Head of Projects and Customer Works

WEL Networks; Hamilton; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Flexible working options

Relocation assistance

Competitive salary package

Job summary

WEL Networks, based in Hamilton, seeks a senior leader to head Projects and Customer Works, shaping governance, assurance and partner delivery for safe, compliant, predictable outcomes with clear visibility of scope, cost, schedule and commitments.

You will lead a complex portfolio across project delivery, customer works, contract administration and partners, set high standards, lift capability and maintain strong relationships with customers and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience governing complex project, operations, customer works or partner-led service environments.
• Strong commercial discipline, sound judgement and balance of safety, compliance, cost and schedule.
• Experience creating scalable ways of working across teams, contractors and delivery partners.

Responsibilities

• Leading a complex portfolio across project delivery, customer works, contract administration and partner delivery, with delegated day-to-day ownership.
• Owning and improving delivery framework, including safety, governance, standards, controls and escalation disciplines.
• Building portfolio visibility on delivery confidence, performance, cost, risk, dependencies and customer impacts.
• Setting expectations for team leaders and delivery partners to lift capability and accountability.
• Providing senior sponsorship for High Impact Connections and enabling timely customer outcomes.
• Improving customer works journey from intake to completion, with streamlined workflow management.
• Building trusted relationships with customers, contractors and internal stakeholders, managing partner performance.

Skills

Senior leadership

Portfolio governance

Delivery discipline

Safety and compliance

Stakeholder management

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Across the Waikato, WEL Networks delivers innovative and sustainable energy solutions that enable our communities to thrive. As demand for new connections grows and our delivery environment becomes more complex, we are looking for a senior leader who can bring focus, discipline and confidence to a critical project and customer works portfolio.

As Head of Projects and Customer Works, you will shape the frameworks, governance, assurance and partner delivery disciplines that enable safe, compliant, predictable and customer-focused delivery. This is a pivotal portfolio leadership role where you will create clarity, lift delivery confidence and ensure work is prioritised, controlled and delivered with clear visibility of scope, cost, schedule, risk, dependencies and customer commitments.

You will make an impact by:

• Leading a complex portfolio across project delivery, customer works, contract administration and partner delivery, while keeping day-to-day delivery ownership appropriately delegated.
• Owning and continuously improving WEL's project and customer works delivery framework, including safety, compliance, governance, standards, controls, reporting and escalation disciplines.
• Building strong portfolio visibility across delivery confidence, performance, cost, risk, dependencies, customer impacts and emerging constraints, so senior leaders can make timely, informed decisions.
• Setting clear expectations for team leaders, project managers, specialists and delivery partners, lifting capability, accountability and consistency of delivery performance.
• Providing senior sponsorship for High Impact Connections, removing barriers, managing escalations and enabling timely, efficient customer outcomes.
• Improving the customer works journey from intake and quoting through to prioritisation, workflow management, delivery progress and completion.
• Building trusted relationships with customers, contractors, partners and internal stakeholders, while actively managing partner performance, resolving issues and maintaining commercial discipline.

About you

You'll thrive in this role if you are a commercially astute, delivery-focused leader who can bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience governing complex project, operations, customer works or partner-led service environments.
• Strong commercial discipline, sound judgement and the ability to balance safety, compliance, cost, schedule, customer outcomes and delivery risk.
• A track record of setting standards, improving processes, lifting capability and creating scalable ways of working across teams, contractors and delivery partners.
• The credibility to communicate complex delivery issues, trade-offs, risks, customer impacts and decisions clearly to senior leaders, customers, contractors and internal stakeholders.
• Experience in electricity distribution, utilities, infrastructure or another regulated, asset-intensive environment, with enough understanding of design assurance, delivery requirements and field execution to challenge, guide and elevate appropriately.

At WEL, we know great people need great support. That's why we offer a benefits package designed to look after you and your whānau, support work-life balance, and recognise the value you bring.

• Medical, life and income protection insurance
• Flexible working options - work from home up to two days per week, ability to purchase additional annual leave, 9-day fortnight, and much more
• Relocation costs, and
• An excellent salary package, including annual salary reviews

About WEL Networks

WEL Networks is unique. We've been serving the Waikato for over 100 years, distributing electricity from the national grid so we can power over 100,000 homes and businesses.

With around 300 employees, we're proudly based in Hamilton and are owned by the community we work for. We play an important role in the region's economic and social development by identifying and investing in new technologies to future-proof our region – and keep our communities flourishing. Our vision is bold. And our ambition even stronger, especially as we diversify from traditional 'poles and lines' to an innovative and sustainable business.

Ready to learn more? Start here.

If you are ready to bring senior leadership, delivery discipline and customer focus to a role that directly supports the Waikato's growth and energy future, we would like to hear from you.

We actively value diversity and inclusion and encourage you to bring your authentic self to your application.

As part of our commitment to safety in a critical industry, all successful candidates will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol test and complete a police background check prior to starting with WEL.

Applications will be screened as they arrive, and interviews may begin before the closing date.