Greater Wellington’s vision is for an extraordinary region with a thriving environment, connected communities and a resilient future. Metlink Public Transport Group puts everything into making public transport accessible, reliable and efficient with low carbon emissions.
One of the great things about our work is the way we help people connect by delivering a public transport network that makes it easy for all Wellingtonians to get to work, school and the places important to them.
Our goal is to be more than just a public transport service, we want to be a symbol of pride for the Wellington region, an integral part of what makes living in our region great and supports our economic growth and productivity. The Metlink team knows that to reach our goals we need to continue to build on our strong desire to go the extra mile for our customers and a commitment to continual improvement.
We work with our transport operators to deliver over 40 million travel boardings a year – with passenger numbers growing.
Metlink’s role is to plan, develop, promote and deliver public transport services and supporting infrastructure in the Wellington region. Improvements to the public transport system have been ongoing and sustained. Against a backdrop of dedicated ongoing development of the network, Metlink continues to implement and optimise performance and customer experience, through robust governance, better stakeholder engagement, and increased capability and capacity.
The organisation is dedicated to delivering a world-class and commercially viable public transport service, through aligning its internal operating model to meet these demands.
The role
Metlink is looking for an experienced and dynamic Principal Advisor – Commercial to drive the procurement and implementation of future service contracts across bus, rail, and ferry networks. You are a strategic thinker with a passion for innovation and commercial excellence and as such, will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of public transport services.
This is a rare opportunity to bring your expertise in commercial strategy, contract negotiations, property/asset acquisition and stakeholder management to a forward-thinking organisation that is redefining public transport for a better future.
You will work closely with the Manager Commercial to provide expert commercial advice and support. You will lead the development of key commercial terms and procurement approaches, ensuring a smooth transition to new service providers. From engaging with stakeholders to managing negotiations and ensuring best-practice procurement, your contributions will be critical in delivering efficient and sustainable public transport services that deliver value for money.
What You’ll Do
- Commercial Leadership: Utilise your expertise to shape the commercial framework of Metlink’s future public transport contracts and asset control requirements, ensuring they align with industry best practices and strategic goals.
- Market Engagement & Procurement: Support market engagement initiatives, develop tender documents, and contribute to the tender evaluation process.
- Contract Negotiations: Collaborate with the Manager Commercial and Manger Contracts and Partnerships to drive successful contract negotiations with preferred providers.
- Strategic Influence: Provide thought leadership, ensuring innovative and future-focused approaches are embedded in commercial strategies and decision making.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Act as the key liaison between the Commercial and the Assets and Infrastructure teams to achieve commercial objectives.
- Risk Management: Identify potential risks, propose mitigation strategies, and ensure compliance with procurement and financial management best practices.
- Mentorship & Guidance: Offer supervision, coaching, and mentoring to team members, enhancing overall capability and performance.
What You’ll Bring
We’re looking for a proactive and commercially savvy professional with:
- Exceptional strategic thinking, problem-solving, and business acumen.
- Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex commercial concepts into clear, actionable insights with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Commercial/contract management, particularly in procurement, negotiations, and contract execution ideally having been involved in such with property and asset negotiation, acquisition and development.
- Proven ability to manage complex negotiations and build consensus among multiple stakeholders and a background of success in a complex organisation that requires visible and connected leadership.
- While commercial in outlook, have experience that reinforces your understanding of how to drive results in the unique environment that is local/regional government.
- A relevant tertiary qualification in finance, economics, business, law, or equivalent expertise.
Greater Wellington values diversity and is committed to an inclusive, flexible and supportive workplace. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds and welcome the unique talent and experience you will bring to our team.
This search process is being managed by SWR Group on Metlink’s behalf. To apply for this role, please send your CV and covering letter to tony@swr.nz or graeme@swr.nz quoting reference no. 3890200. Alternatively, to find out more contact Tony Walsh on 029 271 1101 or Graeme Sandri on 029 248 8502.
To be considered for this position you will have NZ citizenship/residency or relevant working visa.
Applications close 5pm, 11th April 2025
