Company Description
Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity
We are looking for two Project Managers on a fixed term basis who are experienced in business change and transformation initiatives, specifically including IT implementations, to join our University Strategic Programme Office (USPO).
In these roles, you will take on enterprise-wide organisational development projects from inception to fruition with budgets ranging from $200 thousand to $2 million.
You will be responsible for successfully delivering a group of projects (the make-up of which will be decided by your experience and interests and the University’s needs). You will do this by managing project teams, with the authority and responsibility to lead your projects on a day-to-day basis. You will be supported by a large and established team with a people-focused PM Practice Manager to work with you on resource allocation and professional development as well as project management best practices.
To succeed, you will need to build strong collaborative relationships throughout our faculties and the wider university, using your interpersonal skills to engage others and build support for the initiatives you work on. As with all project management positions you will need strong financial acumen to understand and manage budgets, while also being able to see, understand and convey the bigger picture and wider context to governance and delivery teams, who will work with you to meet milestones and stage-gate targets.
To thrive in this role, you will:
- Be able to demonstrate knowledge of techniques for planning, monitoring, and controlling programmes and projects, including frameworks such as PRINCE2, P3M, PMP etc.
- IT implementation project experience
- Have experience of budgeting, resource allocation and management
- Select and apply appropriate project management techniques to the specific requirements of the project
- Develop and maintain an agreed project plan and detailed stage plan(s)
- Plan and manage the deployment of resources to meet project milestones
- Build and sustain effective relationships with project stakeholders
- Be able to apply project-specific quality management principles and process
- These are full time (37.5 hours/week) fixed term positions. There are two positions available, one for 6 months (current end date 30- 06-2025) and the other for 9 months (current end date 30- 09 - 2025). The salary range for these positions is $117,901 - $136,100 pro rata depending on skills and experience.
For more detailed information, please refer to the Position Description.
Mō tō mātou rōpū | About the team
The University Strategic Programme Office (USPO) manages our strategic portfolio consisting of programmes and projects typically enterprise-wide, which have large change impacts for the University. This includes establishing an optimised portfolio and the delivery of that portfolio utilising the Portfolio Programme and Project Management (P3M) methodology. This methodology has been built with the support of our strategic partners Business Transformation Office (BTO), and Digital Services, with who we work closely to meet our project deadlines.
We sit within the Organisational Performance and Improvement service division which exists to enable an increased focus on strategy execution and service improvement within the University.
Our role is to champion a culture of organisational performance and continuous service improvements in the University. We will achieve this by implementing excellent delivery of the University’s strategic portfolio of projects to ensure that value is generated, and planned benefits are realised. You can get an idea of the areas that we work in by reading our Taumata Teitei (Vision 2030 and Strategic Plan 2025)
He kōrero mōu | About you
To be considered a strong applicant for this role you will need to be able to demonstrate at least 5 years’ experience in project management, preferably within business change, including IT implementations.
- This experience will equip you with the experience needed to manage large and complex projects, across a diverse stakeholder group in a large and often siloed tertiary institution. We have some flexibility on the seniority of candidates that we can consider but if you have experience in a senior role within a Project Management Office your application will shine.
Your application will stand out if you have:
- Project management qualifications (e.g. PMP, Prince2)
- Demonstrable experience in completing change and process improvement projects within large organisations
- Experience within a Project Management Office (PMO)
- The ability to work across both technical (IT-based projects) and organisational change and transformation projects
- Sufficient seniority and credibility to effectively lead, manage and motivate project teams
- Experience working with Agile delivery teams (desirable)
Additional Information
Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What we offer
The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading university and maintains significant computational, laboratory and analytic facilities. Auckland itself is frequently rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities.
The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment through:
- Flexible employment practices (including working from home, flexible hours)
- Up to 6.75% company superannuation scheme
- A competitive salary with five weeks’ annual leave
In addition, we also offer career development programmes, discounted car parking, a generous parental leave allowance, childcare and a number of other discounts on internal and external services.
For more information please visit Staff Benefits.
Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading university. We employ more than 5400 academic and professional staff to support over 41,000 students, making us one of NZ’s largest employers.
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply
Applications must be submitted online, by the closing date of 5th February 2025 to be considered. Please include your cover letter and your CV highlighting how you can meet the skills and experiences detailed above and in the position description.
Due to a systems implementation, there will be a delay in our recruitment process. We thank you in advance for your patience.
Please reach out to graham.harris@auckland.ac.nz for a confidential conversation. Please note we are happy to answer your questions, but we do not accept applications by email.
Equity
The University is committed to meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for staff and students in a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment. For further information on services for Māori, Pacific, women, LGBTQIATakatāpuiMVPFAFF+, people with disabilities, parenting support, flexible work and other personal circumstances go to www.equity.auckland.ac.nz
The University is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment where everyone can thrive. For further information see Te Ara Tautika | the Equity Policy and visit www.equity.auckland.ac.nz
