Head of AI & Data Engineering

One New Zealand; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

WFH flexibility

Health insurance (including family)

Lifestyle leave

Product discounts

Job summary

One New Zealand is seeking a Head of AI & Data Engineering to lead the engineering capability turning AI and data ambitions into secure, scalable, production‑ready solutions. You’ll head AI Solution Engineering, Data Engineering and AI/Data Platform Engineering, with end‑to‑end ownership from discovery to production.

You’ll set engineering standards, drive reusable foundations, and collaborate with Product, Tech, Architecture and transformation teams to innovate responsibly while ensuring

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in a multidisciplinary engineering setting.
• Proven track record building high‑performing AI/data teams.
• Strong cloud, software engineering, data pipelines and platform experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI Solution Engineering, Data Engineering and AI/Data Platform Engineering teams.
• Set and raise engineering standards across AI, data, and software including security and CI/CD.
• Own the technical roadmap and create scalable, reusable foundations.
• Ensure end‑to‑end delivery from discovery to production for AI/data solutions.
• Drive data governance, quality, lineage and secure access through pipelines and products.
• Develop engineering leadership and capability within the team.
• Improve platform economics via reuse, self‑service and cost discipline.
• Collaborate with Product, Technology, Architecture and transformation teams to enable reliable delivery.

Skills

Leadership of leaders

AI engineering

Cloud & software engineering

Data engineering

Strategy & roadmap

Communication with executives

Tools

Cloud platforms

Distributed systems

APIs

DevSecOps

CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code

SRE/Observability

Job description

He aha ai tātou – Why us?

At One NZ we’re not just imagining the future, we’re building it. Our purpose? A better-connected Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kia renarena te taukaea i Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our ambition? To become the most AI-enabled telco on the planet. This isn’t just about our technology, It’s about you. We’re investing in our people like never before.... empowering them to grow, lead, and shape what’s next.

He aha ai tātou – Why us?

At One NZ we’re not just imagining the future, we’re building it. Our purpose? A better-connected Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kia renarena te taukaea i Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our ambition? To become the most AI-enabled telco on the planet. This isn’t just about our technology, It’s about you. We’re investing in our people like never before.... empowering them to grow, lead, and shape what’s next.

Through our AI School, access to world-class learning platforms, or career pathways that evolve with you, we create an environment where your curiosity thrives, and your skills accelerate.

Join us and be part of something extraordinary: connect with purpose and help redefine what’s possible.

Uia mai koe te pātai, he aha te mea nui o tēnei ao? Māku koe e ki atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

"If you asked me, what is the greatest thing in this world, I would say it is people, it is people, it is people."

Ko tō tūranga – your role

As Head of AI & Data Engineering, you’ll lead the engineering capability that turns One New Zealand’s AI and data ambitions into secure, scalable and production-ready solutions. Leading our AI Solution Engineering, Data Engineering and AI/Data Platform Engineering teams, you’ll have end-to-end accountability for taking AI and data solutions from technical discovery and architecture through to build, production and ongoing operation.

This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of how One NZ builds and scales AI. You’ll set the standard for engineering excellence, develop reusable AI and data platforms, and create faster, safer pathways from idea to production.

Working alongside Product, Technology Engineering, Architecture and transformation teams, you’ll build strong internal engineering capability and ensure our people, platforms and practices enable One NZ to innovate responsibly, operate reliably and deliver AI and data solutions at scale.

Ko Tō Mahi – What You’ll Do

• Lead AI Solution Engineering, Data Engineering and AI/Data Platform Engineering, building a high-performing, AI-native engineering capability.
• Set and continuously raise engineering standards across AI, data and software, including architecture, security, testing, CI/CD, observability and operational readiness.
• Own the technical roadmap and engineering quality of AI and data platforms, creating scalable, reusable foundations that accelerate delivery across One NZ.
• Establish effective pathways to take AI and data solutions from discovery and prototype through to secure, reliable and scalable production.
• Ensure trusted, governed and timely data through strong data engineering practices, including pipelines, data products, quality, lineage and access.
• Build and develop engineering leadership and capability, strengthening succession, performance and internal expertise while reducing dependency on external partners.
• Drive engineering efficiency and platform economics through greater reuse, self-service, effective build/buy/partner decisions and disciplined management of technology costs.
• Partner across Product, Technology, Architecture and transformation teams to remove delivery barriers and ensure clear end-to-end accountability for reliability, security, privacy and Responsible AI.

Na Tōu Rourou - What You’ll Bring

• Proven senior leadership experience within a multidisciplinary engineering environment, with a track record of leading leaders, building high-performing teams and developing organisational capability.
• Deep technical expertise across cloud and modern software engineering, including distributed systems, APIs, DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing, infrastructure as code, SRE and observability.
• Strong understanding of modern AI engineering and architecture, including LLMs, RAG, agentic systems, orchestration, evaluation, guardrails and AI lifecycle management.
• Strong data engineering expertise, spanning data pipelines and products, batch and streaming, data quality, lineage, governed access and platform modernisation.
• Demonstrated experience taking complex technology solutions from discovery and architecture through to secure, reliable and scalable production.
• Strong commercial and engineering judgement, with the ability to balance security, privacy, Responsible AI, reliability, cost and build/buy/partner decisions.
• Ability to operate effectively between enterprise strategy and deep technical detail, translating business priorities into clear technology and engineering outcomes.
• An influential communicator and collaborator, comfortable engaging executive leaders, technical specialists and cross-functional teams to drive decisions and deliver change.

Nā Mātou Te Rourou – What You’ll Get

• One New Zealand is leading the way by ensuring you can have a truly balanced life. Most roles allow flexibility to work from home and flex your hours to enjoy work & whānau commitments.
• A fully subsidised Southern Cross health insurance cover for you and your family.
• Lifestyle leave, giving you the option to purchase an extra week or two of annual leave.
• Discounts on One New Zealand products, services and much more!

We are proudly Rainbow Tick certified and champion diversity of thought, perspective and background. Joining our whānau is more than starting a new job - it’s the beginning of a journey that will challenge and inspire you to play a role in something bigger.

Tū hikitia rā, tū hāpainga. Tū hāpainga, tū hikitia rā.

We stand to uplift, to support and to elevate others.