Strategic Relationships Manager

Housing New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks leave

Benefits package including insurances

Flexible working

Career development

Job summary

Kāinga Ora is seeking a highly experienced Strategic Relationships Manager to lead external partnerships, government alignment, and the strategic technology ecosystem.

Reporting within the Digital IT Strategy and Portfolio function, you will design engagement models, govern pathways, and build intelligence networks to support investment decisions and portfolio priorities across government and strategic vendors.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience building strategic relationships across government agencies and technology vendors.
• 15+ years of senior leadership at the intersection of government, technology and complex commercial environments.
• Well-established networks across NZ government tech ecosystem, with credibility to engage executives.
• Experience advising executives on strategic technology supplier relationships and partnerships.
• Expertise in NZ public sector investment governance, ICT policy, and digital strategy frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage engagement frameworks, pathways, and intelligence networks for external partnerships.
• Ensure senior executives are informed, strategically positioned across government and technology sectors.
• Align external engagement with Government priorities and Treasury expectations.
• Monitor policy, regulatory developments, market trends, and supplier strategies to shape investment decisions.
• Establish structured engagement models across government, central agencies, and strategic vendors.

Skills

Relationship building

Strategic partnerships

Executive engagement

Leadership

Commercial acumen

Government stakeholder influence

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.

Permanent

3d ago , from Housing New Zealand Corporation

• Create opportunities for greater collaboration and influence across government and industry
• Help Kāinga Ora reduce compliance risk and maximise value from technology investments
• Permanent role, 5 weeks leave + a suite of benefits

Te whiwhinga mahi - Our opportunity

Are you an exceptional relationship builder with the strategic insight to influence outcomes across government and the technology sector?

Kāinga Ora is seeking a highly experienced Strategic Relationships Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping and strengthening our external partnerships, government alignment, and strategic technology ecosystem.

Reporting within the Digital IT Strategy and Portfolio function, this senior leadership role is responsible for designing and managing the frameworks, engagement pathways, and intelligence networks that enable the Director, Strategy and Portfolio and Chief Information Officer (CIO) to build and maintain high-value relationships with government agencies, central authorities, and strategic technology suppliers.

You will ensure senior executives are well informed, strategically positioned, and equipped with the insights needed to engage confidently and effectively across a complex government and technology landscape. Through your leadership, Kāinga Ora will remain closely aligned with Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) priorities, Treasury expectations, and broader cross-government initiatives, while fostering productive, long-term partnerships that support organisational objectives.

Working at both an enterprise and system-wide level, you will establish structured engagement models, governance pathways, and intelligence mechanisms that support Digital IT transformation and strategic decision-making. You will monitor and interpret government policy, regulatory developments, market trends, and supplier strategies, translating these insights into practical recommendations that shape investment decisions, portfolio priorities, and external engagement strategies.

Kāinga Ora’s Strategic Relationships capability ensures Digital IT is deliberately positioned within its external ecosystem - across government, central agencies, and strategic vendors to actively shape and leverage external influences rather than respond reactively.

It establishes a structured engagement model that enables consistent, purposeful, and strategically aligned interactions, ensuring external engagement supports organisational priorities and investment outcomes

Ngá pūmanawatanga ōu - What you will bring

We're looking for a highly credible and influential relationship leader who thrives in complex environments and has a proven ability to build strategic partnerships that deliver tangible value for organisations, government stakeholders, and the communities they serve.

This is a unique opportunity to shape influential relationships across government and the technology sector, support senior executives in navigating complex strategic environments, and play a key role in advancing Kāinga Ora's digital transformation and long-term organisational success. You'll bring together strategic thinking, stakeholder influence, and commercial acumen to help create meaningful outcomes at both an organisational and system-wide level

Here’s what you will bring to the role:

• Extensive experience building, strengthening, and leveraging strategic relationships across government agencies, technology vendors, and senior stakeholder groups to influence outcomes, align priorities, and create measurable organisational value
• More than 15 years of senior leadership experience operating at the intersection of government, technology, and complex commercial environments, providing strategic advice and enabling executive leaders to maximise opportunities through high-value partnerships and external relationships
• Well-established networks and trusted relationships across the New Zealand government technology ecosystem, including central agencies and key sector stakeholders, with the credibility and influence to support executive engagement and deliver impact from day one
• Demonstrated experience advising executives on strategic technology supplier relationships and complex partnerships, driving value beyond contractual arrangements through innovation, collaboration, and proactive relationship management
• Strong expertise in New Zealand public sector investment governance, ICT policy, and digital strategy frameworks, with the ability to navigate political, regulatory, and institutional environments to achieve strategic technology and investment outcomes

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

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