Programme Lead - Maritime Digital Transformation at Land Information New Zealand, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role

Take the helm of New Zealand's maritime future as the Programme Lead for the Maritime Digital Transformation (MDT) programme. This landmark initiative marks the first major investment in New Zealand's maritime navigational services in over 30 years, ensuring our maritime sector remains safe, competitive, and sustainable.

As the MDT Programme Lead at Toitū Te Whenua, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), you will provide Programme governance and oversight for the implementation of innovative digital navigational products and services that comply with the new international S-100 standard. Your strategic direction will guide the expert programme team, ensuring alignment with government priorities and international obligations.

This role offers a unique opportunity to spearhead a programme of international significance, delivering far-reaching benefits across trade, safety, security, and environmental outcomes. Your leadership will be pivotal in transforming New Zealand's maritime sector for decades to come.

This fixed term role is responsible for delivering the programme over the next four years and sits within the Location Information team within our Customer Delivery Business Unit at LINZ. Location Information is a team of around 90 specialists, and has a broad range of responsibilities including Positioning, Mapping, Charting, Property Data, GIS services and Data Publishing.

The role will require external and internal engagement skills and an ability to communicate to a range of stakeholders with differing levels of technical understanding. You will need to be well organised and leverage your influencing skills. You will report to the Head of Location Information day-to-day, and report to the Programme Governance Board.

He pūkenga tou - Skills & Experience

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the Maritime Digital Transformation Programme
• Engage with senior stakeholders across Ministries, Maritime NZ, port authorities and local government agencies
• Ensure alignment between programme activities and strategic objectives
• Oversee a programme budget and resource allocation
• Make key decisions on programme direction and priorities
• Represent the programme at executive and governance levels
• Drive the realisation of programme benefits

Skills and Experience:

• 10+ years' experience in senior programme leadership
• Proven track-record delivering complex digital transformation initiatives through Agile approaches
• Strong stakeholder management at executive level. Previous experience of working with Ministers advantageous but not compulsory
• Experience leading cross-agency government programmes
• Strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities
• Understanding of hydrography, maritime navigation products, the maritime sector, and regulated environments (advantageous)
• Relevant programme management qualifications
• Experience managing matrixed teams and influencing without authority

The expected appointing range for this role is $160,000 to $190,000 depending on skills and experience.

  Ngā mea e tukuna ana e tātau – What we offer our employees 

• Interesting work which impacts Aotearoa, New Zealand as we care for whenua, moana and arawai.
• Eye & ear care reimbursements
• Annual Flu Vaccinations
• Reduced Health Insurance Premiums
• Diverse groups and networks
• If eligible for paid parental leave, you will be entitled to a top up payment for the first 18 weeks of the 26 weeks.
• A minimum of four weeks and three days annual leave

Te Tākinatanga - Our Story

Toitū Te Whenua, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) plays a vital role in understanding, developing, and caring for New Zealand's whenua, moana and arawai (land, sea, and waterways). Whether you are developing our products and services to support our customers, managing the Crown estate, engaging with our iwi partners, or helping us be an effective regulator, your contribution can make a difference. Our mahi helps New Zealanders have confidence that the development of our, communities and country is being planned from an informed and expert position that balances environmental, social, cultural, and economic considerations, now and for future generations.

Our Kia Toipoto Intentions - Public Service Gender, Māori, Pacific, and Ethnic Pay Gap Action Plan

Toitū Te Whenua is a diverse team of individuals with different experience and perspectives. This drives our culture and high performance. We know that people from underrepresented groups and women in particular do not apply for roles if they are not a 100% match, but we are not looking for perfection, we are looking for potential. As an inclusive and supportive employer, we value difference and want to encourage anyone interested to apply, regardless of whether you tick all the boxes or not. As an organisation we embrace diversity, encourage work life balance, and have a flexible approach to the way we work which means you will quickly feel connected and valued.

Tono mai - How to Apply

If you are eyeing up this role and believe you have got what it takes, please apply, or contact the team. 

To apply, please click “Apply Online.” You will be taken through to our Toitū Te Whenua Careers Centre where you will be able to review further information about the responsibilities and accountabilities of this role in the Position Description. You will be able to complete your online application form and upload a copy of your CV/Cover Letter. 

Please note, while applications close on Wednesday 18 June 2025, we may be reviewing applications as they are received and may progress with suitable applicants prior to the application closing date. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible if you are interested in this position.

For tracking and evaluation purposes, all applications must be submitted via our on-line process. You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to be eligible for this position. 

You may notice that the Position Description title for this role (Geospatial Specialist, Level 4) does not match the advertised title. At Toitū Te Whenua we design our roles around shared capabilities (rather than focusing on tasks). This means our position descriptions are broad, one position description can cover many roles, this is known as Broad Based Role (BBR). Using BBR allows us to be responsive to our customers and to strengthen the connections across our organisation. It also gives us the flexibility to provide wider opportunities to our people, to further their careers.

If you have any questions about this role or working at Toitū Te Whenua, please email opportunities@linz.govt.nz  and our People Services Team will be in touch with you.