Senior Delivery Manager

Kainga Ora; Auckland; On-site; NZD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks' annual leave

Insurance benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Kāinga Ora is seeking a Senior Delivery Manager to lead complex technology programmes within our DigitalIT group. You will drive end-to-end delivery across Digital IT, business teams and external partners, ensuring value, security and sustainable adoption of solutions.

You will navigate competing priorities, lead through influence and manage large‑scale budgets while aligning with organisational outcomes and customer needs across Auckland or Wellington based roles.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead high‑risk technology initiatives with measurable business value.
• Experience defining and measuring benefits and ensuring progress is visible.
• Comfort operating in high‑accountability environments with exec governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex technology initiatives from concept through to business adoption.
• Ensure end‑to‑end delivery of high‑risk programmes across matrixed teams.

Skills

Leadership by influence

Stakeholder management

Financial acumen

Operational readiness

Change management collaboration

Strategic delivery certifications

Education

Relevant certifications (PMP/PRINCE2/Agile)

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

• Lead complex technology initiatives from concept through to business adoption
• Deliver the technology that supports housing and urban development
• Permanent Auckland or Wellington-based role, 5 weeks leave and insurance benefits

Te whiwhinga mahi - Our opportunity

Kāinga Ora are looking for a Senior Delivery Manager within our Business Technology Solutions Directorate as part of our DigitalIT group. The Business Technology Solutions Directorate ensures technology change delivers real value and sustainable outcomes for Kāinga Ora. The Directorate sits at the intersection of business demand, delivery execution and operational reality, ensuring that what is delivered can be safely adopted, supported and sustained. As a Senior Delivery Manager, you will play a pivotal role in delivering strategic, high-impact technology programmes that create lasting value for Kāinga Ora. Leading across Digital IT, business teams, and external delivery partners, you will be responsible for ensuring the successful end-to-end delivery of complex and high-risk initiatives in a way that is safe, sustainable, and aligned to organisational outcomes. This is more than a project delivery role. You will bring people together, navigate competing priorities, and lead through influence to drive progress across matrixed teams. You will ensure solutions are not only delivered on time and within budget but are secure, financially well-managed, embraced by users, and fully prepared for a seamless transition into BAU.

Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu - What you will bring

We're looking for an exceptional delivery leader who thrives in complex environments and has a proven track record of delivering high-risk technology initiatives that create lasting business value. You are experienced in defining and measuring value, establishing clear ownership of benefits, and ensuring progress is visible and measurable throughout delivery and into early operations. Most importantly, you are a trusted and credible leader who can operate effectively in high-accountability environments where delivery decisions are subject to executive, financial, audit, and governance scrutiny.

What you'll bring

• Comfort leading through influence rather than positional authority, building alignment across Digital IT teams, business stakeholders, vendors, and delivery partners to achieve shared outcomes
• Success navigating complex stakeholder environments, making difficult decisions when necessary, and exercising sound judgement to pause, reset, or stop initiatives when expected value, viability, or strategic alignment are at risk
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience managing significant delivery budgets, forecasting expenditure, scrutinising vendor costs, and understanding the longer-term operational impacts of delivery decisions
• Deep understanding of operational readiness and sustainable delivery
• Experience working alongside Change Managers and business leaders to drive adoption, embed new ways of working, and ensure intended benefits are realised
• Relevant qualifications in project, programme, agile delivery, or change management disciplines, such as PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, Scrum, SAFe, or equivalent professional certifications, will be highly regarded.

Nōu te rourou - What's in it for you?

We offer competitive salaries, five weeks' annual leave and a benefits package including a range of insurances, flexible working arrangements and career development. These benefits are described in more detail here https://careers.kaingaora.govt.nz/a-great-place-to-work/benefits
As a Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities employee, we want to make sure that you have all the tools and support you need. We want to ensure you are healthy and have work-life balance. We also want to support and grow your personal and career development through on-the-job learning, training courses, secondments and study opportunities.

Mō mātou - Our Organisation

At Kāinga Ora, ours is the important responsibility of transforming New Zealand’s housing choices, outcomes and the entire housing sector by creating homes and communities that allow New Zealanders to thrive.
What is exciting about working for Kāinga Ora is getting the chance to make a real and positive impact on New Zealanders’ lives. With skills, planning and purposeful action, our people are creating the homes and neighbourhoods that will build the future of Aotearoa.
We are passionate about transforming New Zealand for the better. That includes being a trusted partner for Māori and iwi, protecting and enabling their rights, interests and aspirations under the guidance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Ō tātou uara - Our values

Our values were developed by us, for us. They unite us as an organisation and guide how we work every day.

Our values are:

• Manaakitanga – People at the Heart
• Mahi Tahi – Better Together
• Whanake – Be Bold

Tūhono mai - Join us

If you have any questions about this role, please contact ***************@kaingaora.govt.nz.

We value diversity and are committed to working with each other and our customers in an inclusive and respectful way. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and appreciate the richness of experience that your point of difference brings to the organisation.
If you don’t tick all the boxes in this listing but think that you could be a great fit based on your unique background and skillset, we would welcome an application from you. Don't hesitate, as we may review applications as they are received and reserve the right to close advertising early.