Lead risk frameworks across energy trading and commercial operations for a major energy business.
Location:
Melbourne-based [Hybrid]
Contact:
Ivan Pignataro, D'Arcy Weil |
Focus:
Market risk, credit risk, ETRM transformation, risk governance
Our client is a major energy company operating substantial energy trading, generation, and commercial & industrial supply operations across Australia. They manage complex portfolios spanning wholesale electricity and gas trading, environmental certificates, renewable generation, and large customer supply contracts, supported by sophisticated trading and risk management platforms.
The business is undergoing significant transformation including trading system implementation, risk framework enhancement, and portfolio expansion across energy trading and commercial operations. They require a strategic risk leader to elevate risk capability, drive system transformation, and build collaborative partnerships across trading, commercial, and risk functions.
They are seeking a Chief Risk Officer to lead market risk, credit risk, AML/KYC compliance, and risk transformation initiatives across energy trading and commercial operations. This executive role offers the opportunity to shape risk management frameworks whilst partnering with front office teams to support business growth.
The Role
As
Chief Risk Officer
, you will provide strategic leadership across risk frameworks governing energy trading, generation, and commercial operations. This role requires deep expertise in market risk and credit risk for energy trading environments, proven capability leading trading system transformations, and the ability to build trust-based partnerships with trading and commercial teams whilst maintaining independent risk oversight.
You will directly lead market risk, credit risk, and AML/KYC functions for energy trading and commercial operations, with oversight of related business unit risk frameworks. Leading a team of market risk and credit/AML/KYC analysts, you will drive continuous improvement of risk mandates, accelerate trading system implementation, and ensure robust risk governance.
This is an executive leadership position operating as both strategic risk advisor and change agent, balancing prudent risk control with support for business development during a period of significant growth and transformation.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership:
* Contribute to energy trading and commercial platform development through evaluating and improving risk mandates supported by robust metrics and limits
* Lead market and credit/AML/KYC analyst teams, coordinating with stakeholders across the business and regional operations
* Build trust-based relationships with front office profit centres, balancing risk control with business development support
* Collaborate with wider risk community to leverage best practice and align risk frameworks
Risk Framework & Governance:
* Establish and maintain risk control environment and limits framework for energy trading, commercial operations, and related business units
* Define and deliver risk reporting to risk committees and stakeholders covering market risk, credit risk, AML/KYC, and liquidity risk
* Review and obtain approval for risk mandates annually or as required
* Ensure risk policies remain current and fit-for-purpose across market risk, credit risk, and AML/KYC
* Oversee risk analysis and drive approval processes for large transactions requiring escalated delegations
* Ensure independent benchmarking of parameters used for P&L assessment including market prices, forward curves, and volatility
Market & Credit Risk Management:
* Monitor market and credit risk metrics, providing high-quality reports to local and central stakeholders on recurrent and timely basis
* Develop detailed understanding of risk positions across power, gas, environmental certificates, and carbon
* Rate counterparties, set credit limits, and negotiate master agreements for wholesale trading and commercial supply
* Manage wholesale trading counterparty credit risk and commercial & industrial customer credit exposures
* Oversee collateral and margin management arrangements
* Provide analysis to maintain risks within approved management risk appetites
Trading System Transformation:
* Accelerate implementation and adoption of target trading and risk management systems
* Collaborate with quantitative and risk methodology teams to implement appropriate asset and transaction pricing models
* Support front office, analytics, and asset representation teams to model Australian markets and assets within trading systems
* Drive continuous improvement of reporting requirements for risk mandate compliance monitoring
People Leadership:
* Lead, develop, and mentor high-performing risk team aligned to ENGIE's values and productivity standards
* Manage performance through goal setting, continuous feedback, and career development planning
* Foster culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement
* Build capability across market risk, credit risk, and compliance functions
Requirements
* Tertiary qualification in science, engineering, finance, or quantitative discipline
* Extensive experience in energy trading environments with deep power trading expertise including asset portfolio management, physical trading, derivatives, and spot/balancing markets
* Proven track record designing and implementing business governance frameworks and risk structures including mandates, limits, and transactional responsibilities
* Experience across mark-to-market and accrual accounting environments with familiarity across risk indicators including VaR, stress testing, scenario analysis, Earnings-at-Risk, and economic capital modelling
* Knowledge of power portfolio management arrangements or joint ventures between trading and asset-owner entities
* Broad risk expertise spanning market risk, counterparty credit risk (wholesale trading and C&I customers), liquidity risk, and AML/KYC compliance
* Substantial experience interacting with front office teams including trading, portfolio management, and balancing operations
* Proven project leadership including stakeholder management across multiple business units and change management capability
* Experience communicating with multiple levels of corporate governance up to executive level
* Team leadership, mentoring, and development skills with track record building high-performing teams
* Comfortable working in matrixed environments with multi-regional stakeholders
* Experience with deal and risk management systems (trading and risk platforms)
Remuneration and Benefits
* Executive remuneration package
* Performance-based incentive programmes aligned to risk and business outcomes
* Novated leasing arrangements
* Comprehensive private health insurance for executive and family
* Professional development support and executive coaching
* Opportunity to lead risk transformation within a major energy business during significant growth phase
* Collaborate with risk teams across multiple regions and access to best practice
* High-impact executive role partnering with trading, commercial, and senior leadership
* Career progression opportunities within the organisation
* Work on trading system transformation and risk framework enhancement initiatives
* Employee wellness programmes and EAP support
* Flexible working arrangements
Please submit your CV and a covering letter addressing:
* Your experience leading risk functions in energy trading or energy management environments
* Your expertise in market risk, credit risk, and risk governance frameworks with specific examples
* Your track record implementing or transforming ETRM systems and risk platforms
* Your approach to building collaborative partnerships with front office teams whilst maintaining independent oversight
* Your experience leading teams and driving change management in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
For Further Information Contact
Ivan Pignataro | Director
D'Arcy Weil
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This role is being managed exclusively by Ivan Pignataro at D'Arcy Weil. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.