Head of Internal Control

Head of Internal Control
Location: Ponsonby, Auckland 
Full-time | Permanent | On-site

About the role:

The Head of Internal Control provides independent oversight and assurance across international enrolment compliance for UP Education New Zealand providers. This role is responsible for safeguarding regulatory standing, commercial integrity, and institutional reputation by strengthening internal control frameworks, risk management practices, and compliance programmes. Operating with functional independence, you will work closely with provider leadership, university partners, and regulators to ensure a safe, inclusive, and fully compliant environment for international students, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and student-centred practice.

Key responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Providing independent assurance to executive leadership on the effectiveness of internal controls across international enrolments

• Leading governance, risk, and assurance activities, including maintaining risk registers and presenting risk insights to senior leadership and governance bodies

• Identifying, escalating, and overseeing remediation of compliance risks, control weaknesses, and audit findings

• Acting as key liaison with regulators and leading preparation for external audits and regulatory reviews

• Ensuring organisational compliance with NZQA, TEC, Immigration New Zealand, Ministry of Education, and Education Code obligations

• Leading annual Code of Practice self-reviews and structured internal self-assessment programmes

• Serving as the primary internal control and compliance advisor to New Zealand providers and their leadership teams

• Translating regulatory requirements into practical, scalable operational processes and group-wide policies

• Overseeing enrolment documentation reviews, visa compliance processes, and data integrity within student management systems

• Establishing structured audit schedules and tracking corrective action plans within defined timeframes

• Leading and developing the Internal Control function, fostering a high-performing and accountable team culture

• Delivering regulatory training and capability development initiatives across the organisation

• Driving the use of technology and AI-enabled tools to enhance compliance monitoring, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency

• Monitoring key risk indicators and compliance performance metrics across international enrolments

• Promoting strong, collaborative engagement with university partners while maintaining governance independence

Required Skills and Experience:

• Minimum three years in senior compliance, governance, or international education roles, ideally across multi-provider environments.
• Diploma, Degree, or higher in a relevant discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• A Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA) or eligibility to obtain licensing under the Immigration Advisers Authority is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading high-performing teams and influencing cross-departmental stakeholders.
• Proven track record in risk management, regulatory compliance, and internal control frameworks.
• Experience providing advisory support to partners or provider teams while maintaining governance independence.
• Experience leveraging technology and AI-enabled tools to streamline workflows, enhance compliance monitoring, and improve operational efficiency.
• Experience in internal/external audits, investigations, and corrective action implementation.

Why work with us:

• Fast-growing Business: Private equity backed business known for its growth and agility.
• Be part of a forward-thinking organisation that embraces innovation and continuous improvement
• Amazing work culture that is highly collaborative and supportive 

To Apply: 

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and interest in the role.

Questions about your identity help us appreciate the diversity of individuals looking to work with us, ensuring we’re attracting applications from people with identities and perspectives that are as diverse as our students. 

We are an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to equity, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.