Practice Lead - Roading Infrastructure

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency seeks a Practice Lead – Project Management to lead the national project management community, embed consistent standards, and sponsor capital investments across New Zealand. This role emphasizes leadership, governance and delivering major transport infrastructure with collaboration across teams.

The role requires building capability, coaching project managers, and ensuring delivery excellence while travelling as needed and maintaining regular in-office presence

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading project management teams on large capital infrastructure projects.
• Strong sponsorship, governance and assurance capability.
• Proven ability to build capability and high-performing teams.
• Deep knowledge of risk, schedule, cost and change management in delivery.
• Experience navigating complex stakeholder and commercial environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the national team of project management professionals.
• Embed best-practice frameworks and standards across the portfolio.
• Provide sponsorship oversight for small projects/programmes delivering benefits.
• Strengthen governance, assurance and delivery outcomes across the portfolio.
• Travel as required; minimum three days per week in the office to support collaboration.

Skills

People leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Change management

Job description

Permanent Full Time Auckland Lead project management across New Zealand's largest transport infrastructure investments. We're delivering some of New Zealand's most significant transport infrastructure investments. To do that, we need exceptional infrastructure leaders who can build capability, strengthen delivery confidence, and drive excellence across our project management profession. As Practice Lead – Project Management, you'll play a pivotal leadership role within Infrastructure Development & Delivery. You'll lead a national team of project management professionals, embed best-practice frameworks and standards, and provide sponsorship oversight for small projects/programmes delivering benefits for communities across New Zealand.

The opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to combine people leadership, professional practice leadership, and project sponsorship. You'll be responsible for building capability, coaching and mentoring project managers, embedding consistent project management standards, and strengthening governance, assurance, and delivery outcomes across the portfolio. You'll also act as Project Sponsor for assigned projects, providing strategic oversight and decision-making within delegated authority. Travel may be required to connect with teams and stakeholders across the motu, and you'll work a minimum of three days each week from the office to support collaboration, coaching and team leadership.

About you

This role is best suited to professionals who have built their careers delivering major transport, civil, roading, rail, or other physical infrastructure projects. We are seeking someone with significant experience leading the delivery and governance of capital infrastructure investments rather than digital, IT, software, or business transformation programmes.

• Significant experience leading project management teams responsible for the delivery of large-scale transport, roading, civil, rail, or other capital infrastructure projects
• Strong project sponsorship, governance and assurance capability
• Demonstrated success building capability and developing high-performing teams
• Deep knowledge of project delivery disciplines including risk, schedule, cost and change management
• Experience working within complex stakeholder and commercial environments
• A collaborative leadership style, coupled with the ability to provide constructive challenge and influence at senior levels
• Extensive practical experience in infrastructure project delivery, including construction, engineering, commercial, contractual, and stakeholder management environments

Why join us?

• Shape and lead project management practice across a nationally significant infrastructure portfolio
• Influence the successful delivery of transport investments that connect communities and drive economic growth
• Lead, coach and develop the next generation of project leaders

Applications close

22 September 2026

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.

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.

To apply, email [e-mail]