Senior Manager, Triage, Assessment & Prioritisation, Scams in Sydney

The Australian Scams Ombudsman team at AFCA is taking shape. Make a real impact at AFCA, where fairness drives every decision. Help us deliver world-class, independent complaints resolution for Australians. As a not-for-profit and progressive financial ombudsman, we’re championing positive change. Achieving our purpose takes progressive thinking, accountability and resilience. At AFCA, our inclusive leadership values every voice. We offer our people flexible work options, thoughtful benefits and opportunities to deepen expertise. Flourish in a diverse, caring culture.

Help shape how consumers affected by scams are supported from their first interaction with the Australian Scams Ombudsman. We’re looking for an experienced senior operational leader to establish and lead our Triage, Assessment & Prioritisation (TAP) function. This is a rare opportunity to build a new service from the ground up, develop its leadership capability and establish an approach that ensures scam complaints are assessed promptly, consistently and directed to the right pathway.

As Senior Manager, Triage, Assessment & Prioritisation, you’ll provide strategic leadership for the front door of our dispute resolution service, setting its operating model, priorities, service standards and assurance framework. As a foundational leader within a world-first scheme, you’ll build a high-performing operation designed to scale sustainably as complaint volumes and consumer needs evolve. This is a hybrid role with 3 days per week working in the office.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead the establishment of the TAP function ahead of commencement on 31 March 2027, ensuring people, processes and systems are ready for launch.
• Set the operating model, priorities, service standards and assurance approach for scam complaint triage and assessment.
• Lead Managers and senior technical experts responsible for delivering timely and consistent assessments, early resolution and effective pathway decisions.
• Build leadership capability through coaching, mentoring and the development of high-performing teams.
• Shape a trauma-informed, human-centred customer journey, creating safe handovers and reducing the need for consumers to repeat their story.
• Drive performance across timeliness, productivity, quality and fair participation without compromising consumer safety.
• Lead workforce and budget planning, using demand, capacity and handling-time data to inform resourcing decisions.
• Champion the safe and accountable use of approved technology and AI, while maintaining human judgement and accountability.
• Lead change and continuous improvement, using operational insights to strengthen how the function works.
• Translate insights from scam complaints and regulated-entity conduct into intelligence that supports systemic issue identification, industry improvement and prevention of future harm.
• Build constructive relationships with regulated entities, industry associations and consumer groups.

Qualifications

You’ll be a highly capable senior leader with experience running complex, high-volume operations and the strategic thinking to establish a new function while delivering an exceptional consumer experience.

You’ll bring:

• Senior leadership experience within a high-volume service, dispute resolution or regulatory operation.
• Experience leading a function through significant growth, establishment or transformation.
• Experience leading high-volume assessment, triage or prioritisation functions, including establishing standards and assurance processes that support consistent decision-making.
• A strong track record of leading Managers, building high-performing teams and developing future leaders.
• Experience managing operational budgets and workforce plans using demand and capacity data.
• Experience designing services around the customer journey and a strong understanding of trauma-informed practice.
• Strong strategic, analytical and operational judgement, with the ability to translate data and insights into practical decisions.
• The ability to influence and build strong relationships across regulated entities, regulators, industry and consumer groups.
• Knowledge of the Scams Prevention Framework and relevant regulation, or the ability to develop this knowledge quickly.
• Personal resilience, emotional intelligence and strong situational awareness in complex environments.
• Relevant tertiary or postgraduate qualifications and experience in external dispute resolution, financial services, legal or regulatory environments.

Additional Information

• Gold AWEI Accreditation 2025 – Recognised for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.
• Accredited Family Friendly Workplace – Supporting work-life balance and inclusivity.
• Hybrid working – Flexible arrangements with two days a week in our modern offices designed for collaboration and wellbeing.
• Additional and inclusive leave options – Flexible public holidays, gender affirmation leave, women’s health leave, and bonus paid time off over the end of year holiday period.

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) was established in 2018 as a private not-for-profit ombudsman service providing free, fair and independent help with financial disputes. The original team has grown to over 1600 dedicated professionals. Since 2018, AFCA has received more than 634,000 complaints, helping to secure $2.1 billion in compensation for consumers.

AFCA is a 2026 Circle Back Initiative Employer - we are committed to responding to every applicant.