Role profile: risk assessor
Risk analysis is the process of assessing, managing, and communicating risk. Risk assessment is part of risk analysis and is a specialised field of applied science. It can be used to assess:
- the likelihood or probability of unwanted events occurring
- the possible scale and seriousness of any unwanted events
Risk assessors also estimate the uncertainty and variability associated with the risk. This involves applying specific internationally agreed standards to various hazards, including those that affect animal, human and plant health. This means risk assessment is used to support the development of evidence-based risk management policy and communication across Government.
Typical role responsibilities
Risk assessors can respond to numerous triggers that initiate a risk assessment. Their typical role responsibilities can include:
- actively identifying and reviewing emerging threats to provide early warning of increased risk to animals, humans, environment, or plants — in some roles this would include consequences to private industry
- assisting risk managers to convert complex problems into a risk question that can be addressed through risk assessment
- describing the system needed to address a risk question — this includes all the steps within the system that need to occur for the risk to occur through a risk pathway
- collecting and gathering information from a wide range of sources and systems — this includes reading, understanding, analysing and interpreting information that is often complex to be included within a risk assessment
- developing risk assessments — this includes using the available data or information for each step of the pathway to provide an overall qualitative or quantitative risk estimate
- investigating the uncertainty associated with the data used within the assessment and exploring risk management scenarios that may increase or decrease the risk
- summarising, presenting and interpreting the results of risk assessments to a range of customers and stakeholders — this includes ensuring risk managers understand the inherent uncertainties and acknowledging the most important data gaps
- identifying data gaps within risk assessments and liaising with research officers and budget holders for the commissioning of studies to collect the data — this includes ensuring the data generated meets the needs of the risk assessment
Some risk assessor role requirements will involve wider responsibilities which are outlined in specific risk analysis frameworks, such as risk management. These activities will be specific to your department and are not listed in this role profile.
Skills
There are several important skills that risk assessors need to be successful in their role.
Find out more about skill level definitions.
You must be able to apply knowledge of quantitative or qualitative risk assessment methods in the production of evidence to support risk management and policy formulation.
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have an “awareness” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must be able to:
- use sound judgement and critical thinking with technical and analytical expertise to assess risk appropriate to the evidence-base
- identify efficient and effective ways to use information to inform decision making
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have an “awareness” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must be able to:
- identify, gather, receive and assimilate information from a range of sources
- assess data suitability and quality
- synthesise data to use it coherently in your risk assessments
Identification of suitable data may be a result of previous risk assessment activities.
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have a “working” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must stay up to date with developments in your relevant scientific discipline and industry, standards, legislation and government policy.
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have a “working” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must be able to:
- present, communicate, and disseminate results and assessments clearly, confidently, and concisely
- communicate well with non-specialists both verbally and in writing
- contribute effectively to discussions with senior officials, stakeholders, or ministers, and highlight major risk issues
You will be expected to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of a given approach, concentrating on explaining the associated uncertainty or variability.
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have an “awareness” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must:
- be aware of quality assurance techniques
- ensure data are fit for purpose
- be able to validate and understand how to interpret the results of a risk assessment
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have an “awareness” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must be able to support other people to use risk assessment tools and methods. This could include training them to use these tools and methods.
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have an “awareness” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
You must be able to support the completion of risk assessment projects by:
- producing quality outcomes to deadline
- identifying risks and mitigating actions
You must ensure that solutions are aligned with strategy, business goals, and end user needs.
Associate risk assessor
As an associate, you must have an “awareness” skill level.
Risk assessor
As a risk assessor, you must have a “working” skill level.
Senior risk assessor
As a senior risk assessor, you must have a “practitioner” skill level.
Principal risk assessor
As a principal risk assessor, you must have an “expert” skill level.
Sample career pathway
The risk assessor career path outlines some of the common entry and exit points in the role and illustrates the typical skill levels required.
You can enter a risk assessor role from:
- other analytical professions
- other technical professions
- non-analytical professions
- non-technical professions
You can also exit the role to join any of these professions.
The diagram shows a potential career path. It shows you that you can enter or leave a role from a wide range of background and experience levels. For example, you could become a Risk Assessor by developing your skills as an Associate Risk Assessor role. You could continue to move up the levels in the career path by taking on more senior Risk Assessor roles. Or you could develop your skills working in a technical specialist role in an analytical profession. You could also develop the necessary skills by working in a profession agnostic role outside of these professions, such as policy or enforcement roles.
Your department should be able to provide more detailed information around the entry and exit levels for Risk Assessors in your specific area.
A role that could be done by any person with the relevant skills or experience from any profession.
This could be a “badged” or professional role that is subject to entry requirements and development.
Beyond the Principal or Lead Risk Assessor role, you could go into more senior leadership roles. These roles require broader analytical understanding, and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams.