Senior Risk Management Specialist

About Airways:
Our people manage New Zealand's 30 million square kms of airspace, providing air traffic control, surveillance, communication, flight inspection, mapping, and airspace design services. We work with government, regulatory authorities, airlines, airports, and the general aviation community to ensure pilots, passengers and goods reach their destination - safely. At Airways, our values underpin all that we do. We value Safety, One Airways, Excellence and Success in all that we do.

Our organisation is made up of operational business groups that are supported by governance and corporate services functions. To learn more about our people and organisational structure, check out www.airways.co.nz/about.

About the Team:
The Group is responsible for enterprise-wide safety, assurance, and corporate improvement initiatives. This includes activity across operational and organisational safety, security, audit and assurance, business improvement, safety reporting and analysis, investigations, and oversight of the Safety Management System.

The Risk Assurance team is responsible for providing independent and objective assurance that the organisation's risk management, audit, and internal control processes are operating effectively, including oversight of project safety. 

About the Role:
We have a permanent full-time opportunity for a Senior Risk Management Specialist to join us in Auckland (airport) or Christchurch (Burnside). 

Reporting to the Risk Assurance Manager, you’ll work closely with senior leaders and key safety personnel across Airways as the primary point of contact for operational and strategic risk management across the organisation, operating at a line 2 assurance level as part of the Three Lines of Defence model.

The role supports the continuous improvement of the risk management framework and fosters a strong, risk-aware culture across the organisation by delivering expert guidance, assurance reviews, and targeted risk education.

Acting as a critical part of the second line of defence, the role contributes to Airways overall safety, performance, and regulatory integrity by promoting accountability in risk ownership.

For a full list of tasks and responsibilities, please refer to the position description attached to the advert on the Airways careers site.

About You:
To be successful in the role, you will have:

• Relevant tertiary qualification in a related business discipline such as Risk Management, Aviation Safety, Engineering, Business, Finance, Economics, or equivalent experience.
• At least five (5) years’ experience as a risk specialist or in a similar risk management or assurance related role.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and connect an organisation’s critical business processes, and policies, with safety in a complex environment such as Airways (SOE, multiple locations and critical services).
• Strong knowledge of risk and assurance frameworks and a high-level knowledge of risk management principles and the practical application of those principles. 
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced MS Excel skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high standards of accuracy.
• Ability to work in a dynamic business environment, influence and collaborate with people internally and externally, show resilience and agility, take ownership and focus on delivering successful business outcomes.
  

Beneficial:

• Experience working in ICAO or aviation-based safety management systems.
• Experience training and upskilling others.
• Working knowledge of risk management software tools or supporting applications such as Rolls-Royce Safety Management System, InControl, Bow Tie, or Power BI.
  

To Apply:
If you have a proactive approach with a passion for safety and continuous improvement, please submit your application (CV and Cover Letter) via the job advertisement on the Airways careers site or on Seek.

Please note that you must be legally eligible to work in New Zealand to be considered.

This role may require the successful candidate to undergo additional pre-employment background checks such as references, drug and alcohol screening, criminal conviction, and related checks.

Application closing date is Tuesday, 16 September 2025, however all applications will be reviewed as they are received and progressed accordingly – don’t delay!

At Airways, our people are at the heart of what we do to keep NZ skies safe. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where people feel they belong and can bring their whole self to work. We currently hold the Rainbow Tick and NQTick (neurodiversity) and are working towards Gender Tick. We make our recruitment decisions based on the best candidate for the job and therefore encourage applications from diverse candidates.