Compliance Lead - Conduct

At Southern Cross Health Insurance, our purpose is to help our members live their healthiest lives for longer. As New Zealand's largest health insurer and a regulated financial institution, trust, transparency and sound conduct are at the heart of everything we do. 

We're looking for an experienced compliance leader to take genuine ownership of conduct at Southern Cross – someone who can build real trust with our Board, our regulator and our people to ensure that we do right by our members. 

About the Role 

This is a senior, high-visibility role at the heart of how Southern Cross manages conduct risk: you'll set the direction for our Fair Conduct Programme, bring judgement and credibility to governance forums, and be the compliance voice the business turns to when it's shaping decisions that affect our members. 

Reporting to the Head of Risk, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs, and working alongside our Compliance Lead to keep conduct activity aligned with the wider compliance framework, you'll lead conduct and privacy compliance for Southern Cross – including the development of a direct report responsible for privacy. You'll be accountable for the credibility of our conduct story, from how it's understood on the front line to how it's reported to the Board. 

This is a role with genuine influence. You'll shape how conduct risk is assessed, escalated and reported; advise the business on the conduct and privacy implications of new products and initiatives; and represent Southern Cross's conduct programme to the FMA and other regulators with confidence and authority. 

What You'll Lead 

Fair Conduct Programme & Governance 

• Own the Fair Conduct Programme end to end – making sure it's genuinely useful, not just compliant on paper, and holds up to scrutiny from the Board and our regulator 

• Be the trusted voice on conduct at governance level, translating conduct risk into clear, credible reporting and recommendations for the Board and management 

• Build a conduct reporting approach that incorporates FMA and Board feedback and genuinely earns their confidence over time 

Conduct & Privacy 

• Be the go-to person for conduct advice for teams shaping product, sales and advice decisions – helping the business get it right  

• Bring conduct thinking into major initiatives and proposals for product change from the outset 

• Grow the confidence and capability of our privacy compliance function, leading and developing the team member responsible for it 

Risk & Assurance 

• Strengthen how Southern Cross identifies and manages conduct risk, partnering with key stakeholders within the business to help ensure that key controls work in practice 

• Support the resolution of conduct issues and incidents, ensuring they're handled with the right urgency and judgement 

• Keep our conduct risk profile aligned to the risk appetite the Board has set 

Capability & Culture 

• Build genuine understanding of conduct obligations across the business, so good outcomes for members become second nature  

• Partner with the Compliance Lead and wider team to keep training sharp, relevant and connected to real conduct and consumer protection risk 

What You'll Bring 

• 8+ years of consumer law or conduct experience gained in a bank, insurer, or a law firm advising financial services clients, with real credibility on conduct and consumer protection matters 

• A law degree is required – you might come from private practice as a financial services or consumer law specialist, in-house counsel, or an established conduct/compliance background; a current practising certificate is not required 

• A strong working knowledge of CoFI, the Fair Trading Act and New Zealand's consumer protection and privacy landscape  

• The gravitas and judgement to prepare and present to Board, executive and governance forums, and to hold your own with regulators including the FMA 

• A track record of building trust with senior stakeholders and translating regulatory obligations into practical, business-relevant guidance 

• People leadership experience, or a demonstrated ability to lead and develop others 

Who we are 

Ngākau nui. Āhurutanga. Tikanga. 

Join a proud, diverse team that's always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a caring, honest and open culture, we think you'll love working with us. 

We know our team's culture and wellbeing drive us forward. That's why we prioritise not only professional development but opportunities to thrive personally. We offer exceptional work/life balance, and our people are encouraged - and rewarded - for living well. 

Southern Cross employee benefits include: 

• Five days of wellbeing leave per year 

• Health insurance for you and your immediate whānau 

• Life insurance cover and discounts on pet and travel insurance 

• Extra parental leave benefits and financial wellbeing support 

• Participation in our workplace wellbeing programme 

• The option to purchase flexi leave for study, volunteering, or supporting your whānau 

• An annual volunteer day to contribute to a cause with your team 

This role is Auckland based. While we appreciate interest from candidates in other locations, we're unfortunately not able to consider remote options. Have questions? Check out our FAQs for help with the application and recruitment process.