Change and Business Readiness Lead

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 111,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

5 weeks annual leave

Income Protection

Critical Illness Insurance

Job summary

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is seeking a Change & Business Readiness Lead to drive successful adoption of change across Customer & Services. You will lead complex readiness and impact assessments, provide expert advice on change impacts and risks, and shape approaches to ensure operations are prepared for change.

This role partners with business leaders, programme teams and stakeholders to deliver sustainable change outcomes, embedding change and delivering lasting benefits for the

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading business readiness, business analysis, change implementation or operational improvement activities.
• Experience undertaking complex impact assessments and translating insights into practical recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and influencing skills.
• Experience working across multiple business groups and navigating competing priorities.
• Experience identifying and managing implementation risks, issues and dependencies.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving capability.
• Experience analysing and improving business processes, operating models and service delivery environments.
• The ability to provide trusted advice to leaders and programme teams.
• Excellent written communication and reporting skills.
• Experience in customer service, regulatory, operational or public sector environments is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex business impact assessments across people, processes, technology, customers and service delivery with clear recommendations.
• Lead readiness assessments and planning ensuring identified readiness requirements are managed.
• Facilitate design and delivery of implementation approaches to improve efficiency and outcomes.
• Build relationships with leaders and stakeholders, influencing decisions and alignment.
• Provide high-quality reporting, recommendations and risk visibility to support decision-making.
• Identify and manage dependencies, risks and issues that may affect delivery.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Business analysis

Operational improvement

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Report writing

Te Ao Māori awareness

Job description

• Lead business impact assessments, readiness planning and implementation activities
• Drive stakeholder engagement and collaboration
• Analyse and improve business processes and operating models

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

We're looking for a Change & Business Readiness Lead to drive the successful implementation and sustained adoption of change across Customer & Services. You will lead complex readiness and impact assessment activities, provide expert advice on change impacts and implementation risks, and shape approaches that ensure operational teams are prepared for change.

This is an exciting opportunity to work across a diverse portfolio of initiatives, partnering with business leaders, programme teams, subject matter experts, and operational stakeholders to deliver sustainable change outcomes. As a trusted advisor, you'll help ensure change is understood, planned for, and embedded effectively, delivering lasting benefits for both the business and our customers.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Lead complex business impact assessments across people, processes, technology, customers and service delivery, providing clear recommendations that inform decisions and successful change implementation
• Lead readiness assessments and readiness planning activities, ensuring operational, people, process, system and customer readiness requirements are identified and effectively managed
• Facilitate the design and delivery of implementation approaches, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, customer outcomes and organisational effectiveness
• Build strong relationships with leaders, programme teams and stakeholders, influencing decisions and driving alignment.
• Provide high-quality reporting, recommendations, impact assessments and implementation advice that supports decision-making and provides visibility of readiness, progress and key risks
• Identify and manage complex dependencies, risks and issues that may affect successful delivery and business outcomes.

We are seeking to appoint at a salary between $111,051 – $123,390, commensurate with skills and experience.

Ko koe tēnei | About you

You are a highly experienced Business Readiness lead with experience in change management, business analysis, project delivery, or continuous improvement.

To Be Successful In This Role, You Will Bring

• Significant experience leading business readiness, business analysis, change implementation or operational improvement activities.
• Experience undertaking complex impact assessments and translating insights into practical recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and influencing skills.
• Experience working across multiple business groups and navigating competing priorities.
• Experience identifying and managing implementation risks, issues and dependencies.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving capability.
• Experience analysing and improving business processes, operating models and service delivery environments.
• The ability to provide trusted advice to leaders and programme teams.
• Excellent written communication and reporting skills.

While not essential, experience within customer service, regulatory, operational or public sector environments, or formal training in business analysis, change management, project support or continuous improvement methodologies would be an advantage.

You will also demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an understanding of Te Ao Māori, tikanga, te reo Māori, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as it applies in the public service.

Mō mātou | About us

The Customer & Services Group | Te Mahau delivers great transactional products and services through operational excellence and customer focus. The group is responsible for supporting the effective operation of New Zealand's land transport system while continually improving customer experiences and developing services that are simple, effective and easy to use.

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 business support required to assess impacts, align priorities, coordinate subject matter experts and embed sustainable change across the function.

Ka whiwhi koe i te aha | What you’ll get in return

• A competitive salary and benefits package
• Flexible working arrangements (role dependent)
• 5 weeks annual leave, plus Income Protection and Critical Illness Insurance
• The opportunity to lead a nationally significant operation that directly impacts millions of New Zealanders

Ready to take on the challenge?

If you’re motivated by pace, complexity, and real-world impact, and you enjoy leading teams through demanding operational environments, we’d love to hear from you.

R\u014Sa Katinga | Applications close:

16 October 2026

For further information, email: [e-mail]

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.