Risk, Compliance, Governance and Legal

Kaizen specialises in Risk, Compliance, Governance and Legal recruitment across Australia. We partner with clients to place exceptional talent at every level, from Analyst through to C-suite, ensuring every hire is the right fit technically and culturally.

Current Trends in the Sector

The Risk, Compliance, and Legal markets all experienced significant shifts through the 2026 financial year driven by regulatory change, technology adoption, and evolving employer needs.

In Risk demand surged particularly for contract talent, with a strong push for professionals who can leverage AI and technology to streamline processes. Line 2 risk roles and stronger collaboration with Line 1 teams remain priorities heading into the 2027 financial year, especially with increased scrutiny on wrap platforms.

Superannuation, private credit, fintech's, investment managers, and wraps are set to fuel continued hiring across operational and governance risk as organisations respond to emerging risk requirements.

Compliance saw a highly active year with intense demand for investment compliance, AML/financial crime, cyber risk, and privacy specialists. Regulatory reforms, alternative asset growth, and heightened data obligations pushed firms to seek professionals who blend technical expertise with technology capability driving competitive salaries and talent shortages. The collapse of Shield First Guardian also brought renewed focus on compliance, due diligence, and governance frameworks across the sector.

Junior hiring remained constrained across private practice and Big 4 firms due to AI-driven efficiencies, even as in-house financial services teams expanded at the 2–3+ PQE level. Career movement externally from private practice remains constrained - in part due to private practice firms now offering meaningful, non-gendered parental leave policies and greater workplace flexibility.

Combined with larger bonuses in private practice, these factors represent a significant and ongoing challenge for in-house organisations seeking to attract mid-to-senior legal talent. Movement among mid-senior lawyers became more selective, with many delaying transitions until 2027.

Our Experience in Numbers

96%

Placement retention rate beyond 12 months

75% : 25%

Female to male gender split in placements
*as at 2026

84%

Of candidates placed came directly through our network.

Areas of Expertise

With deep candidate pools in the Risk, Compliance, Governance and Legal sector, Kaizen is well positioned to support you with your hiring needs in the following areas:

Recruiting at all levels from Analyst/Officer up to Executive

  • Credit, Market and Liquidity Risk
  • Performance and Investment Risk
  • Enterprise and Operational Risk
  • Technology Risk
  • Data Risk
  • Project Risk
  • Product Risk
  • Business Continuity Planning and Resilience
  • Financial Crime and Fraud

Recruiting at all levels from Analyst/Officer up to Executive

  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Regulatory Engagement, Policy and Affairs
  • Product Compliance
  • Investment Compliance / Fund and Mandate Compliance
  • AML / KYC
  • Policy and Advocacy
  • Line 1, 2 and 3 Risk and Compliance

Recruiting all legal disciplines from legal clerk up to senior legal executive

  • Paralegal / Law Clerk
  • Junior Lawyer
  • Lawyer / Legal Counsel
  • Senior Lawyer / Legal Counsel
  • Senior Legal Counsel / Head of Legal
  • General Counsel
  • Chief Legal Officer

Recruiting at all levels from Analyst/Officer up to Executive

  • Investment Governance
  • Internal Audit
  • Assurance and Quality Assurance
  • Operational Due Diligence (ODD)
  • Data Governance

Meet the Team

Amanda Chisholm

Amanda Chisholm is Director at Kaizen Recruitment, where she specialises in legal, risk, corporate governance, compliance and executive roles across Australia’s financial services sector. With deep expertise across funds management, wealth management, superannuation and insurance, Amanda has established herself as a trusted advisor to organisations navigating complex regulatory environments.

A qualified risk professional holding the Governance Institute of Australia Certificate in Risk Management, Amanda is an active contributor to industry dialogue as a longstanding member of Women in Super, Women in Investments, and Compliance, Risk and Executive Women (CREW). She regularly presents at industry events and her market insights are frequently featured in media including the Financial Standard.

Amanda currently serves as a Council Member for the Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association (RCSA), representing Victoria and Tasmania. In this role, she contributes to strategic decisions that shape recruitment industry standards, capability and compliance across Australia.

Sean Keogh

Sean has over 5 years’ recruitment experience with the last 4 years’ dedicated exclusively on Compliance, Risk, Governance and Legal.

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from the Technological University of Dublin and has made the move to Melbourne, Australia with his partner.

Sean has placed candidates at all levels of seniority, from Analyst to Executive positions across financial services, with his most recent experience focusing predominantly on the asset and wealth management industries. He has developed industry subject matter expertise and also facilitated multiple in-person events in the compliance and risk space focused on supporting candidates in navigating their career paths and helping clients understand the financial services market conditions.

Sean will be working alongside Amanda to continue the high-quality service provided within the compliance and risk function at Kaizen.

In his spare time, Sean enjoys all things sports and hunting for top-tier coffee and pastry spots!

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Amanda was fantastic. Super proactive, always returned calls and her insights and feedback were invaluable at every stage of the process. She was a pleasure to deal with.

Superannuation Industry

Chief Risk Officer

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