Head of Compliance

Join our Australia and New Zealand business as Head of Compliance. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring our operations align with legal and industry standards, safeguarding our reputation and driving long-term organisational success. You will provide strategic compliance leadership across the business, collaborate closely with the Legal team, and proactively mitigate compliance risks. You will also spearhead the development and maintenance of a robust compliance framework, fostering a proactive and ethical environment across all business units. The Head of Compliance will be a key influencer in shaping Equifax's compliance strategy, contributing significantly to our overall business success and sustainability.

At Equifax, we move at a fast pace! You’ll need the energy to drive strategic compliance initiatives, provide critical guidance to senior leadership, including the Equifax Australia Board, and foster a culture of proactive compliance management, ultimately ensuring we remain a trusted leader in the data and analytics industry. We need a strategic thinker who thrives in a constantly changing environment.

While this is a senior leadership role, reporting to the Equifax Australia and New Zealand General Counsel, you will be leading a small, focused team of compliance professionals. This presents a unique opportunity to directly impact and shape our compliance framework while fostering a collaborative and agile team environment.

What you’ll do:

• Provide compliance thought leadership and strong leadership to the compliance team.

• Working closely with the Legal team, develop and maintain a good knowledge and understanding of all laws and industry standards affecting Equifax.

• Ensure alignment of EFX practices with regulatory expectations.

• Prepare senior leadership for compliance reviews by identifying, measuring, and making risk assessments of any gaps between regulatory requirements and EFX's compliance with those requirements - and importantly, making commercially viable recommendations to bridge compliance gaps.

• Manage third-party inquiries by serving as the primary liaison between Equifax and external customers on compliance gaps.

• Scope and manage key strategic initiatives related to compliance requirements, including new products.

• Develop project plans, including resource requirements to meet compliance requirements, and identify and address implementation barriers to drive achievement of project deliverables.

• Monitor and stay abreast of changes in laws and industry standards affecting Equifax to ensure that changes are incorporated into the monitoring and internal control framework.

• Be a leading custodian and advocate of Equifax's culture of compliance, including by developing effective relationships with key business staff to ensure that a culture of compliance is embraced and supported within the business and influencing management and employees on the importance and relevance of regulatory, policy, and process adherence and the value of the monitoring and internal control function.

• Respond to internal and external stakeholders on compliance-related inquiries that may arise as a result of monitoring and internal control processes.

• Oversee the preparation of compliance reporting in accordance with Compliance Program requirements.

• Lead compliance policy management and oversee compliance training.

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve Equifax's internal control and compliance monitoring program.

• Working with other members of the Compliance team, ensure key operational and compliance risks are identified, mitigated by an appropriate control environment, and adequately monitored.

• Perform compliance risk assessments to identify overall risk ratings, control gaps, and the overall effectiveness of controls.

• Create and maintain standard internal control documentation, as well as maintain process flow diagrams and risk and control matrices.

• Provide advice to the General Counsel and senior management to minimize risk resulting from poor internal controls.

• Organize and provide specific internal control training sessions to Business Units for revised internal control processes and/or identified internal control weaknesses.

• Assist Business Units/process owners with the development and documentation of appropriate internal controls, as required.

• Document findings and prepare Treatment (Remediation) Plans, if required.

What you’ll need:

• A minimum of 10+ years of experience in compliance or a related field, preferably within the financial services or data industry.

• Proven expertise in leading and applying complex compliance frameworks.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence at a senior level.

• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to translate complex compliance issues and requirements into actionable strategies.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders

• The ability to operate in a senior role without relying on a large team

What’s in it for you? 

At Equifax, we are on a mission to ensure that you have the support, resources and opportunities to Power Your Possible. Here are just a few ways we give back to our teams:

• Hybrid Work Model (3 days in office + 2 from home)

• Additional Leave Allocations of up to 7 additional days leave per year + public holiday swaps) 

• Rewarding Sales Incentive Plan (commission structure)

• Discounted Gym Memberships

• Discounted Private Health Cover (and discounted pet insurance if you want it!) 

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan 

• Career Development and Learning

• A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace and Environment 

• Wellbeing Resources (including free financial wellbeing products and resources)

Primary Location:

AUS-Sydney-Blue-StreetAUS-Brisbane, AUS-Melbourne

Function:

Function - Legal

Schedule:

Full time