Compliance Lead - Conduct

About Southern Cross Health Insurance

Southern Cross Health Insurance is dedicated to fostering a healthier New Zealand by empowering its members to enjoy longer, healthier lives. As a New Zealand-owned and member-based organization, it focuses on delivering peace of mind through timely access to quality healthcare, promoting healthier lifestyles, and driving positive reforms within the health system. The company values its employees and offers a work environment where people can flourish.

Role Overview

This senior leadership position is central to managing conduct risk at Southern Cross Health Insurance. The Compliance Lead will direct the Fair Conduct Programme, provide insightful judgment and credibility at governance levels, and function as the trusted compliance advisor throughout the business, particularly regarding decisions impacting members.

Reporting to the Head of Risk, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs, the role also involves leading the conduct and privacy compliance functions, including developing a direct report focused on privacy. The position demands a commitment to maintaining the integrity of Southern Cross's conduct practices from frontline understanding to Board-level reporting.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the Fair Conduct Programme comprehensively, ensuring it is practical, meaningful, and withstands scrutiny from the Board and regulatory bodies.
• Serve as the authoritative voice on conduct risk in governance forums, delivering clear, credible reports and actionable recommendations to leadership.
• Develop conduct reporting frameworks that incorporate feedback from the Financial Markets Authority and Board to build lasting confidence.
• Provide expert conduct advice related to product development, sales, and advisory decisions to support correct business practices.
• Integrate conduct considerations into significant product initiatives and changes from early stages.
• Lead and mentor the privacy compliance team member, enhancing the function's capability and confidence.
• Enhance Southern Cross's ability to identify, manage, and control conduct risks by collaborating with key internal stakeholders.
• Guide resolution of conduct-related issues and incidents, ensuring appropriate urgency and sound judgment.
• Maintain conduct risk profiles aligned with the risk appetite established by the Board.
• Promote organization-wide comprehension of conduct requirements to foster consistent positive outcomes for members.
• Collaborate with compliance colleagues to ensure training remains relevant and closely linked to real-life conduct and consumer protection risks.

Candidate Profile

• At least eight years of experience in consumer law or conduct roles within banking, insurance, or legal advisory for financial services, establishing strong credibility in consumer protection and conduct matters.
• A law degree credential is mandatory; experience may be from private law practice in financial services or consumer law, in-house counsel roles, or extensive compliance backgrounds. A current practicing certificate is not required.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Financial Markets Conduct Act (CoFI), the Fair Trading Act, and New Zealand's consumer protection and privacy regulations.
• Exceptional presence and judgment to prepare and present confidently to Boards, executive teams, governance forums, and regulators such as the Financial Markets Authority.
• Proven success in cultivating trust with senior stakeholders and translating regulatory requirements into actionable, business-relevant guidance.
• Experience or demonstrated capability in leading and developing personnel.

Work Culture and Benefits

Southern Cross values a supportive, authentic, and inclusive team culture characterized by integrity and openness. The company prioritizes employees' wellbeing and professional growth, fostering work-life balance and rewarding healthy living.

• Five days of wellbeing leave annually
• Health insurance coverage for employees and their immediate family
• Life insurance and discounted pet and travel insurance options
• Enhanced parental leave benefits and financial wellness resources
• Participation in workplace wellbeing programs
• Ability to purchase flexible leave for education, volunteering, or family support
• Annual team volunteer day for community engagement

Additional Information

This position is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and remote working options outside Auckland are not available. Southern Cross proudly upholds the Pride Pledge and actively supports diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through employee-led networks focused on various communities including Rainbow, Māori, Pasifika, neurodiversity, and family support.