Head of Technology - Healthy Behaviours

Southern Cross Health Insurance; Auckland; On-site; NZD 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five wellbeing days per year

Health insurance for you and family

Life insurance and travel discounts

Parental leave benefits

Job summary

Southern Cross Health Insurance is seeking a senior technology leader to shape technology direction, build a strong engineering culture, and partner with product and business leaders to deliver valuable digital products for New Zealanders. The role drives architectural vision, modern engineering practices, and a focus on safe, frequent delivery.

You will lead cross-functional squads, champion AI and emerging tech opportunities, and maintain relationships with senior leadership and external

Qualifications

• Senior technology leadership experience across multiple teams and domains.
• Deep understanding of modern engineering practices, including DevSecOps, CI/CD, reliability and observability.
• Proven ability to set technology direction, invest and sequence decisions, and influence at senior leadership level.
• Experience shaping or building consumer-facing digital products, ideally in greenfield environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead technology strategy and delivery for a new digital product portfolio.
• Own technology direction across the value stream and provide architectural guidance.
• Develop a high-performing technology organisation and coach squad leads.
• Partner with product and business leaders to focus on value delivery over activity.
• Establish principles, standards, and architectural direction for autonomy and clarity.

Skills

Strategic leadership

DevSecOps

CI/CD

Cloud architecture

Product partnership

Emerging tech

Tools

CI/CD tooling

Job description

About Us

Southern Cross Health Insurance is shaping a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose is simple: empowering our members to live well for longer. We're here to give peace of mind through timely access to quality care, inspire healthier living, and lead positive change across the health system. As a New Zealand-owned, member-based organisation, we're building a future where wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do -- delivering exceptional value for our members and creating an environment where our people thrive.

Now is an exciting time to join us. You'll be part of a high-performing, values-driven team where people are at the heart of everything we do -- and in return for your talent, you'll have the opportunity to grow, make an impact, and be proud of the difference your work makes.

About The Role

Southern Cross serves almost one million members across Aotearoa New Zealand. The work we do has real scale, real responsibility, and a real opportunity to make a meaningful difference. With strong momentum building across our product and technology teams, we are looking for an exceptional technology leader to join our senior leadership team and help shape the future of proactive health and wellbeing at Southern Cross.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who wants to shape technology direction, build a strong engineering culture, partner deeply with product and business leaders, and create the conditions for teams to deliver value safely,frequently, and well.

Why Join Us

We are investing in people, technology,and the mission. At a time when the market is hesitant, weare continuingto strengthen our foundations and build ourcapability. You will have executive sponsorship, a clear mandate, and the opportunity to genuinely shape engineering practice atscale.

We are building something worth joining. Our product and technology teams are growing, our employer brand is gaining real traction inmarket, and the way we show up for our members and each other is being noticed. This momentum has also been reflected externally: in 2026, Southern Cross placed 8th in the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index and 5th in New Zealand for Trust.

Head of Technology | New Product & HealthyBehaviours

This roleleadstechnology for new product development in our proactive health partner space. It is a rare opportunity to help build a genuinely new digital proposition from the ground up, shaping both the technology strategy and the product experience that will support healthierbehavioursand deeper engagement with our membership base.

As Southern Cross continues its shift from insurance to assurance, this role sits at the forefront of that evolution. You will lead cross-functional product and technology squads, bringing together engineering, architecture, data, and productexpertiseto turn ambitious ideas into meaningful outcomes for our members.

This is not a role focused on inheriting a mature platform. It is about creating something new, navigating ambiguity, making smart technology choices, and buildingthe foundationsfor long-term success.

If you are excited by the opportunity to build, innovate, and help shape the future of health and wellbeing in New Zealand, we would love to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Lead technology strategy and delivery for a new digital product portfolio, shaping architecture, platforms, engineering approaches, and technology investment decisions that support growth and innovation.
• Own technology direction across the value stream, connecting technology choices to business strategy, managing technical debt deliberately, and providing clear architectural direction to your teams.
• Lead and develop a high-performing technologyorganisation, coaching squad leads, building leadership depth, lifting engineering practice, and creating a culture of accountability, learning, and high performance.
• Partner deeply with product and business leaders asa genuine peer, shaping outcomes, navigating trade-offs, and helping teams focus on value rather than activity.
• Set and communicate the technical why: principles, standards, and architectural direction that give teams clarity and autonomy.
• Champion modern engineering practices, including DevSecOps, CI/CD, reliability, observability, security by design, and safe, frequent delivery.
• Serve as the escalation point for material technology risks, incidents, and key decisions affecting the value stream.
• Explore and apply emerging technologies, including AI, to create differentiated member experiences and unlock new opportunities for healthierbehavioursand proactive care.
• Maintain strong relationships with senior leadership, strategic technology partners, and vendors.

What You'll Bring

• Strategic technology leadership experience across multiple teams and domains, including platforms, architecture, cloud, data, integration, and service operations.
• Deep understanding of modern engineeringpractice, including DevSecOps, CI/CD, reliability, observability, and security by design, with a track recordof lifting delivery quality and speed.
• Proven ability tooperatebeyond delivery management by setting technology direction, makinginvestmentand sequencing decisions, and influencing at senior leadership level.
• Experience shaping or building consumer-facing digital products, ideally in an emerging or greenfield environment.
• A record of building strong leaders and teams that perform sustainably, without dependence.
• Deep understanding of product-centric ways of working and agile principles, with a track recordof partnering effectively with product leadership.
• The pragmatism to build andmodernisesafely, making smart trade-offs, reusing where sensible, and bringing people through change.
• Curiosity and openness to innovation, including AI and emerging technology, balanced with long-term thinking.
• Experience building and managing strategic technology partnerships, including vendors and platform partners.
• Technical or business-related qualificationsdemonstratingexpertise, curiosity, and a growthmindset.

Who We Are

Ngākaunui.Āhurutanga. Tikanga.

Join a proud, diverse team that is always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a caring, honest, and open culture, we think you will love working with us.

We know that our team's culture and wellbeing will drive us forward. That is why we prioritize not only professional development but opportunities to thrive personally. We offer exceptional work-life balance, and our people are encouraged and rewarded for living well.

Southern Cross employee benefits include:

• Five days of wellbeing leave per year
• Health insurance for you and your immediate whānau
• Life insurance cover and discounts on pet and travel insurance
• Extra parental leave benefits and financial wellbeing support
• Participation in our workplace wellbeingprogramme
• Theoptiontopurchaseflexi leave for study, volunteering, or supporting your whānau
• An annual volunteer day to contribute to a cause with your team

This role is Auckland based. While we appreciate interest from candidates in other locations, we are unfortunately not able to consider remote options. Have questions? Check out our FAQs for help with the application and recruitment process.

We are proud to have taken the Pride Pledge, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and belonging. We also facilitate an active, employee‑led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum, which includes our Rainbow Network, Māori Network, Pasifika Collective, and Neurodiversity and Whānau Support networks.

If you share our commitment and passion, we'd love to hear from you.