Project Engineering Group Manager

Our purpose is to empower the energy future for New Zealand, a future that delivers a net-zero carbon economy and a reliable, secure electricity system.

Our context

Few electricity organisations globally operate across grid ownership, power system operation, renewable integration, and HVDC transmission. At Transpower, these responsibilities come together in our role at the centre of New Zealand’s national electricity system.

The scale and complexity of our work programme is expected to more than double in the next five years. To meet this challenge, at pace, we are evolving the way we work, strengthening capability and positioning ourselves to deliver the infrastructure, planning and system outcomes New Zealand will need for decades to come.

Grid Development is the division that shapes the future of New Zealand’s transmission network

By bringing together network strategy, integrated planning, investment management, project engineering, technical capability and governance, we will ensure the National Grid continues to meet customer, system and long-term energy needs.

The opportunity — shape a critical enterprise capability

As a member of the Grid Development leadership team, you’ll lead Project Engineering Managers and be accountable for the project engineering system that supports delivery of Transpower’s investment projects.

You’ll set the direction for project engineering practice, assurance, engineering controls, resource deployment, consultant scoping and performance - creating the conditions to increase delivery capacity, improve flow, drive value and maintain safety, quality and consistency at scale.

Working collaboratively across investment planning, project investigation, project delivery, programme delivery and our delivery partners, you’ll strengthen interfaces, resolve delivery challenges and ensure project engineering activities remain aligned to investment priorities.

You’ll steward Project Engineering’s contribution to the operating model, bringing clarity to accountabilities, interfaces and decision rights as Transpower strengthens its delivery system for the future.

You’ll lead across:

• Practice and assurance: project engineering practices, controls, delivery reviews and clear performance expectations.

• Capability and resourcing: workforce planning, capability pathways, succession, resource deployment, utilisation and future capacity.

• Integration and operating model maturity: aligned workstreams, clear accountabilities and constructive resolution of competing priorities.

• Consultant strategy and commercial oversight: Engineering Consultant Design Panel governance, scoping, performance, safety, quality, value for money and future capacity.

• Performance, safety and improvement: using data, lessons learned, risk insight and industry practice to improve safety, wellbeing, quality, efficiency and predictability across Transpower and the extended delivery workforce.

Your leadership profile

You’ll be an experienced people leader with experience across project engineering, engineering delivery, major infrastructure, project governance or assurance. You’ll be confident leading leaders, lifting organisational capability, supporting people through change, and turning complex delivery issues into clear choices, aligned action and improved outcomes.

In your CV we’ll be looking for evidence of:

• Senior leadership accountability in project engineering, engineering delivery, infrastructure delivery, governance, assurance or a related function.

• Experience improving project engineering practices, controls, assurance processes, stage-gates or operating frameworks.

• A track record building capability, strengthening accountability and planning resources across a complex delivery portfolio.

• Commercial judgement and the ability to influence senior stakeholders, consultants, suppliers, delivery partners and industry bodies.

• The ability to use performance evidence, lessons learned and delivery insights to improve safety, quality, efficiency and predictability.

• Experience leading business planning, budget management, governance reporting, risk visibility or improvement initiatives in a complex delivery environment.

Exposure to electricity transmission, regulated infrastructure or other asset-intensive environments is essential.

Join us at Transpower

At Transpower, our people are connected by purpose: empowering New Zealand’s energy future. We bring diverse perspectives together to solve complex challenges and deliver work that matters for generations to come.

As a senior leader, you’ll be part of an organisation where visibility, connection and communication matter. You’ll help create clarity, bring people together and lead through complexity as we deliver infrastructure outcomes of national significance. We offer intellectually stimulating work, ongoing learning, and a range of health, wellbeing and insurance benefits. Learn more here: Staff benefits | Transpower

Next steps

If you are motivated by enterprise leadership, infrastructure delivery and the opportunity to shape capability at scale, we encourage you to review the position description and information pack available on our careers site.

Applications close Tuesday 1stSeptember and will be reviewed as they are received.  We may contact you ahead of the closing date for an initial exploratory conversation. While our Waikoukou head office in Wellington or Ōtara Auckland office are the preferred locations for this role, Islington Christchurch may be considered for exceptional candidates.