Lead the readiness and integration of multiple strategic change initiatives across our Te Mahau | Customer & Services Business Group
Shape how change is prioritised, sequenced, landed, and sustained to deliver better outcomes for customers and frontline teams.
Join NZTA in a newly established leadership role
Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity
This newly established leadership role sits at the centre of how change is successfully introduced and embedded across Customer & Services (Te Mahau). Rather than leading the delivery of individual projects, you will take an enterprise view across a portfolio of concurrent initiatives, ensuring the organisation is ready to absorb change and that benefits are realised and sustained long after implementation. This role will appeal to someone who enjoys connecting the dots across multiple programmes, assessing cumulative impacts, and influencing decisions that improve organisational effectiveness and customer outcomes.
This is an enduring leadership role that is closely embedded in NZTA’s business operations, so it will suit someone who enjoys staying connected to the ongoing rhythm of the business and helping change land well over time, rather than focusing solely on discrete change programmes.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading the Change & Business Readiness function for Customer & Services.
Maintaining an integrated view of change demand, organisational capacity, business priorities, and implementation sequencing.
Assessing and prioritising the business impacts of multiple concurrent programmes and initiatives.
Leading readiness activities across customer, people, process, technology, policy, risk, reporting, and service impacts.
Ensuring the right operational, customer, communications, training, policy, and SME expertise is engaged at the right time.
Providing strategic advice to senior leaders on readiness, organisational capacity, implementation risks, and adoption.
Governing readiness activities to ensure changes are successfully embedded into business-as-usual operations.
Monitoring adoption and benefits realisation to ensure intended outcomes are sustained.
You can find out more about the role in the Position Description.
We are seeking to appoint at a salary between $190,000 and $225,000, commensurate with skills and experience.
Ko koe tēnei | About you
You are an experienced change and business readiness leader who has successfully managed complex portfolios of change rather than individual projects in isolation. You understand how multiple programmes can create competing demands on operational teams and know how to balance organisational capacity, readiness, and strategic priorities to achieve successful outcomes.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of concurrent change initiatives with different scopes, complexities, and delivery timelines.
Proven success leading business readiness, organisational change, or operational integration in large and complex organisations.
Experience assessing cumulative business impacts across frontline operations, systems, processes, policies, reporting, risk, and resourcing.
Strong strategic thinking with the ability to influence senior leaders and challenge priorities where organisational capacity is at risk.
Experience working in a customer-based environment, with an understanding of customer needs, frontline realities, and service impacts.
Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
Experience building readiness frameworks, governance approaches, and adoption measures that embed sustainable change.
Strong people leadership capability, including building and developing high-performing teams.
You will demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an understanding of Te Ao Māori and promote tikanga and Te Reo Māori. You will also have knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an appreciation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application in the public service.
Mō mātou | About Us
Customer & Services delivers great transactional products and services through operational excellence and a strong customer focus. The group supports the effective operation of New Zealand's land transport system while continually improving the experiences of customers who interact with NZTA.
The Change & Business Readiness team prepares Customer & Services for change and supports its successful integration into business operations. The team provides the readiness, coordination, and specialist expertise needed to assess impacts, align priorities, support informed decision-making, and embed sustainable change across the function.
Ka whiwhi koe i te aha | What you will get in return
At NZTA, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of New Zealanders while helping shape the future of our transport system.
Along with our other benefits, we also offer:
Flexible working arrangements (Role dependent)
Five weeks annual leave.
Income Protection and Critical Illness Insurance for permanent employees.
Ongoing development and career growth opportunities.
A collaborative, values-driven environment where you can influence complex, nationally significant work.
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply
Ready to lead how change is successfully landed and sustained across one of NZTA's largest operational groups?
Please click Apply to upload your CV and cover letter outlining your experience managing portfolios of concurrent change and business readiness initiatives.
Rā Katinga | Applications close:
2 September 2026For further information, email: [email protected]
To be considered for this position you must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
Waka Kotahi is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing a working environment that embraces these values. Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.
Please note that we may begin shortlisting as we receive applications. We encourage early applications as we may withdraw the advertising at any time.
Skills Required
- Experience managing a portfolio of concurrent change initiatives with varied scopes, complexities, and delivery timelines
- Experience leading business readiness, organisational change, or operational integration in large and complex organisations
- Experience assessing cumulative business impacts across frontline operations, systems, processes, policies, reporting, risk, and resourcing
- Strong strategic thinking and ability to influence senior leaders and challenge priorities when organisational capacity is at risk
- Experience working in a customer-based environment and understanding customer needs, frontline realities, and service impacts
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills
- Experience building readiness frameworks, governance approaches, and adoption measures that embed sustainable change
- Strong people leadership capability, including building and developing high-performing teams
- Knowledge of, or willingness to gain an understanding of, Te Ao Māori, tikanga, and Te Reo Māori
- Knowledge of, or willingness to gain an appreciation of, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application in the public service
- Legal right to live and work in New Zealand
What We Do
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is the New Zealand government agency responsible for providing an integrated approach to transport planning, funding, and delivery. The organization manages the land transport network and maintains a strong future focus, adapting to new technologies and changing customer expectations to ensure the transport system evolves to meet the needs of Aotearoa over the next decade.







