Senior IT Project Manager | Wellington | 12 Month Fixed Term

Ministry of Social Development; Wellington; On-site; NZD 164,000 - 204,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Social Development is seeking a Senior IT Project Manager to lead delivery of complex, high-impact technology initiatives across MSD’s evolving technology landscape from our Wellington office.

You will manage both legacy and modern platforms, support the transition to Salesforce and other cloud technologies, and shape delivery approaches, sequencing, and dependencies while engaging senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex IT initiatives across legacy and modern platforms.
• Public-sector or similarly structured organisations experience is preferred.
• Ability to shape delivery approaches, sequencing, and dependencies.
• Strong delivery focus and governance engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery across a mix of legacy and modern technology platforms.
• Manage initiatives driven by ministerial priorities, regulatory change, and service improvements.
• Contribute to forward planning and sequencing work across multiple streams.
• Engage with senior stakeholders, governance forums and delivery partners.

Skills

Delivery leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Complex IT initiatives

Vendor management

Salesforce / cloud platforms

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

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• Support alignment of solutions with broader platform and organisational direction
• Lead the delivery of complex, high-impact technology initiatives across MSD’s evolving technology landscape.
• Multiple 12 month fixed term roles available

This is a highly visible role requiring sound judgement, strong delivery focus, and the ability to contribute beyond execution into planning and shaping work in a complex environment.

Every week, around 1.4 million New Zealanders count on MSD for income support and services to connect with work, housing and better lives for their families.

Our Technology group provides the technologies, innovation and expertise that enable MSD staff and partners to deliver these essential services, today and into the future.

We’re driving a once in a lifetime transformation of services for New Zealanders. The group is a key enabler of this change bringing together strategic thinkers, technology specialists and delivery leaders to design solutions and deliver change while keeping vital services running reliably every day.

About the role | Mō te tūnga:

As a Senior IT Project Manager, you will lead the delivery of complex, high-impact technology initiatives across MSD’s evolving technology landscape.

This role spans a diverse portfolio of work, including delivering enhancements across legacy systems, as well as supporting the transition to modern platforms such as Salesforce and other emerging technologies. You will operate across a mix of priorities, including ministerial initiatives, service improvements, and broader change initiatives.

Working across multiple workstreams, you will provide strong delivery leadership while also contributing to how work is shaped, planned, and sequenced across the wider programme of activity.

We have multiple 12-month fixed term roles available that are based in our Wellington National office.

Examples of Initiatives include:

• Service Experience: leading the delivery and coordination of a key Service Experience workstream within MSD's Technology Workforce Transition Strategy.
• Enterprise Archiving: implementing a new enterprise archiving platform to support MSD's technology modernisation programme and long-term information management needs.
• Environments Uplift: delivering improvements to MSD's development lifecycle, tools, and environments to support more efficient and reliable technology delivery.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead end-to-end delivery across a mix of legacy and modern technology platforms
• Manage initiatives driven by ministerial priorities, regulatory change, and service improvements
• Contribute to forward planning, including shaping delivery approaches, sequencing work, and identifying dependencies
• Support alignment of solutions with broader platform and organisational direction
• Provide oversight across planning, financials, risks, issues, and governance
• Coordinate across multiple teams and workstreams to maintain alignment and delivery momentum
• Engage confidently with senior stakeholders, governance forums, and delivery partners
• Navigate competing priorities and interdependencies across systems, teams, and vendors

We’re committed to creating a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Diverse perspectives strengthen our mahi, and we value the unique contributions everyone brings to the team.

Please contact us if there is any support that we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is accessible to you.

We’re looking for a Senior IT Project Manager who combines strong delivery expertise with the ability to influence how work is planned and executed across a complex and evolving delivery environment.

You bring a proven track record delivering large-scale technology initiatives and are comfortable working across multiple workstreams with competing priorities, established governance, and a high degree of stakeholder engagement.

You are equally confident leading delivery as you are contributing to forward planning, helping shape how work is sequenced, aligned, and delivered across a broader programme of activity.

You will also bring:

• Strong experience leading complex IT initiatives across both legacy systems and modern platforms
• A track record of delivering in large, multi-workstream environments, ideally within the public sector or similarly structured organisations
• Proven ability to lead delivery, drive outcomes, and maintain momentum in complex or ambiguous situations
• Experience contributing to forward planning, including shaping delivery approaches, sequencing work, and managing dependencies across initiatives
• Ability to align delivery with broader platform and organisational direction
• Solid capability across core project disciplines, including planning, financials, risk and issue management, reporting, and governance
• Experience working within structured governance frameworks and engaging effectively with senior stakeholders
• Confidence working across complex technology landscapes, including integration, cloud, and platforms such as Salesforce
• Strong stakeholder and vendor management skills, including working with third-party delivery partners
• A pragmatic and adaptable approach, with the ability to respond to changing priorities, including ministerial and organisational drivers

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $163,784.00 - $203,820.00

We expect to appoint this position up to $177,433 however a salary offer will be based on the preferred candidates’ skills and experience and our team relativities.

The Ministry of Social Development is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.

We provide social policy and advice to government and assistance, including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.

Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.