Manager - Transport Infrastructure And Operations

Wellington City Council; Wellington; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Wellington City Council as the Manager of Transport Infrastructure and Operations and lead the transformation of the city's transport network. This strategic role encompasses management of capital projects, stakeholder engagement, and the implementation of innovative infrastructure strategies. You will play a pivotal part in enhancing Wellington's connectivity and resilience, ensuring that all activities are aligned with community aspirations and compliance requirements. This is an opportunity to make an enduring impact for both the city and its inhabitants.

Benefits

5 weeks annual leave

Flexible working options

Health and wellbeing support

Council staff discounts

Learning and development programmes

Qualifications

• Proven senior leader in infrastructure or transport with public and commercial experience.
• Experience in managing complex capital programs.
• Strong record in navigating political and stakeholder demands.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary team in managing Wellington's transport network.
• Provide oversight on major capital projects from business case to delivery.
• Ensure alignment with organizational and regulatory strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Stakeholder Engagement

Decision Making

Infrastructure Management

Systems Thinking

Education

Tertiary qualifications in engineering, business, infrastructure, urban planning

Job description

Manager - Transport Infrastructure and Operations

Pōneke is a city with ambition, creativity, and resilience at its core. As New Zealand's capital, we are globally connected yet distinctly local, future-focused yet grounded in our communities, culture, and whenua. We're committed to building a city that is sustainable, inclusive, and prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow - where infrastructure and mobility are not just services, but enablers of wellbeing, equity, and climate responsibility.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the most critical portfolios in local government. As Manager, Transport Infrastructure and Operations, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how our city moves, today and into the future. This high-impact position is responsible for the end-to-end delivery, stewardship, and strategic management of Wellington's transport infrastructure from long-term planning to capital delivery, renewals, maintenance, and continuous innovation.

As a senior leader in the Infrastructure and Delivery leadership team, you'll help shape Council-wide strategies, build high-performing teams, and embed a culture of customer-centric, future-ready delivery.

You'll bring a balance of strategic vision, commercial acumen, systems thinking, and a deep public value orientation. You will steward multimillion-dollar transport investments that are, innovative, socially meaningful that are underpinned by connecting people, communities, businesses, and the environment.

Āu ake mahi | What you'll do

Strategic and Operational / Enterprise Leadership

• Lead a multidisciplinary team in the strategic and operational management of Wellington's transport network, while also playing a key role in the leadership of the wider Infrastructure Group.
• Bring an enterprise perspective looking beyond your portfolio to help shape group strategy, culture, and delivery across the organisation.
• As a contributing member of Council's senior leadership team, you will naturally align with organisational strategy and help lead transformational change across functions. You'll work collaboratively across Council to ensure integrated planning, delivery, and long-term value.
• Oversee capital works, renewals, and maintenance programmes, underpinned by data-led asset management and investment planning.
• Champion a lifecycle approach to infrastructure that embeds resilience, climate adaptation, and growth-readiness and driving impact beyond transport while supporting city-wide outcomes.

Capital Works & Major Projects

• Provide executive oversight of major capital projects from business case to delivery, ensuring best-practice governance, procurement, stakeholder engagement, and risk management.
• Act as a strategic interface with Waka Kotahi/NZTA, central government, iwi, and regional partners to secure investment and ensure integrated outcomes.

Infrastructure Resilience & Asset Management

• Embed sustainable design and resilience principles into all decision-making and delivery models.
• Maintain a strong focus on value-for-money, preventative maintenance, and optimised lifecycle management of assets.

Regulatory and Statutory Oversight

• Uphold the Council's responsibilities as a Road Controlling Authority in line with legislative frameworks including the Local Government Act, Land Transport Act, and National Code of Practice.
• Provide authoritative interpretation of policy and legal requirements, ensuring Wellington's infrastructure is both compliant and future proofed.
• Champion the use of smart infrastructure, emerging technologies, and data analytics to enhance transport performance and customer experience.
• Promote adaptive delivery models and embed a mindset of continuous improvement and innovation across the team.

Stakeholder and Partnership Leadership

• Build trusted and enduring partnerships with iwi, central and local government agencies, industry, and the community.
• Ensure all programmes reflect and honour the aspirations of mana whenua and uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Align transport planning with broader urban design, housing, and equity outcomes to maximise public good.

Ngā tohu me ngā wheako | Qualifications and experience

You will be a proven senior leader in infrastructure, city operations, or transport, ideally with a blend of public sector and commercial experience. You'll bring:

• Extensive experience in complex transport or infrastructure settings, with end-to-end responsibility across strategy, delivery, and operations alongside a clear ability to contribute to group-wide and organisational outcomes.
• Proven senior people leadership, including managing functional leads and technical teams within high-performance, multi-disciplinary environments.
• A strong record of delivering complex capital programmes, navigating political, stakeholder, and organisational demands while maintaining alignment with enterprise priorities.
• Sharp commercial and financial acumen, including procurement, contracting, regulatory frameworks, and long-term investment planning.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in engineering, business, infrastructure, urban planning, or a related field (postgraduate or professional certifications advantageous).
• A deep commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and inclusive leadership that reflects cultural competency, partnership, and equity.
• A systems thinker with an enterprise mindset where you thrive in complexity, contribute to organisational culture, and lead with transparency, alignment, and purpose as part of a senior leadership cohort shaping Council's future.

Ready to lead the future of movement in Pōneke?

We invite applications from values-driven leaders ready to step into this integral role. This is your chance to leave a legacy not only for Wellington's infrastructure, but for its people and places.

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

Working for the Council offers you a range of benefits including 5 weeks annual leave , flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, Council staff discounts and a range of learning and development programmes and opportunities.

Applications close on the 20th of July 2025. All applications must be submitted online. All applicants must have the current right to work in New Zealand.

Diversity: We want your application to enable you to portray the real you. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the advert through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter. We welcome applications from all walks of life and like our workforce to reflect the diverse communities we serve.

Accessibility Support: We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have, are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support, we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing: [e-mail]

Details

Reference number: 47677

Posted on: 04 Jul 2025

Closes on: 20 Jul 2025 23:55

Location(s): Wellington CBD

Expertise: Complaints and issues resolution, Compliance, consents, regulation and licencing, Engineering (infrastructure and transport), Environment, Iwi/public engagement and relations, Policy, planning and strategy, Procurement and contracts management, Project management, Urban design, planning, and heritage