Project Manager – Hvdc Upgrade Programme

Transpower; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Transpower is seeking a Project Manager to lead major control system work packages within the HVDC Link Upgrade Programme. You’ll drive definition through delivery, commissioning and handover, coordinating internal experts, consultants and international suppliers to ensure safe, on‑time and commercially sound outcomes.

You will engage senior stakeholders, manage scope, schedule and budget, and navigate complex contractual arrangements.

Qualifications

• Project management experience delivering large, multi-year workstreams with multiple dependencies.
• Experience coordinating specialists, suppliers or technology partners within complex arrangements.
• Ability to brief and influence senior stakeholders and partners across a programme governance
• Knowledge of disciplined project controls, reporting tools and financial management systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead control system work packages from definition to delivery, commissioning and handover.
• Collaborate with internal specialists, external consultants and major suppliers to align milestones.
• Navigate custom commercial arrangements and surface issues early with well-supported decisions.
• Champion safety and quality across service providers and interfaces.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Contract management

Risk management

Education

Tertiary qualification

PMP or PRINCE2 certification

Job description

The opportunity

- help deliver one of New Zealand's most important electricity infrastructure programmes.

Reporting to the HVDC Programme Manager, you'll lead substantial control system work packages from definition through development, delivery, commissioning, and handover. You'll collaborate with internal specialists, external consultants, service providers, and major international suppliers to deliver projects critical to the success of the HVDC Link Upgrade Programme. You'll keep interconnected work packages aligned, safe, commercially sound and on track for successful delivery.

You'll work within established governance frameworks but will navigate custom commercial arrangements, ensuring issues are surfaced early and decisions are well supported. You'll champion robust safety and quality expectations across service providers, helping create an environment where safe behaviours and high delivery standards are consistently practised.

This role will suit a Project Manager with deep large-project delivery experience who enjoys complex interfaces, commercial problem-solving and working with highly specialised subject matter experts.

What will you bring?

Proven experience delivering large projects with multiple workstreams, specialist suppliers and significant technical, commercial and operational dependencies. You'll have held meaningful accountability for scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, governance, and delivery - not simply coordinated activities within a wider programme.

Your CV and cover letter will demonstrate:

• Successful delivery of substantial, multi-year projects with interconnected workstreams and material delivery risk
• Experience managing specialist suppliers, contractors, or technology partners within complex contractual arrangements
• Demonstrated ability to work with and question technical experts, identify emerging delivery risks and create clarity amid ambiguity and change
• Clear written and verbal communication, with the ability to influence and align senior stakeholders, delivery partners and contractors
• A relevant tertiary qualification together with a project management qualification such as PMP or PRINCE2, underpinned by breadth of experience using disciplined project controls, reporting tools and financial management systems

Ideally, you have led projects in infrastructure, utilities, telecommunications, industrial delivery, technology, or an adjacent sector. We also welcome IT Project Managers who have delivered substantial, highly integrated projects involving specialist vendors, complex contracts, operational interfaces, commissioning, and significant business and technical dependencies.

Electricity-sector knowledge and exposure to industrial control systems are advantageous but not essential. We're seeking demonstrated success delivering projects of comparable complexity, scale and consequence. Experienced HVDC control system experts within the team will provide the subject-matter depth; your role is to manage the project by creating clarity on the work, integrating multiple technical and commercial inputs, managing dependencies and risks, and maintaining control of scope, schedule, budget, quality and outcomes.

Join us at Transpower!

At Transpower, our people care deeply about each other and New Zealand. With over 28 ethnicities, there are diverse perspectives, knowledge, and experience, which is willingly shared. We work in the office or on site a minimum of three days each week to support collaboration, learning, delivery, and culture.

You will also have flexibility for work and personal commitments, including adaptable daily start and finish times. We prioritise wellbeing with an excellent range of employee health and wellness benefits www.transpower.co.nz/about-us/careers-transpower/staff-benefits

Role closes Wednesday 11 November

however, we may reach out for an informal chat before the close date. We are committed to appointing prior to Christmas, with a start date to suit your personal circumstances in 2027.

Existing eligibility to work in New Zealand is essential.