Cyber Governance Risk and Compliance Specialist

A cyber governance risk and compliance specialist develops and implements organisational policies, frameworks, and controls to manage cybersecurity risks and ensure compliance with Australian and international cyber-related regulations. They conduct risk assessments, monitor compliance with standards such as the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) and Privacy Act 1988, and provide advice to leadership on cyber governance maturity and regulatory obligations.

Develop and maintain cyber security governance frameworks aligned with the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) and relevant industry standards. Conduct cyber risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities, threats, and compliance gaps across organisational systems and processes. Map regulatory requirements from the Privacy Act 1988, Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, and Australian Consumer Law to control implementation. Design and document cybersecurity policies, procedures, and standards that align with organisational risk appetite and regulatory obligations. Monitor and report on compliance with cyber security standards, identifying non-conformances and recommending remediation actions. Perform security audits and control testing to verify the effectiveness of implemented cybersecurity controls. Maintain cyber risk registers and heat maps to track emerging threats, control status, and residual risk levels. Provide cyber governance advice to the board, executive leadership, and business unit managers on risk exposure and compliance status.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll spend a lot of time writing policies and documenting controls that most staff won't read or follow properly. The role is heavy on compliance paperwork and risk registers rather than hands-on problem solving. You'll also need ongoing professional certifications (like CISSP or CCSK) which cost money and time, and the field changes constantly so you're always studying. Career progression can stall if you're seen as the 'compliance blocker' rather than a business enabler.

Remote work is common once you're established, but you'll need to be based near major business hubs to find entry-level positions and build networks. Regional opportunities are limited.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2621, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Policy Interpretationcore
• Process Documentationcore
• Quality Assurance Monitoringcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Reporting and Analyticscore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Cloud monitoring and reporting
• Cloud technologies
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Electronic Document Management
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Negotiation
• Power BI Reporting and Dashboards
• Problem Solving
• Process Improvement Identification
• Record Management
• SLA and KPI Adherence
• Team Collaboration
• Verbal Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026