Maintenance and Operations Lead - Northland Corridor

• Northland Corridor - Section 1 (Warkworth to Te Hana)
• Auckland-based
• Extensive site presence

Be part of one of the most significant transport programmes in New Zealand's history.

The Northland Corridor is a 100 km stretch of highway connecting Auckland to Northland. Made up of three Roads of National Significance (RoNS), it will support economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, improve safety, support housing development, and provide a more resilient roading network.

We're looking for a Maintenance and Operations Lead to play a critical client-side role in ensuring Section 1 of the Northland Corridor (Warkworth to Te Hana) is operationally ready, safe, and maintainable from day one.

This role offers the chance to work alongside a highly experienced client-side team, offering rare exposure to, and learning from, some of New Zealand's most experienced transport practitioners, shaping how major transport projects are delivered in Aotearoa.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

Reporting to the Technical Director, you'll be the M&O authority within the project, representing NZTA Waka Kotahi (NZTA) as client in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) environment.

Your focus is simple, but not easy: you'll play a key role in reviewing designs from an operations and maintenance perspective, helping provide confidence that what is designed and built can be safely, efficiently, and sustainably operated over the long term.

You'll work alongside designers, delivery teams, contractors, and national NZTA functions to champion embed maintenance, operations, and asset management requirements throughout design and delivery, not as an afterthought, but as a core outcome.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role with a strong on-site presence (4-5 days per week), suited to someone who enjoys influencing outcomes at the intersection of design, construction, and operations.

What you'll be doing

You will:

• Lead the NZTA review and assurance of all Maintenance & Operations documentation, ensuring contractual obligations are met and future operations are set up for success
• Establish and implement client-side M&O processes and frameworks during design and early delivery
• Provide expert operational input into NZTA's design review process, covering maintainability, access, inspection, safety, incident response, and lifecycle performance
• Identify, escalate, and help resolve design and delivery risks that could impact operational readiness
• Work closely with NZTA's national maintenance, operations, digital, safety, and systems teams to ensure alignment with standards and networks
• Maintain strong interfaces with the adjacent network, including the Pūhoi to Warkworth PPP, to ensure consistency and smooth operational transitions
• Contribute to opening-day readiness planning, including handover, response integration, and operational assurance.

While this role does not have people leadership responsibilities, it carries significant influence, requiring confidence, credibility, and the ability to challenge constructively.

Find out more about the role here: position description

Ko koe tēnei | About you

What you'll bring

You're a seasoned M&O or asset professional who understands what it takes to operate complex transport infrastructure in the real world.

You'll likely have:

• Proven experience embedding maintenance and operational requirements into design and construction on large transport or infrastructure projects
• A strong grounding in asset management, lifecycle planning, and operational risk
• Experience working in, or alongside, PPP or alliance delivery environments (highly desirable)
• The ability to interpret complex technical and contractual information and turn it into clear, practical advice
• Confidence engaging with contractors, technical specialists, emergency services, iwi partners, and senior leaders
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused mindset and the courage to raise risks early.

Why join us?

At NZTA our purpose is transport networks that deliver for people, places and Aotearoa. We're kaitiaki of the transport system - working with partners, for communities, and for future generations.

You'll be part of a programme that:

• Is nationally significant and highly visible
• Offers real influence over outcomes that will last decades
• Values collaboration, courage, and doing the right thing
• Is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and meaningful partnerships with Māori.

If you're motivated by legacy-building work, thrive in complex environments, and want to ensure infrastructure performs as well in operation as it does on paper; we'd love to hear from you.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

7 April 2026

For further information, email: [email protected]

To be considered for this position you must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

NZTA| Waka Kotahi is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing a working environment that embraces these values. Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Please note that we may begin shortlisting as we receive applications. We encourage early applications as we may withdraw the advertising at any time.