Is this you?

This is not a role for someone looking to manage a platform, optimise a process or work within well-defined boundaries. It is for someone who is curious, unconventional and intellectually restless.

You are energised by complexity. You see connections where others see silos and are equally comfortable discussing AI, data, technology, risk, economics and business strategy in the same conversation. You are drawn to problems without obvious answers and believe the most meaningful opportunities exist where disciplines collide.

If you want predictable work, established playbooks and clearly defined paths, this probably is not the team for you. If you want to help shape how one of Australia’s largest institutions thinks, reasons and makes decisions in the age of AI, we would love to meet you.

What’s the role?

As the Chief Ontologist – Downstream, you will be responsible for creating the semantic foundations that enable shared understanding across Westpac’s information landscape.

You will define the concepts, relationships and knowledge structures that allow people, systems and AI agents to interpret information consistently, regardless of its source. Sitting at the intersection of business, data and AI, this role creates the connective tissue between domains, enabling trusted decisions, explainable AI and the next generation of intelligent business capabilities.

This role can be based in Sydney or the Gold Coast

What do I need?

• Strong experience creating conceptual, semantic or knowledge models in complex environments.
• Demonstrated ability to create order, meaning and understanding across complex information landscapes.
• Deep appreciation for how business concepts, data structures and technology platforms interact.
• Experience developing ontology, taxonomy, semantic modelling or knowledge management frameworks.
• Ability to translate complex domain knowledge into structured, machine-consumable understanding.
• Experience working across regulated environments, with financial services experience a must
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to bridge business, data, AI and technology communities.
• Passion for semantic technologies, knowledge-centric thinking and intelligent enterprise architecture.

Why join us?

We’re obsessed with becoming our customers' #1 banking partner for life and we’re looking for people who are passionate about helping us achieve that goal. In return, we’re committed to making Westpac the best place to work in the country. Here are just a few of the ways we’re already doing that:

• Special offers on banking products and discounts from top brands, including generous employee-only mortgage rates!
• Flexible work arrangements to help you achieve a greater work/life balance, and a variety of leave options including Culture, Lifestyle and Wellbeing leave.
• Tailored learning and development opportunities to help your grow your career within the bank.
• Lots of opportunities to ‘give back’ to the Community by getting involved in our many volunteering initiatives.

Create your future today

To get started, simply click on the APPLY or APPLY NOW button

We’re all about creating a supportive and inclusive community. We welcome everyone – no matter your age, gender, background, or abilities. We also provide additional support to welcome our veterans, Indigenous Australians and neurodiverse community.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, you can find more information and contact details on our FAQs and how to contact us page, under the ‘Diversity, sustainability and flexibility’ section.

#LI - Hybrid.