Practice Manager Project Management

Department of Conservation; Wellington; On-site; NZD 114,000 - 159,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Conservation in Wellington is seeking a Practice Manager - Project Management to lead DOC's team of Senior Project Managers, Project Managers and Project Coordinators within Digital Products and Delivery. You will build a practical project management practice that provides structure without heavy bureaucracy, enabling delivery in a busy digital environment where priorities shift.

You will work with Product Managers, Sponsors and governance groups to ensure work is well-scoped,

Qualifications

• Strong experience leading project managers and building a high-performing team.
• Experience delivering complex digital or technology projects.
• Experience establishing or leading a project management practice.
• A pragmatic approach to project management.
• Confidence questioning established processes and simplifying ways of working.
• Ability to think creatively about delivery and adapt your approach.
• Knowledge of project governance, assurance, risk and dependency management.
• Strong stakeholder skills and the ability to advise senior leaders.
• Experience managing budgets and resources.
• A recognised project management qualification or equivalent experience.
• Collaborative leadership style supporting flexible working and inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a team of experienced project management professionals.
• Build practical and consistent project management approaches, tools and ways of working.
• Challenge unnecessary complexity and simplify processes for better outcomes with less friction.
• Encourage creative and adaptable delivery approaches rather than one-size-fits-all.
• Keep an eye on the project portfolio and help teams manage priorities, dependencies, risks and resources.
• Step in when delivery gets difficult, recover projects and unblock teams.
• Provide clear, pragmatic advice to sponsors and governance groups when things get complicated.
• Work with Product Managers and other Practice Managers to keep delivery aligned across Digital Products and Delivery.
• Use lessons learned, data and feedback to continually improve delivery.

Skills

Lead PM teams

Delivery leadership

PM practice leadership

Pragmatic PM

Process simplification

Creative delivery

Governance & risk

Stakeholder management

Budget & resources

PM qualification

Collaborative leadership

Education

Project management qualification

Job description

Lead the project management crew that keeps digital delivery moving $113,936 - $159,000Permanent full time, Wellington location preferred.

Our vision: Nature is thriving in Aotearoa | Te Oranga o te Ao Tūroa.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

Do you like a good plan, but also know that the real skill is knowing what to do when the plan changes, the unexpected lands, or a project needs a bit of hands on help to get back on track? We’re looking for a Practice Manager - Project Management to lead DOC's team of Senior Project Managers, Project Managers and Project Coordinators within Digital Products and Delivery. 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. This is a people leadership and delivery role for someone comfortable operating in a busy digital environment where priorities shift, dependencies emerge and unexpected wanders through the front door. You'll help the team navigate that complexity, keep projects aligned to the things that matter, and provide clear advice when trade-offs need to be made. You'll be willing to get your hands dirty when needed, stepping into difficult delivery, helping recover work that has gone off track, or bringing clarity when things get messy. You'll also question how things are done, simplify unnecessary process, and look for smarter, more creative ways to deliver while keeping the discipline that good project management brings.

The position will be focussed on:

• 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

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | 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

He aha ngā pāinga mōu? | 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. Want to know more?

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

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

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

Applications close at 11:59 pm on Sunday, 25 October 2026. This advert may close early.

For further enquiries, please contact Cathryn Ayson, [e-mail].