Retail Risk and Compliance Manager | Retail Operations | Melbourne / Gippsland

We’ve never been ‘just a bank’. Just like you should never be ‘just an employee’. We’re united in our belief that in banking, better can be bigger, and together we’re making it happen.

Are you a risk and compliance leader who knows that great risk culture is built through people, not just policies?

It starts here. With Bendigo Bank… and you.

As Retail Risk & Compliance Manager, you’ll play a key role in strengthening risk and compliance across our national Retail network, working closely with our branch banking teams to embed a strong, practical, and proactive risk culture. You’ll be the trusted risk partner who helps our people navigate complex scenarios, identify opportunities for improvement and confidently operate within our regulatory and operational frameworks.

This is a highly engaging, hands-on role where you’ll spend a lot of time in the network conducting Branch Assurance Reviews, coaching and educating teams, working with leaders to address risks and driving meaningful improvements. You’ll build strong relationships across Retail, challenge the status quo and bring your expertise to the table to help our people and our business perform at their best. If you enjoy influencing, problem-solving and seeing the tangible impact of your work, this is an opportunity to make a real difference.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead Branch Assurance Reviews, identifying risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.
• Partner with Retail leaders to develop clear mitigation plans and drive sustainable improvements following assurance reviews.
• Provide practical, real-time risk and compliance advice to branch and virtual banking teams, including guidance on complex customer scenarios.
• Coach and educate leaders and frontline teams to build their risk awareness, capability and confidence.
• Proactively identify emerging risks, trends and opportunities to strengthen risk and compliance practices across the Retail network.
• Support the effective management, escalation and investigation of operational risk events and breaches where required.
• Provide advice and support to ensure Retail teams meet their regulatory and compliance obligations, including AFSL requirements.
• Build strong relationships with Regional Managers, State Managers, Branch Managers and Retail Operations leaders to embed a positive risk culture.
• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders across Risk, Credit, Lending, Network Support and Retail Operations to continuously improve policies, processes and controls.
• Provide reporting and insights on risk and compliance outcomes, highlighting key themes and opportunities for improvement.
• Support the Retail Operations leadership team with initiatives and projects that strengthen operational excellence and risk maturity.
• Engage with Community Bank boards and stakeholders on risk and compliance matters where required.
• Travel nationally to conduct assurance reviews and work directly with our Retail network.

To succeed in this role, we’d love you to have:

• Significant leadership experience in Retail Banking, operational risk or compliance.
• Strong knowledge of retail banking operations, processes, controls and regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in risk and compliance, with the ability to translate policy and frameworks into practical outcomes for the business.
• Experience conducting assurance, quality or risk reviews and confidently identifying and communicating areas of risk.
• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with people at all levels.
• A genuine passion for coaching and developing others and building risk capability across a business.
• The confidence to challenge constructively, ask the right questions and have sometimes difficult conversations when required.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and report-writing skills, with the ability to make complex risk concepts easy to understand.
• Strong judgement, attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes within agreed timeframes.
• A curious and proactive mindset — someone who looks beyond simply identifying a risk and asks “how can we make this better?”
• A collaborative, customer-focused approach and a genuine commitment to creating positive outcomes for our people, customers and communities.
• A willingness to travel frequently as part of conducting assurance reviews and supporting the Retail network.

This is a permanent, full-time role covering Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs through to Gippsland, with a significant amount of travel between branches.

So, why work for us?

With over 2.9 million customers, we are one of Australia’s largest retail banks with a vision our purpose – ‘to feed into the prosperity of our customers and communities, not off it’. In fact, over $366 million have been put back into communities nationwide. We developed Up, Australia's first fully digital bank, which has grown to over one million customers in just six years. We are regularly voted one of Australia’s most trusted brands and this isn’t something we take lightly, which means Bendigo Bank is the Bank you can be proud to work at! 

We believe a diverse workforce supported by an inclusive culture is central to our success and we actively encourage applications from those who bring diversity of thought to our business. We support candidate requests for adjustment to accommodate an illness, injury or disability to equitably participate in the selection process. 

Our perks and benefits:

Belong to a wonderful team of people. Know how we know they’re great to work with? They told us! Great benefits, work life balance and flexibility

• Bendigo Bank supports ongoing development, with the potential for a portion of education fees being reimbursed by the bank. We want you to be the best version of you, and to help you achieve that!
• We know the last few years have been rough, so we have partnered with TELUS Health as our EAP provider that is so much more than just one-on-one counselling. At the touch of a button, you will have access to self-help 24/7 or you can live chat with a team of safety, medical, and mental health professionals to assist with anything life throws at you.

So, what are you waiting for? Come and join the better big bank!

Still in two minds?  

Research suggests 60% of women and underrepresented groups might stop here, even after getting as far as drafting an application. We believe that diversity makes every team stronger, so even if you don’t tick every box we still want to see your application!

Please note shortlisting and interviews may take place prior to the advertised close date, so don't delay: apply now!

We don’t want you to be missed, so please note that directly emailed CV’s may not be picked up by the system and may risk being missed from the process.

We are committed to responding to all candidates, regardless of the outcome of your application.