Programme Delivery Director

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi; Wellington; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is seeking a Senior Programme Delivery Director to lead a multi-year, enterprise-wide transformation within the Service Modernisation function. You will shape strategy into a sequenced programme of change, ensuring value and customer outcomes across regulatory, operational, digital and policy domains.

Reporting to the Service Modernisation leadership team, you will oversee governance, assurance, risk management, financial performance and benefits realisation for

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading end-to-end delivery of large, complex, multi-year transformation programmes.
• Senior programme leadership within complex, ambiguous environments, ideally in the public sector or a regulatory setting.
• Deep expertise in governance, assurance, risk management, financial management and benefits realisation at scale.
• Strong strategic capability, translating organisational priorities into deliverable programmes of work.
• Highly developed stakeholder leadership and influencing skills to advise senior executives and governance groups.
• Strong commercial and analytical judgement to navigate interdependencies and trade-offs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of large-scale, complex transformation programmes with end-to-end accountability.
• Shape and deliver enterprise-wide change across NZTA, translating strategy into prioritised programmes.
• Provide governance, assurance, risk, and financial performance oversight; manage interdependencies and benefits realisation.
• Act within the Service Modernisation leadership team to build capability for system-wide transformation.
• Oversee a multi-year programme portfolio delivering substantial customer outcomes and value.

Skills

Transformation delivery

Senior programme leadership

Governance & risk management

Financial management

Benefits realisation

Stakeholder leadership

Strategic thinking

Commercial/analytical judgement

Education

Tertiary qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

• Lead the delivery of a large scale, complex service modernisation programme

• Shape and deliver transformational change across NZTA at an enterprise level

• Senior leadership opportunity with significant strategic, commercial and delivery influence

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced senior programme leader to join our Service Modernisation function as Programme Delivery Director.

This is a significant enterprise leadership role responsible for setting the strategic direction and leading the successful design and delivery of large, complex and high-profile transformation programmes. You will translate organisational strategy into a clear, prioritised and sequenced programme of change, ensuring we deliver lasting value and improved outcomes for our customers.

Operating across regulatory, operational, digital and policy environments, you will provide end to end oversight of programme delivery, including governance, assurance, risk, financial performance, interdependencies and benefits realisation. You will navigate complex trade-offs, provide confidence to senior decision makers and ensure programmes remain focused on achieving strategic outcomes and measurable benefits.

As a member of the Service Modernisation leadership team, you will also play an important role in strengthening programme capability and supporting sustainable, system-wide transformation across NZTA. The role leads a complex, multi-year transformation programme encompassing 6 to 10 interconnected programmes, with accountability for delivering a minimum of $100 million in benefits over three years.

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Ko koe tēnei | About you

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Significant experience leading the end to end delivery of large, complex, multi year transformation programmes.

• Proven senior programme leadership within complex, ambiguous and highly scrutinised environments, ideally within the public sector or a regulatory setting.

• Deep expertise in programme governance, assurance, risk management, financial management and benefits realisation at scale.

• Strong strategic capability, with experience translating organisational priorities into integrated, deliverable programmes of work.

• Highly developed stakeholder leadership and influencing skills, with the credibility to advise senior executives, governance groups and external agencies.

• Strong commercial and analytical judgement, with the ability to navigate significant interdependencies, competing priorities and complex programme trade-offs.

You will have a relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience and demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to develop your understanding of, Te Ao Māori, tikanga, te reo Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as it applies within the public sector.

Ko wai mātou | About us

The Customer and Services group delivers transactional products and services that support the effective operation of New Zealand’s land transport system. We work to make services simple, easy to use and effective, while continually improving the experience of people interacting with NZTA.

The Service Modernisation function leads an agency-wide programme of continuous modernisation and improvement, championing a customer‑centric, digitally enabled future. Working closely with Digital and other teams across NZTA, we are enhancing our channels, increasing automation and delivering technology‑enabled solutions that support our wider customer strategy.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

16 November 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.