Chief Risk Officer

Overview About Orde Financial ORDE is a nonbank lender built exclusively for brokers, combining human and credit expertise with innovative technology to help brokers build stronger futures for their clients. We reflect the reality of today’s borrowers, from SMEs with complex needs to nearprime clients seeking clearer paths forward.

Since 2020, ORDE has funded more than $10b in loans and supported over 16,000 borrowers – all through brokers. We offer Residential, Commercial, SMSF and Construction loans and other specialised solutions, with fast decisions, deep credit insight and a streamlined digital experience.

We are passionate (and a bit obsessed…) about being disruptive and pushing hard to improve the experience and results for mortgage brokers. Our purpose “Built for Brokers” is clear and simple and define our entire strategy (delivering better experiences, more value and opportunity, anticipating more needs and communicating more solutions, for brokers and their customers).

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced leader to establish the ORDE business CRO role. This role will lead the management and progression of ORDE’s combined risk, legal, company secretarial, compliance and internal audit functions. You will lead an established team, including highly experienced senior resourcing and established functional frameworks.

The CRO role will commence as ORDE launches a retail investment fund and will play a lead role in the governance, risk and compliance of this core business strategy and opportunity. You will expand and consolidate these functions in line with ORDE’s ongoing growth in scale and scope of business operations. ORDE’s scale is driven by consumer regulated mortgage lending, with $10bn settled, in turn funded by warehouse and term deal programs. ORDE’s scope is expanding, particularly with the present launch of the retail investment fund, operating under ORDE’s own retail AFSL and with an internal Responsible Entity meeting the highest respective governance principles.

You will work closely with the highly experienced, present Head of Compliance and your team will expand appropriately with functional growth. At least initially and as you expand scope, your role will combine hands on work with leadership and review, together with designing forward looking changes.

To fulfil this role you will typically require a legal background encompassing general commercial and corporate, financial services licensing and regulation and property law.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include

Leadership & Governance

Member of the Executive team (EXCO)

Lead and mentor a structured team across risk, legal, company secretarial, compliance and internal audit.

Provide broad strategic and business advice and guidance to the CEO, COO, Board (dotted line to Chair) and Executive team.

Attend all board meetings and independent Investment Committee meetings and chair of ORDE’s Audit and Risk Committee.

Maintain and progress ORDE’s culture of risk awareness, legal integrity and compliance across the business.

Oversee and/or represent (as appropriate) ORDE with regulators and industry bodies (ASIC, AUSTRAC, AFCA).

Potential public policy advocacy.

General legal and litigation

Provide legal leadership across the business (strategic, commercial, operational, lending, funding, business administration, dispute management).

Provide general corporate legal advice or management of external legal processes

Oversee legal support and decisioning provided to the Head of Collections and team.

Oversee and/or manage (as appropriate) litigation processes.

Key role in crisis management processes.

Company Secretarial

Undertake standard secretarial functions for a private business group with a public company (AFSL responsible entity).

Includes maintaining standard registers; ASIC lodgements and notices; board and quarterly board meeting administration processes and attendance (issuing board papers and minutes); and delegated execution of agreements or instruments.

Risk Management

Lead and progress ORDE’s risk assessment, management and governance processes, working closely with executives across the business.

Maintain and progress ORDE’s established Risk Management Framework, Risk Appetite Statement and Risk Register. Includes identification, assessment, mitigation, monitoring and reporting of risks and related KRIs and dashboards across the business.

Report enterprise and Fund risk exposure to the Board and risk committees.

Maintain and provide detailed understanding and accountability on key risks such as cyber security.

Licensing/Fund Compliance and Regulatory accountabilities

Overview management of ORDE’s AFSLs and ACLs including authorisations and Responsible Managers and meeting all licensing and regulatory requirements.

Overview management of ORDE’s Compliance function, delivered through Compliance Plan processes and requirements in relation to ORDE’s AFSL and ACL framework, AML/CTF obligations, maintain corporate policies, procedures and regulatory reporting including AUSTRAC.

Oversee product governance and disclosure: Oversight of fundraising documents (PDS, IM, TMD, Questionnaire), disclosure documents (standard and enhanced disclosure), conflict of interest controls, complaints/IDR readiness, and distribution activities in line with ASIC expectations.

Oversee product management: review liquidity and redemption risk management; monitor counterparty and outsourcing risks (administrator, custodian, distribution partners).

Overview maintenance of a documented AML/CTF program for borrowers and investors (CDD/KYC, PEP screening, ongoing monitoring, SMR, training); conduct ML/TF risk assessments and update as services evolve.

Lead AML/CTF reforms commencing 31 March 2026 (single risk-based program, uplifted governance/reporting) and brief the Board on implementation.

Internal Audit

Lead and expand the internal audit function providing valuable operational and risk management guidance to divisions; set an assurance map over critical fund and lending processes.

Why would we choose you?

You have a Law degree (LLB or equivalent) and admission to practice in Australia; commercial, corporate or financial services qualifications are a plus.

You have 10+ years in senior financial services roles spanning legal, credit risk, compliance, operational risk and internal audit.

You have strong knowledge of and direct experience dealing with ASIC, AUSTRAC, AFSL/ACL, and consumer credit frameworks; experience with funds management compliance/oversight (RG 132).

You demonstrate strong commercial mindset and are an effective change leader.

You have a proven ability to influence CEOs, Boards and senior stakeholders; track record in risk culture uplift and operating model design.

Why would you choose us? We are a fast-growing successful company.

We think it’s exciting to be part of a team which is building something which will make a difference.

We are dedicated to investing in our team, offering competitive remuneration benefits, and fostering a high-quality employment culture that values your ability to deliver and contribute.

Our team members are driven by the pursuit of a challenging and successful career in an outstanding business with a passionate, high-performance team culture.

We are focused, disruptive, think outside of the box and will encourage you to try new things.

We really care about our people and want them to have the best experience of their career.

We guarantee fun, a challenge, learning and growth!

We embrace being challenged through diversity of thoughts.

We have a highly collaborative culture and provide an inclusive, enjoyable office experience for all staff.

We are Melbourne based and think being in the office all together is important and we think working from home is too: three days in the office (Mon-Tues-Thurs), two days at home.

We remunerate well and reward high performance.

#J-18808-Ljbffr