Manager Operations Support and Delivery

New Zealand Transport Agency; Wellington; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Five weeks’ annual leave

Income protection

Critical illness Insurance

Job summary

New Zealand Transport Agency seeks an experienced Operations Support & Delivery Manager to lead the day-to-day service operations of our Transport Ticketing & Payments function. You will coordinate internal teams, vendors and service providers to ensure reliable, customer‑facing services and agreed SLAs are achieved.

You will bring ITIL expertise, exceptional stakeholder management and a calm leadership style to oversee incident responses, change events, and lifecycle transitions, while

Qualifications

• Experience managing technical service delivery operations.
• Vendor and supplier management experience, including performance against SLAs and remediation plans.
• Strong ITIL service management knowledge and application.
• Experience across incident, problem, change, release and service assurance management.
• Proven ability to lead major incident responses under pressure.
• Experience coordinating technical, operational, supplier and customer‑facing teams.
• Strong understanding of how service operations affect end customers.
• Knowledge of Te Ao Māori and willingness to promote tikanga and Te Reo Māori; willingness to learn Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the public sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day technical service operations across internal teams, leveraged services and suppliers.
• Coordinate responses to incidents and service disruptions with NZTA Incident Management and vendors.
• Lead problem management and root‑cause investigations with corrective actions.
• Assess operational readiness for changes, releases and deployments.
• Coordinate early life support and transition into BAU operations.
• Monitor service health, risks, customer impact and supplier performance.
• Identify and implement improvements to strengthen service reliability and outcomes.
• Provide leadership and direction to direct reports and leveraged resources.

Skills

Technical service delivery

Vendor management

ITIL

Incident management

Problem management

Change management

Release management

Stakeholder communication

Team leadership

Public transport knowledge

Job description

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

Lead the day-to-day operation of a complex, customer-facing technical service Manage suppliers and vendors to deliver reliable services and strong customer outcomes Bring your ITIL expertise to a nationally significant transport ticketing environment. We are looking for an experienced Operations Support & Delivery Manager to lead the day-to-day service operations of our Transport Ticketing & Payments function. This is a hands‑on operational leadership role with responsibility for maintaining a stable, reliable and customer‑focused technical service. You will coordinate internal teams, operational specialists and service providers, ensuring priorities, dependencies and responsibilities are clear and agreed service levels are achieved. A key focus will be managing our suppliers and vendors on a day-to‑day basis. You will monitor performance against service levels and contractual obligations, lead operational reviews, address delivery issues and ensure agreed improvements and remediation actions are progressed.

• Lead day‑to‑day technical service operations across internal teams, leveraged services and suppliers
• Coordinate responses to incidents and service disruptions, working closely with NZTA Incident Management, technical teams and vendors
• Lead problem management and root‑cause investigations, ensuring corrective actions are completed
• Assess operational readiness for changes, releases and new deployments
• Coordinate early life support and transition into business‑as‑usual operations
• Monitor service health, operational risks, customer impacts and supplier performance
• Identify and implement improvements that strengthen service reliability and customer outcomes
• Provide leadership and operational direction to direct reports and leveraged resources

Critical to success in this role is your strong focus on the end customer, as well as your understanding how operational decisions, technical issues and supplier performance affect people using public transport ticketing and payment services.

You will find out more about the role here: Position Description.

Ko koe tēnei | About you

You will be an experienced service delivery or operations leader with a strong background managing complex, customer‑facing technical services. It is essential that you bring:

• Strong experience managing technical service delivery operations
• Significant vendor and supplier management experience, including managing performance against service levels, contractual obligations and remediation plans
• Strong knowledge and practical application of ITIL service management disciplines
• Experience across incident, problem, change, release and service assurance management
• Proven ability to lead major incident responses and make sound decisions under pressure
• Experience coordinating technical, operational, supplier and customer‑facing teams
• A strong understanding of how service operations and technical decisions affect the end customer
• Experience using service performance, operational risk and customer‑impact information to support decisions and improvements
• Strong relationship management, communication and influencing skills
• Experience leading people and coordinating direct, matrixed or leveraged resources
• Experience in public transport ticketing, payment services or another nationally scaled digital service would be an advantage, but it is not essential.

As a person, you will be calm under pressure, commercially aware and comfortable holding suppliers and partners accountable. Equally, you will understand that successful service operations are ultimately measured by the experience and outcomes delivered for customers. 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 as it applies in the public sector.

Mō mātou | About us

Transport Ticketing & Payments is a shared services function within NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. It is responsible for delivering the National Ticketing Solution on behalf of participating Public Transport Authorities and Transport Operators. The team manages day‑to‑day National Ticketing Solution operations, supplier and partner relationships, customer ticketing and payment queries, and assurance over the integrity of the solution and its partnership arrangements. Our Customer and Services group delivers transactional products and services through operational excellence and a strong customer focus. We work to make services simple, effective and easy to use, while continually improving the experience of people interacting with NZTA and our products.

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

This is an opportunity to play a key role in the operation of a nationally significant service that will help shape how people access and pay for public transport across NewZealand. You will work in a complex, evolving environment alongside experienced technical, operational, customer and commercial specialists. You will have the scope to strengthen service management practices, influence supplier performance and build an effective operational support capability.

Along with our other benefits, we offer:

• A competitive salary and benefits package
• Flexible working arrangements (role‑dependent)
• Five weeks’ annual leave
• Income Protection and Critical Illness Insurance for permanent employees
• A supportive, inclusive workplace with a strong commitment to wellbeing

Rā Katinga | Applications close: 26 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.

Ko wai mātou | About us

At Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, it all starts with our people. The organisation's performance and success depends on the people who choose to make this a great place to work and make a difference for Aotearoa. Waka Kotahi has a strong future focus, understanding that new technologies and changing customer expectations mean the transport system we know today will not be the one we deliver in ten years time.