Portfolio Controls Specialist

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi; Auckland; On-site; NZD 111,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

Free Life, Income Protection and C.I.*

Flexible working arrangements

Career development opportunities

Meaningful work for NZ

Job summary

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is seeking an experienced Portfolio Controls Specialist to shape and maintain New Zealand’s 10-year State Highway pipeline. You will ensure control information across cost, schedule, risk and benefits is accurate and decision-ready, supporting senior decision-makers and project teams.

In this national, influential role you’ll work with stakeholders to develop investment proposals and rolling delivery plans that maximise value for New Zealand, while contributing to

Qualifications

• Experience in PMO, portfolio or project controls within large-scale infrastructure.
• Ability to manage complex portfolio information and ensure data integrity.
• Strong analytical skills and governance mindset.
• Advanced stakeholder engagement and influencing abilities.
• Relevant qualifications in project management or governance are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate portfolio controls information across cost, schedule, risk and benefits.
• Support investment decisions with reliable, decision-ready data.
• Set up programmes and projects in core financial and portfolio systems.
• Contribute to portfolio planning and governance frameworks.
• Provide expert assurance on data quality at lifecycle gates.

Skills

PMO

Portfolio controls

SAP/Planview

Stakeholder engagement

Analytics

Governance

Education

Business or Commerce degree

Engineering degree

PMI/PRINCE2/MSP certification

Tools

SAP

Planview

Job description

• Help shape NZTA’s 10-year State Highway infrastructure pipeline
• Provide trusted portfolio controls expertise to support major infrastructure investment decisions
• Permanent opportunity based in Wellington or Auckland

Join NZTA’s Portfolio Definition team and play a key role in maintaining the integrity of the State Highway infrastructure pipeline.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced Portfolio Controls Specialist to help shape and maintain NZTA’s 10-year State Highway infrastructure pipeline. In this role you will provide specialist portfolio controls expertise across cost, schedule, risk and benefits information, helping ensure pipeline and investment decisions are based on accurate, reliable and decision-ready information.

This is a highly influential role in a nationally significant portfolio, and you will work closely with project teams, regional stakeholders and senior decision-makers, you’ll help develop the State Highway Investment Proposal and rolling delivery plans that maximise value for New Zealand.

This includes:

• Ensure the state highway infrastructure pipeline is accurate, reliable and decision-ready
• Managing portfolio controls information across a complex infrastructure pipeline including managing project-level controls information for activities in the pipeline,
• Set up programmes and projects within core financial and portfolio and project management systems,
• Supporting portfolio planning and investment decisions as part of an integrated portfolio definition team,
• Provide expert advice and assurance on the quality and integrity of project and programme data, particularly, at key lifecycle decision points (phase gates).
• Work collaboratively within a controls community of practice, including providing expert technical support to our infrastructure delivery controls teams to resolve complex issues
• Contributing to portfolio frameworks and continuous improvement initiatives.

View the position description. Appointment salary is between $111,051 to $135,729 commensurate with skills and experience

Ko koe tēnei | About you

Ideally you’ll bring:

• Experience working in a PMO, portfolio, programme controls or project controls environment, ideally supporting large-scale infrastructure, construction or capital delivery programmes
• Expert user for financial and portfolio/project management systems, ideally SAP, Planview or similar
• Strong understanding of portfolio, programme and project management frameworks and controls good practice
• Advanced analytical skills and the ability to work with complex and incomplete information
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Excellent planning, financial and commercial acumen
• A continuous improvement mindset and passion for quality information and governance.

You’ll ideally hold a degree in business, commerce, engineering or a related discipline and may have a recognised project or programme management qualification such as PMP, PRINCE2 or MSP.

Ko wai mātou | About us

Infrastructure Development & Delivery (IDD) leads the development and delivery of NZTA’s national land transport capital programme. The Portfolio Definition team provides the planning, prioritisation and governance expertise that helps ensure investment decisions are strategic, evidence-based and deliver the greatest value for New Zealand.

If you’re passionate about portfolio controls, governance, investment planning and helping deliver better transport outcomes for New Zealand, we’d love to hear from you.

We offer:

• 5 weeks annual leave
• Free Life, Income Protection and Critical Illness insurance for permanent employees
• Flexible working arrangements
• Career development opportunities across a large and diverse organisation
• The chance to contribute to meaningful work that benefits New Zealanders.

Ready to help shape New Zealand’s infrastructure future?

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

13 September 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.