Principal Advisor SAR Aviation

Maritime New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 156,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Income Protection

Life Insurance

Job summary

Maritime New Zealand seeks a seasoned strategic leader to oversee aviation capacity and coordination, working with government agencies, aviation operators, and emergency responders to identify opportunities for improvement and invest in future capability.

The role requires the ability to translate complex challenges into practical solutions and manage multi-agency partnerships to deliver safer, more capable aviation operations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex programmes or strategic initiatives.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work across organisational boundaries to achieve shared outcomes.
• Excellent judgement and political awareness.
• Experience developing strategic advice, business cases or investment proposals.
• Systems-thinking mindset and curiosity about large, interconnected systems.
• Confidence engaging with executives, governance groups and operational practitioners.
• Significant aviation experience and understanding of aviation operations, capability, systems or service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Shape long-term aviation capability and coordination arrangements.
• Lead nationally significant programmes and initiatives.
• Strengthen partnerships across government and industry.
• Support the development of modern systems, processes and technology.
• Help ensure New Zealand remains ready to respond when lives are at risk.

Skills

Aviation experience

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Systems thinking

Cross-agency collaboration

Investment proposals

Public sector experience

Executive engagement

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 16th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Our Vision: Preventing Harm. Saving Lives. Securing our Future

We play a key role in the guardianship of New Zealand waterways. We’re bringing together our aroha, work and skills to achieve our outcomes of sustainable supply chains and sectors, safe people and operations, secure ports and ships, and clean seas and waterways.

Our values are about who we are as individuals and the behaviours we expect from each other at Maritime NZ.

Care | Kia Tika - We care for each other and do the right thing

Courage | Kia Māia - We are brave, capable and confident

The RCCNZ and Safety Systems team focuses on two main outcomes. the first being the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand that provides 24/7 Search and Rescue coordination for all major maritime and aviation search and rescue missions within New Zealand’s search and rescue region and all missions from someone activating a distress beacon (including land-based operations). The other key element is Safety Systems which supports critical Search and Rescue systems, national maritime emergency communication, satellites and Aids to Navigation systems (including our lighthouse network). This business unit also supports the development, implementation, improvement and delivery of capabilities to respond to general maritime incidents and marine pollution incidents as part of the wider MNZ Safety and Response group.

Te tūnga | The role

This newly established principal advisory role will provide strategic leadership across New Zealand's search and rescue aviation environment. You'll work with a diverse network of government agencies, aviation operators, emergency response organisations and sector leaders to identify opportunities for improvement, drive long-term planning, and support investment in future capability.

Success in the role will require someone who can see both the big picture and the operational realities. You'll be equally comfortable discussing future operating models with senior leaders, navigating cross-agency priorities, and translating complex challenges into practical solutions.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Shape long-term aviation capability and coordination arrangements
• Lead nationally significant programmes and initiatives
• Strengthen partnerships across government and industry
• Support the development of modern systems, processes and technology
• Help ensure New Zealand remains ready to respond when lives are at risk

We're seeking an experienced strategic leader with a strong background in aviation and a track record of operating successfully in complex operational, regulatory or public sector environments. Ideally, you'll bring experience from aviation operations, aviation programme delivery, capability development, air services, defence aviation, or other aviation-related settings where safety, coordination and stakeholder engagement are critical to success.

Experience in search and rescue, emergency management, defence, transport, infrastructure or other system-based operational environments would be highly advantageous, particularly where you have worked across multiple agencies or stakeholders.

You’ll bring:

• A track record of leading complex programmes or strategic initiatives
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
• The ability to work across organisational boundaries to achieve shared outcomes
• Excellent judgement and political awareness
• Experience developing strategic advice, business cases or investment proposals
• A systems-thinking mindset and a genuine curiosity about how large, interconnected systems perform and improve
• Confidence engaging with executives, governance groups and operational practitioners alike
• Significant aviation experience and a strong understanding of aviation operations, capability, systems or service delivery

Aviation experience is essential for success in this role. Experience in search and rescue, emergency response, defence or other multi-agency operational environments would be an advantage, but we're particularly interested in candidates who can apply deep aviation knowledge while bringing people together, navigating complexity and driving system-wide improvement.

We aim to be a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported with a sense of belonging. We encourage our people to actively contribute to our workplace culture where we all thrive and authentically live our MNZ values.

Upon joining us you’ll receive a full range of benefits including Income Protection & Life Insurance. Check out our full range on our careers page to find out more about why we love working here.

Salary range $156,314 - $171,946 pa depending on skills and experience + superannuation.

Applications for this role close 27th September. Please also note that you must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to be considered for this role.

If you have any questions please e-mail *******@maritimenz.govt.nz