KiwiRail is a proud State-Owned Enterprise with more than 4,500 employees delivering freight, passenger and ferry services across New Zealand. For more than 150 years, rail has connected communities, supported economic development and enabled regional growth. Guided by their purpose – Hononga Whaikaha, Oranga mō Aotearoa (Stronger Connections, Better New Zealand) – KiwiRail is investing in a major programme of modernisation and growth across rail and Interislander services.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Chief Strategy, Risk & Corporate Affairs Officer, this newly established role has been created to provide dedicated strategic capability and capacity to support KiwiRail’s Board, Executive Leadership Team and key stakeholders with critical choices regarding Railway Land.
Working alongside the Property Business Unit and a significant master-planning programme, you will identify opportunities to unlock value from railway land in the short, medium and long term while balancing commercial outcomes, future transport requirements, corridor protection and long-term optionality for rail.
What You Will Be Responsible For
- Developing and maintaining a long-term strategy that positions railway land as a strategic asset.
- Identifying and assessing land opportunities, trends, risks and constraints across the portfolio.
- Providing expert advice on land use planning, corridor protection, network expansion and operational requirements.
- Evaluating acquisitions, disposals, leases and development opportunities.
- Developing commercial and financial frameworks to support decision-making.
- Preparing strategic assessments, business cases and recommendations for Executive and Board consideration.
- Identifying future partnership, joint venture and investment opportunities.
- Building relationships with local authorities, developers, investors and key stakeholders.
- Challenging existing assumptions and presenting alternative options to maximise value and utilisation of railway land.
- Demonstrating early value through practical, achievable opportunities and execution plans.
About You
You will be a highly credible strategic and commercial leader with significant experience in property, land strategy, infrastructure planning, transport planning, real estate development or a related field. To be successful, you will bring:
- 15–20 years of relevant experience.
- Experience working with large-scale infrastructure, transport, utility or Crown land portfolios.
- Background engaging with iwi and navigating relevant RFR considerations associated with Crown land.
- Strong commercial acumen and financial analysis capability.
- Demonstrated ability to evaluate the long-term strategic implications of land-related decisions.
- Experience translating strategy into business cases and execution plans.
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
- The ability to hold and articulate independent views and challenge constructively.
- Experience operating successfully in complex, high-profile environments.
- Relevant tertiary and/or postgraduate qualifications.
Why Join KiwiRail?
This role sits at the intersection of strategy, infrastructure, property, transport and economic development. You will have the opportunity to work directly with the Board, Executive Leadership Team, government stakeholders, investors and development partners to help shape decisions that will influence New Zealand for decades to come. Few roles offer this combination of strategic impact, commercial complexity and national significance.
Location
Auckland or Wellington.
Apply now
If you are excited by the opportunity to create enduring value from one of New Zealand’s most important strategic asset portfolios and help shape the future of rail, we would love to hear from you.
Applications close 5pm, 6th August, 2026
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Suitable candidates may be contacted and progressed through the recruitment process prior to the closing date, so early application is recommended.
Please email your CV to tim@swr.nz or tony@swr.nz quoting reference no. 4051014. For further information in strictest confidence, please contact Tim Rosenberg on 029 273 2264 or Tony Walsh on 029 271 1101.
You must be a New Zealand citizen or have full visa status to currently work in New Zealand.