Risk & Governance Lead

We’ve been proudly serving Australian communities since 1914 and have grown to become a top 30-listed company on the ASX with a portfolio of iconic homegrown brands. At the heart of our continued success is over 115,000 team members working across the country, all contributing to bringing our customers smiles. You’ll not only get to see your work make a difference, you’ll be part of a team working together to help Australians eat and live better every day.

About the team

As the way Australians shop continues to evolve, our Data and AI Team keep Coles at the forefront of modern retail. We combine data, artificial intelligence, and applied engineering to reimagine how our stores, supply chain, and digital channels operate — creating smarter, more connected, and seamless experiences for our customers and team members.

Operating as a centralised development and enablement function within Coles Technology, the team unites product, engineering, and platform capabilities to deliver the intelligence layer of the enterprise. We serve every part of Coles — from computer vision applications that enhance in-store experiences and reduce loss, to forecasting, optimisation, and decision-support solutions that drive efficiency, accuracy, and agility across our supply chain, retail operations, and corporate functions.

The scale and impact of this work are significant. Coles serves millions of customers each week across more than a thousand stores nationwide, and our AI and data capabilities provide the intelligence that underpins how we plan, move, sell, and serve. By combining deep data capability with applied AI and modern engineering, we’re enabling Coles to become a truly AI-enabled enterprise, transforming how we operate and how Australia shops every day.

About the role

For this exciting position of a Senior Risk and Governance Analyst within our Data and Artificial Intelligence team, we are seeking an individual to lead sustainable data governance across Coles by embedding enterprise data policy, standards and controls into business, technology and delivery processes.

You will also,

• Provide specialist advice to business system owners, technology system owners, data owners, data stewards and delivery teams on data governance obligations and accountabilities.
• Lead governance assessments for material data initiatives, including data products, reporting, analytics, AI-enabled use cases, platforms and major change programs.

Working closely with the Enterprise Data Governance Manager, your main responsibilities will include the following but not be limited to the below: 

• Translate enterprise data governance policy into standards, procedures, playbooks, guides, templates, FAQs and working examples for consistent execution.
• Define best-practice examples for data ownership, stewardship, metadata, critical data elements, data quality, lineage, classification and control evidence.
• Apply data risk and control assessment frameworks to ensure data activity is governed within defined risk appetite and compliance requirements.
• Chair, facilitate and support data governance working groups, domain forums and initiative-specific governance reviews.
• Engage senior stakeholders and delivery teams to guide practical execution of data governance requirements within standards and frameworks.
• Educate, coach and influence data owners, stewards, technology teams and project teams in data governance practice.
• Mentor junior governance analysts and provide quality review of governance assessments, artefacts and stakeholder materials.

About you and your skills

• Proven years’ experience in data governance, data management, information governance, data quality, metadata, risk, compliance, business analysis or technology delivery governance in a complex enterprise environment.
• Proven experience leading governance assessments for data, analytics, reporting, AI, platform or technology delivery initiatives.
• Experience defining and implementing data ownership, stewardship, metadata, critical data element, data quality, lineage, classification and control practices.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret policy and standards into practical delivery requirements, decision frameworks and operational controls.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders, facilitating working groups and resolving cross-functional data governance issues.
• Experience mentoring or quality-reviewing the work of analysts or governance practitioners.

We’re looking for an experienced data risk and governance professional with strong knowledge of data governance frameworks, data risk management, data quality, metadata and enterprise data controls.

You’ll be skilled at identifying and assessing complex data risks, understanding root causes and recommending pragmatic, risk-based solutions. Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills are essential, with the ability to advise across business, technology, risk and compliance teams and translate strategy into practical governance requirements.

Experience with modern cloud data platforms, data catalogues and data quality tools is highly regarded, with Azure, Snowflake or GCP exposure desirable. Retail experience is advantageous.

What’s in it for you?

• Flexible working options: We know that work is only one part of your life, so we actively encourage a positive work-life balance and provide hybrid working options to help you achieve it.
• Office perks: Take advantage of our gym facility and fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, fooderie hub where you can sample new products before they hit the shelves, school holiday program and so much more when you come in.
• Discounts: Eligible team members receive 5% discount all year round on your Supermarket and Liquor online and in-store purchases. We also offer additional periods of double discount (10%) at various times throughout the year. As well as hotdeals exclusive to team members that translate into additional savings.
• Reward through recognition: Give and receive recognition, linked to our Coles values, through our digital recognition platform ‘mythanks’. You can accumulate points to redeem in the online shop for exciting gifts and electronic gift cards from an extensive range of retailers.
• Opportunities for learning and development: No matter where you start within our diverse business, you’ll have experiences, exposure, and education to satisfy you. Discover and explore a variety of career development programs and job-specific training.
• Paid parental leave: We understand how important your life outside work is and offer permanent team members paid parental leave to support you in balancing work and family.
• Investment in your future: Our annual team member share plan offer allows eligible team members to make regular pre-tax salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.

About the recruitment process

We’re continuing to build a gender equitable team, and a culture that is just as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as the communities we serve. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe and respectful for our team. We encourage applications from people of all ages, cultures (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.

We’re happy to adjust our recruitment process to support candidates with disability. For further information and additional contact details visit the ‘Our Recruitment Process’ section of our careers site or email inclusionrecruitment@coles.com.au

Job ID: 194733

Employment Type: Full time