National Automation Manager

Caliber Design Ltd; Howick; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Caliber Design Ltd is seeking an experienced leader to drive the automation and controls business unit across New Zealand. You will sit at the executive level, report to the CEO and own revenue, margin and profitability while guiding regional managers and sales teams to win work.

You will bring deep automation expertise, a strong sales track record and the ability to build a national team, establish pricing strategies, and ensure delivery excellence across markets.

Qualifications

• You are an established automation and controls professional with strong industry connections and a proven sales record.
• You have commercial judgement to run a business unit and drive growth.
• You will lead a national automation/controls agenda with regional teams.

Responsibilities

• Drive direct sales nationally with established industry connections and a disciplined pipeline.
• Build and mentor Regional Managers to grow automation in their markets.
• Own the commercial result: revenue, margin and profitability, including pricing and investments.
• Build a strong national team by attracting and developing automation, controls, and electrical engineers.
• Provide technical oversight in client discussions and project execution.

Job description

Build a national business. Share in its success.

Caliber Design is an engineering consultancy supporting clients across a variety of industries, including aerospace, machine design, medical, food processing, marine and manufacturing. Our business model is to embed experienced engineers on secondment within clients’ teams, helping them scale and deliver their projects.

We believe high-value manufacturing is what will grow New Zealand’s economy, and we have built long-standing relationships with more than 300 clients in this space. Our purpose is to enable these companies to punch above their weight on the world stage, and our vision is to become the world’s most versatile and sought-after engineering team.

We are growing 20 to 30% a year, with new service lines, new industries and clients beyond New Zealand. We have a motivated management team, excited about the growth potential over the next five to ten years.

We have launched our automation and controls business this year and are now looking for an experienced leader to drive the next phase of growth. We see a significant opportunity to take our secondment model into automation nationally, building on existing relationships and opening doors to new clients.

The role

You will sit at the executive level of Caliber, report directly to the CEO and take full responsibility for the automation and controls business unit’s profit and loss (P&L). You will work closely with our Commercial Manager and Regional Managers to set the direction, win work and build a profitable national business.

This is a sales-focused leadership role. You will personally drive sales in each region while building our Regional Managers’ ability to grow automation in their markets. You bring the national direction, industry relationships and automation expertise; together, you build the business in each region.

• Drive direct sales nationally. Bring your established industry connections, open doors and win work. Build regional sales plans with clear target markets, priority accounts and a disciplined pipeline. Understand where clients need support, explain our secondment offering and follow through from the first conversation to repeat business.
• Build our Regional Managers’ capability. Train and coach them to understand their local automation market, recognise good opportunities and confidently communicate our core offering. Join client meetings, share market knowledge and help each region build its own client base. Your success includes making the wider team more effective.
• Own the commercial result. Be accountable for revenue, margin and profitability. Work with regional leaders on pricing, recruitment, utilisation and investment, building capability in line with demand. Make sound decisions about where we grow and ensure that growth translates into a healthy business.
• Build a strong national team. Help attract and assess excellent automation, controls and electrical engineers. Work with our Regional Managers to develop the right capability in each region, and connect the team nationally through shared knowledge, technical support and development.
• Provide technical oversight. Bring sound judgement to client discussions, engineer selection and technical challenges. Set clear expectations for quality, recognise risks early and ensure our engineers have the right support. You don’t need to know every platform, but you do need to know when specialist expertise is required.

About you

You are an established automation and controls professional with strong industry connections, a proven sales record and the commercial judgement to run a business unit. You may already lead an automation business or team or be ready to take that next step after building a successful client portfolio.

You can earn the confidence of both engineers and decision-makers. You understand the technology, ask good questions and see where Caliber can genuinely help. You enjoy getting out into the industry, building relationships and turning opportunities into lasting work.

You are comfortable setting the national strategy and getting into the detail to make it happen. You know how to grow through other people: coaching our Regional Managers, sharing your knowledge and building their confidence to win work independently.

Why it matters

You get the challenge of building a business, with an established company behind you.

There’s an initial automation team to build on, established client relationships and regional leaders working alongside you. You’ll be part of the executive team and play a direct role in shaping Caliber’s future. The opportunity is to build a national team you’re proud of, helping New Zealand’s manufacturers, exporters and innovators deliver their projects and compete on the world stage.

The details

Your package will include a base salary, KPI bonus and uncapped commission/profit share linked to the business unit’s financial performance. We expect the OTE to be around $160K in the first year, but commission is uncapped and tied directly to the size and success of the team. As you grow the business, you share directly in its success.

This role relies on established relationships within New Zealand’s automation, controls and manufacturing sectors. Applicants must have previously worked in New Zealand and built relevant industry networks here. Applications from candidates who have not worked in New Zealand will not be considered.