Roles and Responsibilities

The Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor is accountable for ensuring that a risk management system is established, implemented, and maintained in accord with this policy. As Accounting Officer, the Vice Chancellor remains ultimately accountable for the organization and its management of risk. He must:

1. Have a clear understanding and assessment of the risks that could prevent delivery of objectives.
2. Ensure that the organization has effective risk management and control processes be provided with assurance that the processes and the key strategic risks are being effectively managed.
3. Undertake an annual review of the effectiveness of the system of internal control.

The University Board of Directors (LPU)

The Board (LPU) has a fundamental role in the management of risk. It will:

1. Receive an opinion from the audit Committee that will include its review of the processes of risk management and internal control
2. Consider risk issues as they affect Board decisions (where appropriate all Board papers must now include a discussion of the impact on the key strategic risks)
3. Review key strategic risks that will be analysed annually alongside the strategic plan.
4. Periodically review risks as part of the monitoring of the annual operating plan

The Audit Committee

The Audit Committee will be accountable for the oversight of the processes for the identification and assessment of the general risk spectrum, reviewing the outcomes of risk management processes, and for advising the LPU/Senate as necessary.

Senior Executives

Senior Executives are accountable for strategic risk management within areas under their control including the devolution of the risk management process to operational managers. Collectively the Senior Executives are responsible for:

1. The formal identification of strategic risks that impact upon the University’s mission;
2. Allocation of priorities;
3. The development of strategic risk management plans

Senior Executives will review progress against agreed risk management plans will communicate this to the Audit Committee and to the University.

Faculty Deans, Heads of Departments, and Heads of Research Centres and Institutes

Faculty Deans, Heads of Departments, and Heads of Research Centres, and Institutes are accountable to the Vice Chancellor via their line manager for:

1. Implementation of this policy within their respective areas of responsibility;
2. Annual reporting on the status of the risk register, insofar as it impacts on their respective responsibilities, as part of the annual planning and review, cycle;
3. Ongoing maintenance of the risk register insofar as it impacts on their respective responsibilities;
4. Ensuring compliance with risk assessment procedures.

Director Finance and Chief Financial Officer

In addition to the functions as an Office Head, the Director of Finance will be accountable for the University insurance portfolio and will ensure that a risk management plan is completed for each commercial venture. Advice will be sought, as required, from the Director Internal Audit/Risk Manager on risk management issues in relation to these matters.

Director Human Resources

In addition to the functions as an Office Head, the Director of Human Resources will remain accountable for the occupational health and safety and workers compensation portfolio, procedures and administration. Advice will be sought, as required, from the Director Internal Audit/Risk Manager on risk management issues in relation to these matters.

Director Internal audit/Risk Manager

The Director Internal Audit/Risk Manager will be accountable through the Audit Committee for the implementation of this policy in key areas of the University, maintaining a programme for risk reassessment and a Risk Registers for the University. Key areas will flow from the risk management plan. The director Internal Audit/Risk Manager will provide advice to the relevant Directors on risk management matters pertaining to the University Insurance portfolio and to occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation issues.

All Staff

Every staff member of the University is responsible for the effective management of risk including the identification of potential risks. Management (both academic and general) is responsible for the development of risk mitigation plans and the implementation of risk reduction strategies. Risk management processes should be integrated with other planning processes and management activities.

There is legislation in place for the management of specific risks such as Occupational Safety and Health. The Risk Management policy does not relieve the University’s responsibility to comply with other legislation. Training and facilitation will, in the first instance, be the responsibility of the Office of Internal Audit/Risk Manager in conjunction with the Office of Human Resource Management.