Data Product Owner

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi; Palmerston North; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Five weeks annual leave

Income Protection and Critical Illness

Job summary

NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA) seeks a Data Product Owner to lead the data product journey, shifting from project-led delivery to a data product‑centric agency. You will identify opportunities, define ownership and roadmaps, and deliver trusted, reusable data products.

You will own the product vision and lifecycle, establish backlogs, collaborate with governance, architecture and platform teams to embed quality, privacy and stewardship, and help stakeholders adopt product‑centric ways

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritise initial data product opportunities with business groups, defining clear user needs, ownership, outcomes and roadmaps.
• Establish and own product backlogs, balancing immediate project needs with reusable enterprise value and making practical trade-offs across risk, cost and dependencies.
• Work with delivery teams to take data products from discovery through to release, demonstrating value and establishing repeatable delivery practices.
• Partner with governance, architecture and platform teams to build quality, security, privacy and stewardship into data products from the outset.
• Build understanding of data products across NZTA, helping stakeholders adopt product‑centric ways of working and discover, trust and reuse products.
• Measure early value and adoption, use feedback to improve assigned products, and apply lessons to strengthen lifecycle management as the approach grows.

Job description

• Help NZTA's data product journey and shape the shift to a data product-centric agency
• Deliver trusted, reusable data products and demonstrate their value across NZTA
• Bring people on the journey and establish product ownership, adoption and continuous improvement

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

As Data Product Owner, you'll help begin NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA)'s data product journey and support our transition from project-led data delivery to a data product-centric agency. This is an opportunity to establish the foundations, not simply manage an existing portfolio.

• Help NZTA's data product journey and shape the shift to a data product-centric agency
• Deliver trusted, reusable data products and demonstrate their value across NZTA
• Bring people on the journey and establish product ownership, adoption and continuous improvement

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

As Data Product Owner, you'll help begin NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA)'s data product journey and support our transition from project-led data delivery to a data product-centric agency. This is an opportunity to establish the foundations, not simply manage an existing portfolio.

Working within the Chief Technology Office's Data and AI function, you'll partner with business groups and specialist teams to identify data product opportunities, define clear ownership and roadmaps, and deliver trusted, reusable data products.

You'll own the vision, value and lifecycle of assigned data products while helping embed ways of working that support NZTA's regulatory, operational, customer and organisational outcomes.

You will find out more about the role here Position Description

You Will

• Identify and prioritise initial data product opportunities with business groups, defining clear user needs, ownership, outcomes and roadmaps.
• Establish and own product backlogs, balancing immediate project needs with reusable enterprise value and making practical trade-offs across risk, cost and dependencies.
• Work with delivery teams to take data products from discovery through to release, demonstrating value and establishing repeatable delivery practices.
• Partner with governance, architecture and platform teams to build quality, security, privacy and stewardship into data products from the outset.
• Build understanding of data products across NZTA, helping stakeholders adopt product‑centric ways of working and discover, trust and reuse products.
• Measure early value and adoption, use feedback to improve assigned products, and apply lessons to strengthen lifecycle management as the approach grows.

Ko koe tēnei | About you

You'll bring a product mindset, a practical approach to change and the confidence to build something new. You'll be comfortable working where processes and ownership are still evolving, creating clarity and turning ambition into achievable first steps.

You'll combine hands‑on product delivery with the ability to bring stakeholders on the journey, influence without direct people‑management authority and help shift thinking from one‑off project outputs to trusted data products with ongoing ownership and value.

You Will Bring

• Experience establishing or evolving products, services or data capabilities in a complex organisation, ideally introducing product‑centric ways of working.
• The ability to uncover business and user needs, identify practical starting points and balance immediate requirements with long‑term enterprise reuse.
• A track record of turning ideas into roadmaps, prioritised backlogs and working products, managing dependencies and demonstrating early value.
• A practical understanding of data governance, quality, privacy, security and stewardship, and how to manage risks throughout the product lifecycle.
• Strong relationship‑building and influencing skills, with the ability to create shared understanding, navigate uncertainty and build commitment to new ways of working.
• Experience bringing users on a change journey, addressing adoption barriers and using engagement, communications, guidance and training to embed new products.
• A pragmatic, outcome‑focused approach: start small, measure value and usage, learn from feedback and build sustainable practices that can scale.

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 sector.

Mō mātou |About Us

Te Aukaha | Digital exists to improve service offerings, support decision‑making and make it easier for people to interact with NZTA.

Within Digital, the Chief Technology Office (CTO) is a strategic business enabler responsible for delivering the digital capabilities, platforms and leadership needed to support NZTA's operational performance, regulatory responsibilities and future transport vision.

The CTO ensures digital investments and services deliver measurable value while supporting efficient service delivery, improved customer experiences and long‑term organisational success.

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

At NZTA, you'll have the opportunity to help shape our data product journey from the outset, delivering data products and establishing foundations that support better decisions, services and transport outcomes.

In Addition, You'll Benefit From

• A competitive salary and benefits package
• Flexible working arrangements
• Opportunities to work with modern cloud, analytics and AI technologies
• A collaborative, inclusive and purpose‑driven environment
• Professional development and career growth opportunities
• Five weeks annual leave
• Income Protection and Critical Illness Insurance for permanent employees

If you're motivated by building something new, demonstrating the value of data products and helping NZTA become a data product‑centric agency, we'd like to hear from you.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

17 November 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.