Panelshop Foreman

Tranzit Group; Canterbury; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

tool allowance

Competitive remuneration package

Job summary

Tranzit Group in Canterbury, NZ is seeking an experienced workshop leader to oversee our bus refurbishment project and ensure the fleet is repaired and returned to service efficiently. You will lead on the floor, conduct quality checks, drive timelines, and coordinate work with panel beaters, painters and external suppliers.

A Class 2 Heavy Vehicle licence is preferred and strong leadership is essential. This is a full-time role (minimum 45 hours per week) based in our airport/Canterbury

Qualifications

• Experience in a workshop supervision or leadership role.
• Experience in fleet refurbishment programmes.
• Project management within a workshop or similar environment.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to lead and influence teams with a hands-on approach.
• Quality-focused with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Class 2 Heavy Vehicle Drivers Licence.

Responsibilities

• Lead refurbishment programme from planning through to completion.
• Monitor timelines, milestones, and vehicle throughput.
• Collaborate with panel beaters/auto painters to ensure quality.
• Be actively involved on the workshop floor daily.
• Manage refurbishment work by internal and external suppliers.
• Coordinate external paint and panel work as required.
• Provide weekly project reports and progress updates, highlighting risks and blockers.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders as required.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Planning

Communication

Quality focus

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.

Our Seaview Panelshop is seeking an experienced workshop leader to join our team and oversee the delivery of an exciting bus refurbishment project.

In this role, you'll play a key part in ensuring our diverse fleet of buses and coaches are repaired and returned to service efficiently. You'll also lead our newly launched bus refurbishment project, coordinating its successful delivery while supporting day-to-day operations.

While project management is a key part of the role, this is not a desk-based position. You'll be actively involved on the floor, working alongside the team, conducting quality checks, identifying and resolving issues early, and actively driving projects.

About the role:

Lead the refurbishment programme from planning through to completion.

Monitor project timelines, milestones, and vehicle throughput.

Work closely with our team of panel beaters/auto painters to ensure quality standards are achieved.

Be visible and actively involved on the workshop floor every day.

Manage refurbishment work completed by internal workshops and external suppliers.

Coordinate external paint and panel work where required.

Provide weekly project reports, documentation and progress updates, including risks, delivery barriers and inform decisions and get support where required.

Liaise with internal and external stakeholders as required.

Our preferred candidate will have:

We are open to candidates from several backgrounds, however experience in one or more of the following would be highly desirable:

Panel beating, coaching building, commercial vehicle painting and/or heavy vehicle repairs.

Relevant industry experience in a workshop supervision or leadership role, including experience in fleet refurbishment programmes.

Project management within a workshop or similar environment

Strong organisational and planning skills.

Ability to lead and influence teams, with a hands‑on and practical approach.

Comfortable balancing project management within workshop involvement.

Strong reporting and communication skills.

Quality‑focused with a continuous improvement mindset.

A Class 2 Heavy Vehicle Drivers Licence.

Why join our workshop team?

The opportunity to be involved in an exciting project that is more than just the day to day workshop operations.

Competitive remuneration package and tool allowance.

Full time role (minimum 45 hours per week), Monday to Friday.

Be part of a supportive, experienced team within a nationwide workshop network that genuinely invests in its people. Our commitment to training and development was recently recognised when we won the inaugural MITO Summit Training Business of the Year Award!

Want to know a bit more about us? Check out the video below for more information and meet some of our current workshop team!

We will be reviewing applicants as they apply. Applications close on 25 September 2026.

We do require a pre-employment drug and alcohol test as part of our recruitment process. All applicants must also have the legal entitlement to work in NZ.