Watermark Search International – Sydney NSW

Chief Risk and Legal Officer (CLRO)

Forestry Corporation of NSW

Lead organisational resilience, strategic risk and governance for one of Australia's most significant land management organisations.

FCNSW manages more than two million hectares of State forests and operates at the intersection of commercial success, environmental stewardship, community expectations and public accountability. At a time of increasing regulatory complexity, evolving environmental obligations and heightened stakeholder scrutiny, FCNSW is investing in the next phase of its governance and risk capability.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the newly created Chief Risk and Legal Officer / Chief Risk Officer will play a pivotal role in strengthening organisational resilience and embedding contemporary enterprise risk management across the Corporation. Reporting directly to the CEO, this executive will lead enterprise risk, governance, compliance and assurance functions, while overseeing legal services through an established General Counsel and legal team.

While we are open to executives with a legal background, this role is not primarily a legal appointment. Rather, FCNSW seeks a strategic executive capable of building organisational risk maturity, strengthening governance frameworks, guiding Executive and Board decision-making, and ensuring the organisation is well-positioned to manage emerging opportunities and risks in a complex operating environment.

About You

You are a highly credible executive with experience operating in complex, highly regulated environments and advising senior leaders on strategic risk,



governance and organisational resilience.

You will bring:

- Demonstrated success developing enterprise-wide risk management frameworks and driving risk maturity.
- Experience advising Boards, Audit & Risk Committees and executive leadership teams on strategic risk and governance matters.
- Robust understanding of assurance, compliance, risk culture and organisational resilience.
- The ability to influence across diverse stakeholder groups and build organisation-wide accountability.
- Experience operating within highly regulated, politically sensitive or publicly accountable environments.
- A track record of leading organisational improvement through influence, credibility and sound judgement.

Potential Backgrounds

- Critical infrastructure, energy, water and utilities.
- Transport, rail, aviation, ports and logistics.
- Mining, resources and industrial operations.
- Government-owned corporations and public enterprises.
- Environmental, conservation and natural resource organisations.
- Workplace safety, environmental protection, infrastructure, transport and economic regulators.
- Emergency management, resilience and public safety organisations.
- Financial services and insurance organisations recognised for mature enterprise risk management practices.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the governance and risk agenda of a major public sector enterprise, providing strategic counsel to the CEO and Board while helping guide the organisation through a period of significant change and increasing complexity.

We will reply to the email address used for your application.

Closing date: Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 11.59pm AEDT

📌 Chief Risk and Legal Officer (Sydney)
🏢 Watermark Search International
📍 Sydney