Regulatory Affairs Manager

Regulatory affairs is an increasingly important function in organisations like Southern Cross. As the regulatory environment continues to evolve with new legislation and  regulator expectations,  the ability to stay ahead of change and translate it into practical action matters.  

In this role, you’ll sit at the centre of that work. You’ll be the link between what’s happening externally - with regulators and legislative change - and what the business needs to understand and do in response. That means engaging with internal stakeholders from across the business, and building relationships with  regulators including the FMA and RBNZ. 

You’ll be supported to develop your expertise in this space and encouraged to grow into the role over time. 

About the opportunity 

Reporting to the Regulatory Affairs Lead, you’ll support the engagement and relationships management with our regulators and the business in preparing for and responding to regulatory change. This includes horizon scanning for upcoming legislative developments, drafting responses to regulatory consultations, and providing regulatory advice to project teams and Line 1 as they work through change risk assessments. 

You’ll compile regulatory horizon reporting for delivery to HSLT, Board and Executive governance forums, maintain the regulator engagement register, and design guidance documents and training modules that help embed regulatory compliance and understanding across the organisation. 

The environment is fast-paced and the team operates lean. Priorities shift frequently, and you’ll need to be comfortable adapting and managing a varied workload. The team is working to move to a more proactive posture on regulatory change, and this role plays a part in making that shift. 

This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. Leadership here is exercised through the quality of your advice, the strength of your relationships, and your ability to influence across the business. 

What you’ll do 

• Support the business in understanding and preparing for upcoming regulatory change 

• Carry out proactive horizon scanning and maintain awareness of legislative and regulatory developments 

• Assist in the preparation of responses to regulatory consultations 

• Maintain the regulator engagement register and provide oversight and reporting on regulator engagement 

• Deliver regulatory advice to project teams and Line 1 in change risk assessments 

• Compile regulatory horizon reporting for HSLT, Board and Executive governance forums 

• Design guidance documents, training modules and processes relevant to the regulatory affairs function 

• Support the business, Line 1 Risk and Legal on remediation matters 

• Assist in managing key regulatory relationships with the FMA,  RBNZ and relevant industry bodies 

• Support regulatory reporting to governance committees 

What you’ll bring 

• A legal education - a law degree is preferred, or an equivalent foundation in regulatory or legal thinking 

• Some experience in regulatory affairs, compliance, risk or governance; financial services or insurance is a good fit, but we’ve also hired successfully from other regulated environments  

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, practical guidance for a range of audiences 

• The ability to manage multiple priorities in a changing environment, and to re-prioritise effectively when required 

• Confidence in building and maintaining relationships across the business and with external stakeholders 

• A methodical approach to working through complex or detailed subject matter 

• Exposure to Board or executive governance processes is an advantage 

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 that it is our team’s culture and wellbeing that will drive us forward. That’s why we prioritise not only professional development opportunities but opportunities to thrive personally, too. We offer exceptional work/life balance, and our employees are encouraged to - 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 

• Participate in our workplace wellbeing programme