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Risk & Compliance Contract Salaries for 2026 in Australia

How are contract professionals in risk and compliance being hired and rewarded as regulation tightens? Get a snapshot of hiring demand, emerging skills, and salary direction across Australia’s Risk & Compliance market.

Hiring for Risk & Compliance in Australia

The Risk & Compliance market remained resilient in 2025, driven by regulatory deadlines, emerging risk areas, and sustained demand across financial services and the broader corporate sector.

The first half of the year was dominated by operational risk hiring as organisations worked toward the CPS 230 deadline, fuelling strong demand for contractors.

Since then, hiring has continued with a shift toward more permanent appointments as organisations look to embed long-term capability.

Recruitment processes have lengthened as employers place greater emphasis on cultural fit, technical depth, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders.

In-Demand Risk & Compliance Roles in Australia

  • Cyber and IT risk roles, including AI-related risk
  • Technology Risk Managers
  • Operational Risk Managers and Senior Managers
  • Risk in Change Managers
  • Third-Party Risk Analysts, Managers, and Senior Managers
  • Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF) Managers

In-Demand Risk & Compliance Skills in Australia

  • AI, automation, and technology-related risk capability
  • Experience dealing with Australian regulators (AUSTRA, ASIC, APRA, ACCC and AFCA)
  • Compliance, AML and CTF expertise
  • Use of governance, risk and compliance tools and risk systems
  • Experience with payment platforms
  • Proven ability to deliver uplift, remediation, or transformation programs

Up, Down, or Flat? Risk & Compliance Salary Trends in Australia

Salaries across Risk & Compliance have remained largely stable, with modest increases in specialist areas where skills are scarce. Employers are managing costs carefully, often prioritising broader role scope over title inflation, while candidates are increasingly valuing flexibility, hybrid working, and role impact as part of their total remuneration.

Risk & Compliance Salaries in Australia

Job Title
Search job title
Sub Sector Location
Job Title Sector Sub Sector Location Low Median High

Chief Risk Officer

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $1,250 $1,700 $2,500

Head of Market Risk

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $1,200 $1,300 $1,400

Manager - Market Risk

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $500 $600 $800

Head of Operational Risk

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $1,200 $1,350 $1,500

Senior Manager - Operational Risk

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $900 $1,200 $1,300

Manager - Operational Risk

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $700 $800 $900

Senior Analyst - Operational Risk

Risk Management
Risk Management
Daily rate
Financial Services Risk Management Sydney $350 $500 $600

Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Commerce and Industry Compliance Sydney $300 $400 $500

Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Commerce and Industry Compliance Sydney $500 $600 $700

Senior Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Commerce and Industry Compliance Sydney $550 $750 $900

Head of Compliance

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Commerce and Industry Compliance Sydney $900 $1,000 $1,200

Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Retail and Wealth Compliance Sydney $300 $400 $500

Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Retail and Wealth Compliance Sydney $600 $750 $850

Senior Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Retail and Wealth Compliance Sydney $700 $1,000 $1,200

Head of Compliance

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Retail and Wealth Compliance Sydney $1,000 $1,500 $1,800

Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Investment Banking Compliance Sydney $400 $500 $600

Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Investment Banking Compliance Sydney $600 $750 $900

Senior Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Investment Banking Compliance Sydney $750 $1,000 $1,300

Head of Compliance

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Investment Banking Compliance Sydney $1,200 $1,500 $1,800

Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Financial Crime Compliance Sydney $300 $400 $500

Senior Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Financial Crime Compliance Sydney $400 $500 $600

Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Financial Crime Compliance Sydney $600 $750 $850

Senior Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Financial Crime Compliance Sydney $700 $1,000 $1,200

Head of Compliance

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Financial Crime Compliance Sydney $1,000 $1,500 $1,800

Head of Anti Money Laundering

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Financial Crime Compliance Sydney $1,000 $1,500 $1,800

Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Regulatory Projects Compliance Sydney $300 $400 $500

Senior Compliance Analyst

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Regulatory Projects Compliance Sydney $400 $500 $600

Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Regulatory Projects Compliance Sydney $600 $750 $850

Senior Compliance Manager

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Regulatory Projects Compliance Sydney $700 $1,000 $1,200

Head of Compliance

Compliance
Compliance
Daily rate
Regulatory Projects Compliance Sydney $1,000 $1,500 $1,800

Download Your 2026 Risk & Compliance Salary Guide for Australia.

Permanent, temporary and contract salary data for a range of Risk & Compliance roles, as well as insights and advice to guide your talent strategies.