Technical Product Owner - Radio Communications at NZ Police, Wellington - Hutt Valley;Wellington - Kapiti;Wellington - Masterton;Wellington - Porirua;Wellington - Tawa;Wellington - Upper Hutt;Wellington

New Zealand Police is working with the community to make New Zealanders be safe and feel safe. With over 16,000 staff, we provide policing services 24 hours a day, every day. We operate by land, sea and air, manage over 860,000 emergency calls a year and are always actively preventing crime and crashes.

We’re working towards specific goals and targets that highlight our intent to work collaboratively with iwi and communities, other government sectors and business partners to deliver and achieve long-term change.

Technical Product Owner – Radio Communications!

• Based at Lambton Quay Wellington
• Permanent/Full Time
• NAV
• JR - 5266566

E tῡ ki te kei o te waka, kia pakia koe e ngā ngaru o te wā.

Stand at the stern of the canoe and feel the spray of the future biting at your face

Mō te tūnga | About the role

The Public Safety Network (PSN) programme delivers critical communication capabilities that support essential services across multiple agencies. It is replacing Emergency Services’ radio networks with modern, resilient systems to enhance frontline service delivery and ensure safety and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders. PSN sits within ICT, reporting to the Director Service Operations and the Chief Information Officer as Agency Responsible Owner.

The Technical Product Owner (TPO) – Radio Communications leads the radio product team, focusing on the operational effectiveness of the Police Radio Network, including devices, coverage, resilience, and interoperability. The role manages the product backlog, oversees end-to-end development, and defines product vision aligned with customer needs and future priorities. It plays a key role in the PSN Police Programme (PSN-PP), ensuring capabilities meet business needs and deliver benefits to Police, partners, and communities.

Working closely with the PSN-PP team, the TPO provides leadership, stakeholder engagement, and service oversight for LMR network services and related devices. Initially supporting PSN-PP within ICT Services, the role transitions to ICT Architecture and Infrastructure after the first region (Canterbury) moves to the new network, while continuing support until all districts transition.

The TPO offers strategic and technical leadership for Police’s national radio infrastructure, ensuring alignment with policing goals and ICT standards. Responsibilities include stakeholder engagement, service oversight, system architecture, risk management, resource planning, and continuous improvement to deliver reliable, future-ready radio services.

Key Accountabilities:

• Ensure health and safety compliance and embed wellbeing into planning, training, and operations.
• Identify hazards, reduce risks, and monitor incidents while encouraging near-miss reporting.
• Lead lessons-learned reviews and manage preventative health initiatives, including return-to-work support.
• Collaborate with PSN leaders and providers for resource planning and delivery performance reviews.
• Set clear goals, provide tools, and monitor staff performance effectively.
• Maintain training plans and support capability development for team growth.
• Promote a culture of open communication, collaboration, and respect.
• Manage HR tasks such as leave, contracts, and weekly task allocations.
• Develop and maintain long-term radio infrastructure strategy and architecture.
• Define and communicate product vision in partnership with the Product Manager.
• Prioritise backlog and maintain a roadmap aligned with business needs.
• Ensure stakeholder alignment and support integration of new products with relevant teams.
• Guide and resource the product team for successful delivery.

He aha taau e kawe mai | What you’ll bring

Whilst we are looking for skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the role, we also place high importance on your state of mind, the alignment of your values with ours, your ability to contribute to and build high performing teams, and the way that you lead yourself or others.

• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, foster strong relationships, and influence outcomes while promoting collaboration across all levels.

• Deep product knowledge and understanding of user needs, combined with proficiency in digital tools and environments.
• Skilled in Agile methodologies, including sprint planning, stand-ups, reviews, and retrospectives, with capability to monitor success through key performance metrics.
• Strong communication skills for aligning product backlog with business objectives, facilitating workshops, and delivering clear written and verbal updates, including training.
• Ability to analyse complex issues, implement practical solutions, and develop consistent standards and methodologies for centres of expertise.

• Provide your feedback on BizChat

Whakaritenga motuhake | Special requirements

• Successful candidate will report to PNHQ workgroup with a working location in Lambton Quay.  Remote working will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• The successful candidate will have strong knowledge and hands-on experience with telecommunication systems, including both broadband and narrowband technologies, as well as expertise in radio network design, support, and planning. They will demonstrate proven experience in delivering mission-critical radio network solutions and in analysing technologies to ensure compliance with mission-critical standards.

This role is Strategic People Leader level. You can refer to Indicators for Success for further information on the requirements

To view the position description for this role please copy and paste this link into a new browser:

https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/pd/10-2025/technical_product_owner.pdf

Mo tātou | About us

New Zealand Police is the lead agency responsible for preventing crime and enhancing community safety. It works in partnership with individuals, communities, businesses, and other public sector agencies towards the vision of making New Zealand the safest country. Police is the government’s largest front-line response agency with around 15,000 staff in large and small communities all over New Zealand and in liaison and policing development roles overseas.

Your development is highly valued at NZ Police. Our employees enjoy significant investment in their development not only at an individual level, but also at the team and community practice level. We work hard to match you with work that will both play to your strengths and challenge you in new ways.

The work you’ll be engaged in is real, tangible work that directly benefits our frontline and communities. Taken all together, this means we can offer you career path opportunities to progress in your chosen profession and become a more well-rounded, experienced leader, with opportunities across the range of work we support.

To view more detailed information about our recruitment process along with further details about requirements please click below link:

Applicant Information Pack (External)

Tono ināianei | Apply now

If this position sounds like you, click apply now and submit a tailored CV. You will be required to submit an application form. Before confirmation of hire, pre-employment checks will be undertaken which include reference, drug and alcohol testing and police vetting prior to any written offer being made.  

For further information on the application process, please copy and paste this URL: https://www.police.govt.nz/careers 

All applications must be submitted online and will not be accepted directly via email. All applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand.  

Utu ā-tau | Salary 

This position is covered by a collective agreement and salary will commence between $142000 and $150000 dependent on skills and experience relevant to the role.  

If you are an internal applicant, you must apply internally through the police system. You must provide an alternative contact email address and state your future commitments should you be successful in the next stage of the recruitment process. 

Please note: Deadline for applications is 5:00 pm on 07/12/2025. Applications may be reviewed prior to the close date as well as contact made with candidates.

Interviews are tentatively scheduled for December 15th, 2025

If you have any questions about this vacancy, please contact deepa.shankar@police.govt.nz