorities while maintaining strong governance.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership Expectations

- Demonstrate enterprise thinking and contribute to FAC's strategic direction.
- Lead through influence, collaboration and expertise.
- Model FAC's values and foster a culture of accountability, respect and learning.
- Balance sound governance with practical, customer-focused outcomes.
- Contribute positively to FAC's commitment to First Nations economic empowerment.

Operational Risk

- Lead the ongoing maintenance and continuous improvement of FAC's operational risk framework
- Support FAC's compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Privacy Principles, including in relation to the collection and handling of sensitive client data.
- Monitor and support management of cyber and information security risks as part of FAC's operational risk register.

Financial Crime





- Lead FAC's first-line Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Program.
- Embed AML/CTF obligations into operational processes and customer interactions.
- Oversee Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, noting that operational delivery is performed by a third‑party delivery partner, the Lead's role is one of oversight, quality assurance and escalation management.
- Deliver practical guidance and training to operational teams on AML/CTF obligations.
- Support the implementation of legislative and regulatory changes relating to financial crime.

Fraud Risk & Integrity

- Coordinate FAC's fraud risk management framework.
- Promote fraud awareness and preventative controls across the organisation.
- Support the investigation and reporting of suspected fraud incidents.

Business Continuity & Operational Resilience

- Maintain, test, and continuously improve FAC's Business Continuity Management Framework.
- Support organisational preparedness and operational resilience.

Operational Compliance & Controls

- FAC's regulatory obligations span AML/CTF (AUSTRAC), the Australian Consumer Law, the Privacy Act, and its own internal governance frameworks. The Lead is responsible for translating these obligations into practical, proportionate operational controls.
- Develop, maintain and review operational policies, procedures and guidance.
- Support internal and external audits on AML/CTF program and other regulatory reviews.

Risk Culture & Capability

- Build risk capability across FAC through coaching, education and practical guidance.
- Develop practical tools and resources that enable frontline teams to manage risk confidently.
- Champion continuous improvement and a positive risk culture.

Business Partnering

- Act as a trusted advisor to Business Operations and Corporate Operations teams.
- Partner with project teams to ensure new initiatives incorporate appropriate risk and control considerations.
- Foster collaborative relationships that strengthen operational performance and governance.

Reporting





- Prepare regular reports for the Executive, Board and Board Committees on a quarterly basis.
- Analyse trends, emerging risks and control effectiveness.
- Monitor risk treatment plans and report on progress.

Other responsibilities are outlined in the Position Description. Please email ****@firstaustralianscapital.org to request a copy.

Selection Criteria

Indigenous Business and Community Knowledge – Desirable

- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Indigenous communities, cultures, and issues affecting Indigenous Australians in business.
- Knowledge of Indigenous economic development and/or impact, or capital markets will be highly valued.

Qualifications

- Professional qualifications or memberships in risk, governance or compliance.
- Highly regarded: Relevant tertiary qualifications in business, finance, law, risk, governance or a related discipline.

Skills

- Solid knowledge of operational risk management and internal control frameworks.
- Demonstrated understanding of AML/CTF legislation and financial crime risk.
- Understanding of fraud risk, operational resilience and business continuity principles.
- Ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical operational solutions.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organisation.
- Proficiency in digital tools and risk management technology platforms.

Experience

- 5+ years demonstrated experience in operational risk, enterprise risk, financial crime, compliance or governance within a regulated environment — including financial services, lending, impact investing, development finance or a comparable regulated context.
- Experience implementing and improving risk management frameworks and controls.
- Experience partnering with operational or frontline business teams.
- Experience preparing reports for Senior Management, Executive and/or Boards.
- Knowledge of Australia's AML/CTF regulatory environment.
- Experience in either banking, lending, financial services, impact investing or development finance.

Additional Requirements

- Ongoing right to work in Australia
- Some attendance at after-hours meetings and/or events may be required.
- A valid full Australian driving license.
- A national criminal history check (or similar).

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📌 Operational Risk & Compliance Lead (Queensland)
🏢 First Australians Capital
📍 Queensland