Senior Project Sponsor

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

As our Senior Project Sponsor, you will play a critical role in supporting the successful delivery of some of New Zealand's most significant and complex transport infrastructure investments. Working across major projects and programmes, you will provide sponsorship, governance oversight and assurance on behalf of the Investment Owner, helping ensure projects remain aligned with approved scope, cost, risk and intended outcomes. You will bring an independent perspective to delivery performance, support timely and informed decision-making, and provide confidence to senior leaders and governance forums that investments remain on track. This is not a project delivery role. Rather, you will work alongside Project Directors and delivery teams, providing support, challenge and guidance to help navigate complexity, manage risk and resolve issues before they impact outcomes. You will oversee multiple programmes and projects simultaneously, drawing on your infrastructure experience to identify emerging risks, test assumptions and provide assurance that delivery remains achievable and aligned with investment objectives. Success in this role will require sound judgement, strong relationship management skills and the ability to influence outcomes in complex environments.

Requirements

Accomplished infrastructure leader holding positions across major infrastructure, capital investment, transport, utilities, energy or complex public-sector programmes.
Experience operating in environments where governance, delivery confidence and strategic decision-making are critical to success.
Understanding of the realities of delivering large, complex projects and can apply that experience from a governance and sponsorship perspective.
Significant experience leading or sponsoring complex infrastructure projects and programmes.
Strong governance and assurance capability, with an ability to provide oversight and confidence across multiple delivery environments.
Sound judgement and decision-making skills, particularly in situations involving uncertainty, risk and competing priorities.
Ability to interpret complex commercial, delivery and risk information and translate it into clear, practical advice.
Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the confidence to both support and challenge delivery teams where required.
Proven experience building credibility and trust with project teams, senior leaders and governance stakeholders.
Must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Responsibilities

Provide sponsorship, governance oversight and assurance on behalf of the Investment Owner.
Ensure projects remain aligned with approved scope, cost, risk and intended outcomes.
Bring an independent perspective to delivery performance.
Support timely and informed decision-making.
Provide confidence to senior leaders and governance forums that investments remain on track.
Work alongside Project Directors and delivery teams, providing support, challenge and guidance.
Help navigate complexity, manage risk and resolve issues before they impact outcomes.
Oversee multiple programmes and projects simultaneously.
Identify emerging risks.
Test assumptions.
Provide assurance that delivery remains achievable and aligned with investment objectives.