Senior Compliance Specialist

We have partnered with UniMed who have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Compliance Specialist who’s ready to make a real impact—driving smart, practical compliance that helps protect their Members and enables the business to thrive.

This is a newly created role reporting to the Head of Risk and Compliance, and can be based in Christchurch (preferred) or Wellington, with some travel expected to support collaboration across both locations.

Christchurch offers the best of both worlds — a thriving professional market paired with an outstanding lifestyle. Known as New Zealand’s fastest‑growing city for innovation and business, Christchurch combines affordable living, short commutes, and modern infrastructure with easy access to the outdoors. Within minutes you can be enjoying beaches, world‑class cycling tracks, ski fields, wineries, or the Port Hills — all while living in a welcoming, family‑friendly city with an excellent food scene, great schools, and a strong sense of community. It’s an ideal place to build a meaningful career without compromising on lifestyle.

About UniMed - Mō Mātou

As New Zealand’s third largest health insurer, UniMed has been looking after Kiwi’s for over 45 years. Today, more than 140,000 members benefit from our workplace health insurance and wellbeing services.

About the Role - Mō te Tūranga Mahi

As the Senior Compliance Specialist, you’ll play a key role in helping UniMed meet its regulatory and compliance obligations and lift day-to-day compliance practices across the organisation.

Working in close partnership with leaders and teams, you’ll translate regulatory requirements into practical, workable actions that are embedded into policies, processes, systems and controls.

You’ll be hands‑on in supporting UniMed’s readiness for upcoming and evolving regulation, including the Contracts of Insurance Act and in strengthening compliance foundations.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and embed compliance change initiatives helping the business translate requirements (e.g. CoFI, IPSA, CoIA, CRD) into practical day-to-day ways of working

• Support the ongoing improvement of UniMed’s Fair Conduct Programme, helping ensure conduct obligations are clearly understood, evidenced and maintained
• Draft, review and maintain compliance policies, procedures and frameworks to strengthen UniMed’s compliance maturity
• Assess regulatory and compliance change and advise on operational impacts across products, processes and controls
• Provide practical compliance advice, coaching and constructive challenge to help teams meet obligations confidently
• Support compliance risk and issue management, including breach assessments, remediation actions, progress tracking and reporting
• Lift privacy compliance (privacy-by-design, privacy impact assessments, breach support and thematic reporting) and share emerging regulatory insights

About You - Mōu

You’re a pragmatic compliance professional who enjoys making the complex simple. You build credibility quickly, communicate clearly, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to embed compliant practices that support great outcomes for Members.

• 3+ years’ experience in compliance, regulatory, policy, quality or operational roles (ideally in a regulated environment), with working knowledge of the New Zealand regulatory landscape.
• Proven ability to interpret requirements and translate them into clear, fit-for-purpose policies, procedures and practical guidance
• Confident influencing and partnering with stakeholders—providing timely advice, coaching and constructive challenge to leaders and teams
• Strong critical thinking, attention to detail and organisation, with excellent written communication/report writing.

Why Join UniMed - Ngā Hua Ki UniMed

UniMed, are on a mission to create the happiest, healthiest workplace in Aotearoa – and they would love for you to be part of that journey.

They offer modern workspaces in Christchurch and Wellington, along with a range of benefits designed to help you thrive, including:

• Comprehensive health insurance from day one.
• Flexible working options.
• An extra two days off per year for wellbeing / Hauroa.
• Access to a range of well being initiatives.

To apply click below and submit an online application with your resume and cover letter. For a confidential conversation contact johnny.gowland@robertwalters.co.nz 0273689333

Advertising closes May 26^th – we will review and progress suitable applicants before closing date.

Robert Walters endeavours to review all applications in a maximum of five working days. If you have not received correspondence in this timeframe please do not hesitate to contact Johnny Gowland on +64 4 471 9784.