Project Manager - Construction

About Simplicity Living

Simplicity Living is New Zealand’s leading Build-to-Rent developer, backed by Simplicity KiwiSaver. We design, build, own and manage high-quality, secure-tenure rental homes across New Zealand.

Our construction model is based on a repeatable production system. Key dates and trade sequences are planned well ahead, giving the team clarity on what needs to happen and when. That means less time reacting and more time improving how we build from one floor to the next.

Safety and quality come first. Productivity comes from better planning, reducing waste and continually improving the process, not cutting corners.

We’ve delivered 507 homes in Auckland, with another 748 underway. Queenstown is our first South Island project and will see us deliver more than 1,000 long-term rental homes in Lower Shotover.

We’re building our Queenstown team early and are keen to start talking now with experienced Project Managers interested in joining us in 2027.

The role

This is a hands-on Project Manager role with broad responsibility for the delivery of your part of the Queenstown programme, working alongside the other Project Managers.

You’ll lead the team around you and take responsibility for keeping the build planned, organised and moving. That means staying ahead of programme, trades, resourcing and procurement, while maintaining strong relationships with Site Managers, trade partners, consultants, suppliers and the wider project team.

You’ll have responsibility across programme, safety, quality, commercial performance and compliance, with the support of the QS team and wider Simplicity Living business.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Leading the project team and setting clear expectations for delivery
• Planning and sequencing the build to keep programme on track
• Staying ahead of upcoming works, labour, trade capacity, procurement and key decisions
• Identifying programme, cost or delivery risks early and acting on them
• Maintaining strong safety, quality and compliance standards throughout the build
• Working closely with the QS team on budgets, forecasts, procurement and commercial performance
• Building strong working relationships with Site Managers, trade partners, suppliers, consultants, council and other project stakeholders
• Keeping project forecasts, reporting and key deliverables up to date
• Coordinating closely with the other Project Managers so the wider Queenstown programme remains aligned
• Driving continuous improvement and making sure lessons are carried into the next stage of the build

Who we’re looking for

You’ll have at least five years’ experience managing residential or mid-rise construction projects, with strong practical construction knowledge and experience leading site teams through multiple stages of a build.

You’ll be confident across programme and sequencing, H&S, QA, commercial performance and compliance.

You’ll need to be systematic and well organised. Our production system depends on good planning and strong follow-through. You’ll need to stay across a lot of moving parts, know what is coming next and make sure commitments don’t get lost along the way.

Strong people leadership matters too. We’re looking for someone who can bring the best out of an experienced team – setting clear expectations, giving people ownership, dealing with issues early and backing them to do their jobs well.

We’re a relatively small, close-knit construction team, so how you work with people matters. We value good relationships with our trade partners, an openness to other people’s ideas and a genuine interest in finding safer, simpler and better ways to build.

You don’t need to have every answer yourself. You do need good judgement, strong follow-through and the ability to keep people moving in the same direction.

What we offer

• Real ownership and autonomy across a major part of a large residential programme
• Up to 10% employer KiwiSaver contribution after six months
• A strong, experienced team around you, with a flat structure and decisions made close to the work
• The opportunity to help establish Simplicity Living in the South Island and deliver more than 1,000 much-needed long-term rental homes in Queenstown