Trade Coach

Northpower; Palmerston North; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Northpower is seeking a Trade Coach in Palmerston North to lead field-based safety and operational practice improvements. You will review work planning, identify risks, and implement practical improvements across field teams, guided by COPs and technical standards.

This leadership role offers exposure across Northpower’s energy services operations, shaping technical practice, safety, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of field operations, technical standards, safety systems, critical risk controls, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience reviewing work practices, identifying gaps, and supporting the implementation of effective controls.
• Ability to coach Supervisors, mentor Managers, support field teams, and provide constructive feedback to build trust and capability.
• Willingness to travel across Northpower depots and work sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert technical support by building, refining, and implementing best operational practices and advising on emerging issues and improvement opportunities.
• On-site monitoring of current work practices to ensure compliance and drive continuous improvement, while leading safety enhancements.
• Audit and assurance activities, including 2nd Line of Defence assessments and verifying work-type competencies.

Skills

Field operations knowledge

Safety compliance

Auditing & assurance

Coaching & mentoring

Influencing without authority

Education

Cable jointing qualification

Distribution line mechanic qualification

Job description

About The Role

A unique opportunity based in Palmerston North, created as part of our continued investment in technical excellence and safety leadership across the Energy Services division. If you're passionate about lifting standards, mentoring others, and influencing the future of field practices, this role is for you. This is your chance to join an organisation with a strong focus on innovation, safety, and professional development and a team that is committed to supporting your growth.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Trade Coach to join Northpower. This is a field-facing technical assurance and continuous improvement role focused on strengthening safety, compliance, technical practice, critical risk management, and operational capability across the business.

You will work alongside supervisors, team leaders, managers, and field teams to review how work is planned and carried out, identify gaps and emerging risks, and help implement practical improvements. By coaching leaders, influencing work practices, and sharing learning across locations, you will help Northpower build consistent, high-quality operational practice.

This is a leadership opportunity and a natural next career step for someone who wants to broaden their influence and experience. It offers exposure across the wider Northpower business and the opportunity to shape technical practice, leadership capability, and continuous improvement.

Role Responsibilities

In this role, you will provide expert technical support by collaborating to build, refine, and implement best operational practices and offering advice on emerging issues, innovations, and improvement opportunities. You will be on site monitoring current work practices to ensure compliance and drive continuous improvement, while leading and managing technical safety enhancements and supporting strategic initiatives. A key aspect of the role involves fostering innovation through idea generation, sharing, and implementation, as well as identifying and applying more effective risk and safety controls. You will also proactively recommend improvements to safety procedures, work practices, and standards aligned with Northpower’s Communities of Practice (COPs).

In addition, you will use your knowledge to support field teams with complex work and provide troubleshooting and technical advice to improve performance. You will contribute to the development and continuous improvement of procedures, enhancing safety outcomes and operational efficiency across the business. You will also play an important part in audit and assurance activities by monitoring the adequacy and effectiveness of operational controls, conducting 2nd Line of Defence audits on systems and processes, and verifying and assessing work-type competencies across the business to maintain high standards of safety and performance.

About You

You will bring strong technical credibility and demonstrated experience in the electricity distribution, energy, utilities, or a comparable field-based environment. You understand how operational work is planned and delivered and can assess practice against technical, safety, compliance, and risk requirements.

You are comfortable working in the field and engaging with people at various levels of the business. You can coach Supervisors, mentor Managers, support field teams, and provide constructive feedback in a way that builds trust, accountability, and capability. You are confident influencing without relying on positional authority and can turn assurance findings into practical improvements.

You will also bring

• Strong knowledge of field operations, technical standards, safety systems, critical risk controls, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience reviewing work practices, identifying gaps, and supporting the implementation of effective controls.
• Sound judgement, analytical thinking, and the ability to recognise recurring themes and emerging risks.
• Clear communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to challenge respectfully and support positive change.
• A proactive, business-wide mindset and a genuine commitment to learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Practical experience backed by either a cable jointing or distribution line mechanic qualification would be valuable, along with a willingness to travel across Northpower depots and work sites.

About Us

Northpower is one of New Zealand’s largest multi-utility contractors, servicing clients across transmission, distribution, generation, fibre, and commercial sectors. We are known for excellence and innovation and for delivering commercially practical solutions across electrical and telecommunications design, construction, and maintenance. More than 1,400 people work together across 16 locations to keep power flowing and deliver for our customers and communities.