Senior Manager Workforce Planning and Optimisation

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Māngere-Ōtāhuhu; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Air New Zealand is seeking a seasoned Senior Workforce Management Strategy and Optimisation Specialist to lead cross-functional projects, optimise crew utilisation, and boost operational efficiency. You will drive improvement, challenge conventions, and push for industry-leading outcomes with manaaki and innovation at the core.

You’ll collaborate across pilots, cabin crew, and ground teams, delivering data-driven insights, strategic plans, and robust business cases that reduce costs while

Qualifications

• Leadership in airline workforce management with transformational change.
• Expertise in rostering, resource planning, and training optimisation.
• Experience with Air or Ground resource groups and regulatory awareness.
• Strong analytical and data modelling capabilities; union awareness.

Responsibilities

• Identify productivity improvements across workforces.
• Work cross-functionally within squads to implement changes with risk controls.
• Provide expert advice on best practices in airline workforce management.
• Conduct cost-benefit analyses to support operational changes.
• Develop and present reports to leadership on workforce impact.

Skills

Leadership in workforce management

Rostering

Resource planning

Training optimisation

Analytical acumen

Strategic thinking

Regulatory compliance

Pairing optimisation software

Stakeholder influence

Tools

Pairing optimisation software

Job description

Senior Manager Workforce Planning and Optimisation

• Full-time

Kia ora!

We are seeking an experienced Senior Workforce Management Strategy and Optimisation Specialist to join our dynamic team and help shape the future of our airline operations.

In this role, you’ll lead cross-functional projects and apply advanced workforce management expertise to optimise crew utilisation, resource planning, and operational efficiency. With a focus on driving continuous improvement, you’ll challenge conventional thinking, introduce innovative solutions, and ensure that Air New Zealand continues to set industry benchmarks for excellence.

The role you will play:

• As a member of the Workforce Strategy and Optimisation Chapter, you will work cross-functionally to identify and evaluate productivity improvement opportunities in our workforces
• You will work within a squad structure to implement changes quickly and efficiently, ensuring strategic alignment and minimal disruption to ongoing operations with appropriate risk management.
• You will provide expert advice and thought leadership on best practices and emerging trends in airline workforce management to improve crew utilisation, reduce operational costs, and mitigate risk.
• You will conduct cost-benefit analyses for workforce management initiatives to provide clear business cases that support operational changes or enhancements.
• You will develop and present detailed reports and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders, outlining the impact of workforce strategies on operational performance and profitability.
• You will build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams and external partners to influence decision-making and drive successful change initiatives.

You’ll succeed in this role if you bring:

• A proven track record of leadership in workforce management within the airline industry, with a focus on delivering transformational change.
• Deep expertise in workforce management, including rostering, resource planning, and training optimisation.
• Experience working across either Air (Pilots, Cabin Crew) or Ground (Airports, Maintenance) resource groups.
• Exceptional analytical acumen, with expertise in advanced data modelling and decision-making tools.
• Strategic thinking capabilities and a history of developing and executing initiatives that balance long-term vision with short-term impact.
• Deep understanding of regulatory requirements, union agreements, and workforce optimisation tools, including pairing optimisation software.
• The ability to influence and collaborate at the most senior levels, driving impactful change across diverse teams and business units.

In return!
This is a rare opportunity to influence strategic workforce management and contribute to Air New Zealand’s success. You’ll work with passionate teams, take part in exciting projects, and help deliver a world-class travel experience that embodies our values of manaaki and innovation.

At Air New Zealand, we are proudly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and believe in creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. Our people are our greatest asset – because while everything else we do in our operation can be replicated by our competitors, it is our people that truly set us apart. We are firm believers in celebrating the differences and diversity of thought our people bring to their roles. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including those with a disability, additional health and mental health needs, and/or are neurodiverse to apply for our roles.

"Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality."