Practice Manager Project Management

New Zealand Government; Wellington; On-site; NZD 114,000 - 159,000; Full time

Job summary

New Zealand Government is seeking a senior project delivery leader to guide a PM team in a busy digital environment. The role focuses on practical delivery, scalable processes, and effective governance with a strong emphasis on collaboration with Product Managers, sponsors and governance groups across DOC.

You will ensure work is sensibly scoped, sequenced, resourced and governed while continually improving how we deliver. The position is based in Wellington and requires a valid NZ work visa.

Qualifications

• Strong experience leading project managers and building a high‑performing team.
• Significant experience delivering complex digital projects or programmes.
• Proven ability to establish or lead a project management practice with frameworks and standards.
• Pragmatic PM with balance between structure and flexibility.
• Comfort questioning processes and simplifying workflows to add value.
• Creative delivery mindset adaptable to problems, people, and outcomes.
• Solid knowledge of governance, assurance, risk and dependency management.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and navigate ambiguity.

Responsibilities

• Leading, coaching and developing a team of experienced project management professionals.
• Building practical and consistent project management approaches, tools and ways of working.
• Challenging unnecessary complexity and simplifying processes for better outcomes.
• Encouraging adaptable delivery approaches rather than a single methodology.
• Overseeing the project portfolio and helping teams manage priorities, dependencies, risks and resources.
• Stepping in to recover projects, unblock teams and regain momentum.
• Providing pragmatic advice to sponsors and governance groups when needed.
• Collaborating with Product Managers and other Practice Managers to align delivery across Digital Products and Delivery.
• Using lessons learned and data to continually improve project delivery.

Skills

Leading PM team

Digital project delivery

Project governance

Stakeholder management

Risk & resource management

Change management

Education

Project management qualification

Job description

Our vision

Nature is thriving in Aotearoa | Te Oranga o te Ao Tūroa Mō te tūranga

About the role

Lead the project management crew that keeps digital delivery moving. This is a people leadership and delivery role for someone comfortable operating in a busy digital environment where priorities shift, dependencies emerge and unexpected wandering may occur through the front door. You'll build a strong, practical project management practice that gives people enough structure to deliver well, without disappearing under layers of process. Working closely with Product Managers, other Practice Managers, sponsors, governance groups and stakeholders across DOC, you will make sure work is sensibly scoped, sequenced, resourced and governed while continually improving how we deliver.

• Leading, coaching and developing a team of experienced project management professionals


• Building practical and consistent project management approaches, tools and ways of working


• Challenging unnecessary complexity and simplifying processes where better outcomes can be achieved with less friction


• Encouraging creative and adaptable approaches to delivery rather than assuming one methodology fits every piece of work


• Keeping an eye across the project portfolio and helping teams manage priorities, dependencies, risks and resources


• Stepping in when delivery gets difficult, helping recover projects, unblock teams and get things moving again


• Providing clear, pragmatic advice to sponsors and governance groups when things get complicated


• Working with Product Managers and other Practice Managers to keep delivery aligned across Digital Products and Delivery


• Using lessons learned, data and feedback to continually improve how projects are delivered

Skills and experience

• Strong experience leading project managers and building a positive, high‑performing team


• Significant experience delivering complex projects or programmes, ideally in a digital or technology environment


• Experience establishing or leading a project management practice, including frameworks, standards and ways of working


• A pragmatic approach to project management, knowing when structure helps and when flexibility matters more


• Confidence questioning established processes and simplifying ways of working when they no longer add value


• The ability to think creatively about delivery and adapt your approach to suit the problem, the people and the outcome


• Strong knowledge of project governance, assurance, risk and dependency management


• Confidence working across competing priorities and making sense of ambiguity and changing circumstances


• Strong stakeholder skills and the ability to give clear advice to senior leaders and governance groups


• Experience managing budgets, resources and portfolio‑level delivery


• A recognised project management qualification or equivalent practical experience


• A collaborative leadership style that supports flexible working, different perspectives and an inclusive team culture

What’s in it for you?

DOC is committed to a culture where everyone can participate, thrive, and grow. We're driven by our values and behaviours, and are working towards being an organisation that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive by default.

We also support flexible working arrangements for our kaimahi across Aotearoa, with options considered based on the role and in discussion with your leader.

Salary: $113,936 - $159,000, depending on skills and experience.

Contract: Permanent full time. Location: Wellington (preferred).

Eligibility: You must hold a valid NZ work visa that covers the duration of employment.

Applications close at 11:59 pm on Sunday, 25 October 2026.

Please note, we are not engaging with recruitment agencies for this role.