Architecture Practice Lead

Mercury; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 extra days leave (MyDays)

Tax-free home office setup support

Employee share scheme

Health insurance discount

Well-being programme

Job summary

Mercury is seeking an Architecture Practice Lead to guide and grow our Enterprise Solution Architects. You will establish standards, patterns, and tools, coach teams, and drive architecture engagement across business units.

This role centers on building a practice, not just running one, with a pathway for architects to reach senior roles within Mercury. You’ll lead a team, shape governance, and foster collaboration with Technology and business stakeholders to deliver strong outcomes for Mercury

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading architects or senior engineers.
• Experience shaping architecture across multiple business domains.
• Ability to coach, mentor and grow teams toward senior roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and recruit for the architecture team and build routines.
• Grow the architecture practice with standards, patterns and tools.
• Support complex problems by connecting teams with the right people.

Skills

Architecture leadership

Coaching

Stakeholder influence

People management

Communication

Adaptability

Business alignment

Education

Tertiary tech qualification (architecture or software eng)

TOGAF 9/10 Practitioner

ArchiMate familiarity

Tools

ArchiMate

Job description

He whakahaere aronga-anamata a Mercury, e tuku ana i te pūngao me ngā whitimamao ki te mahi a tangata o Aotearoa, ā, he nui ake i tā ētahi atu. Waihoki, e para ana i te huarahi mā te pūngao whakahou me te whai i tētahi anamata toitū. Kei te iho ko tō mātou koronga. Tiakina te anamata, mā te tūhono i ngā tāngata me ngā wāhi o te inamata. He āki tēnei i a tātou ki te whakapau kaha kia hua ake ai he anamata pai ake mō ō tātou tāngata, mō ō tātou hapori, me Aotearoa.

Mercury is a bold future-focused organisation, providing energy and telecommunications to more Kiwis than anyone else, leading the way with renewable energy and working toward a sustainable future. At the heart is our purpose. Taking care of tomorrow: connecting people and place today. This pushes us to do all we can to create a better future for our people, our communities, and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Tā mātou arawātea | Our Opportunity:

At Mercury, technology plays a big part in making that happen, and good architecture is how we make sure we’re building the right things, the right way.

We’re looking for an Architecture Practice Lead to lead and grow our team of Enterprise Solution Architects and shape how architecture is practised across Mercury. You’ll bring the depth of experience to coach and stretch your people, and build the standards, patterns, tools and ways of working that lift consistency and quality. You’ll also be a key voice in moving architecture to engage the business earlier and more collaboratively, enabling others rather than centralising delivery.

This is a role for someone who wants to build a practice, not just run one. It’s also a chance to support internal movement, helping architects grow toward senior architecture roles here at Mercury.

Tāu e mahi ai | What you’ll be doing:

• Leading, developing and recruiting for the architecture team, using your own expertise to coach and challenge them and build strong routines
• Growing the architecture practice, including standards, patterns, tools and processes, so quality and consistency lift across Mercury
• Building and championing Mercury’s Architecture Community of Practice, with regular forums for knowledge-sharing, mentoring and continuous improvement
• Supporting architects and teams with complex problems, either directly or by connecting them with the right people, and helping frame issues so flow-on effects are understood
• Contributing to architecture governance and assurance alongside the Enterprise Architecture function
• Building strong relationships across Technology and the business to lift architecture thinking well beyond the architecture team
• Working closely with technology and delivery leads, Enterprise Architecture and key stakeholders to help deliver great outcomes

Tāu ka kawe mai | What you’ll bring:

• A tertiary qualification in a technology domain, preferably architecture or software engineering
• Substantial architecture experience, including time in senior roles (Enterprise Solution Architect level or equivalent), where you’ve shaped architecture across multiple business domains
• A track record of leading, mentoring and growing architects or senior engineers, including supporting their progression into senior architecture roles
• TOGAF 9/10 Practitioner certification (or equivalent, such as Open CA) and familiarity with ArchiMate
• Strong people and practice leadership, with the ability to influence across domains and business units, even without formal authority
• Clear, confident communication that turns complex technical concepts into compelling stories connecting technology to business value
• Resilience, presence and the ability to think outside the box, and be comfortable in a complex technology landscape with plenty of ambiguity
• A genuine sense of Care (doing what’s right for our people and place) and Curiosity (exploring possibilities and unique solutions)

He aha te pai o te hono mai? | Why join us?

• Additional 5 days leave per annum (MyDays)
• $400 one‑off tax‑free payment towards setting up your home office
• A diverse workplace where your unique abilities and talents will be recognised and encouraged
• Annual salary reviews with excellent parental leave policy, with the option to purchase additional leave
• Join the Employee Share Scheme where you receive $1,000 of Mercury shares annually with a 3‑year period of restriction
• The opportunities, career paths and facilities associated with working for one of New Zealand’s largest multi‑utility providers
• Discounted health insurance and free life and income insurance
• Excellent well‑being programme including up to $100 annual check‑ups and confidential assistance programme
• Gender affirmation leave and supportive bereavement leave to be taken when you lose anyone close to you, including your pet

Mercury is a learning organisation that is committed to providing you with opportunities to grow and develop that will benefit you now and in the future. Part of your role includes building your skillset and mindset through a variety of ways. We believe this creates an energised, innovative and agile work environment where you will feel valued.

E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū

Every voice has its place – and together, we thrive.

At Mercury, we believe that having a team of individuals with different backgrounds, experience and capability working together makes us stronger and better as an organisation. We know that some candidates may only apply for a role if they meet all of the criteria. If you want to join our team, we encourage you to apply for any role that matches your skills, capabilities and interests, even if you aren't sure if you meet all of the criteria.