Data Platform Lead - (Domain Lead (L1) - Kaiārahi ā-Mahi

Data Platform Lead - (Domain Lead L1) - Kaiārahi ā-Mahi

• Wellington based preferred but open to all IR locations
• 18-month fixed term / secondment opportunity
• Bring your technical expertise, sound judgement and leadership experience to an established environment

The Opportunity | Ara Whiwhi Mahi

We are looking for an experienced Data Platform Lead, internally known as Domain Lead L1, to provide technical leadership and support the stability, continuity and delivery of our enterprise data and analytics platform during an interim period.

This is an opportunity to bring your technical expertise, sound judgement and leadership experience to an established environment. You’ll work collaboratively across business and technology teams, providing clear direction, supporting effective decision-making and ensuring our people remain focused on the right priorities.

You’ll quickly build an understanding of the existing environment, establish credibility with key stakeholders and provide steady leadership while supporting our teams to deliver with confidence.

In this role, you will:

• Provide practical technical leadership across the data platform environment, helping teams stay focused, aligned, and moving.
• Support operational stability, service continuity, and delivery confidence throughout the interim period.
• Work with customer leaders, delivery teams, and vendor stakeholders to clarify priorities, manage dependencies, and keep effort focused on agreed outcomes.
• Surface risks, technical trade-offs, and decision points early, and support timely resolution through the right governance channels.
• Bring permanent staff, contractors, and vendor resources together as one joined-up delivery team.
• Support transition and handover to the customer’s future permanent technical leadership role where required.
• Lead, coach and develop others to build capability and strengthen quality of advice and decision-making

About you | Mōu

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Substantial senior experience in enterprise data, analytics, engineering, platform, technology, or service delivery environments.
• Strong experience leading or supporting enterprise data platform environments.
• A clear, balanced communication style that works well with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Good judgement, maturity, and the ability to work constructively with established teams.
• A practical approach to problem solving, prioritisation, risk management, and decision support.
• Confidence working autonomously while staying aligned with customer direction and professional services accountabilities.
• Strong awareness of confidentiality, privacy, information security, and the appropriate handling of sensitive customer data.
• An inclusive working style that supports a diverse team environment.
• Experience coaching and developing others, building capability and lifting performance

It would be an advantage if you also have:

• Experience working in environments comprising both internal teams and external technology partners or vendors.
• Experience with Snowflake, Power BI, SAS, Posit, dbt, Airflow and Python, or comparable enterprise data and analytics technologies.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary teams including platform and data engineers, analysts, architects and service delivery professionals.

About the role

This role is focused on providing stability, technical leadership and delivery confidence, rather than undertaking a major redesign or transformation of the existing platform.

You’ll work across a range of stakeholders and technology specialists to ensure priorities are clear, risks are visible and teams have the support and direction they need to deliver effectively.

Your ability to build trusted relationships, navigate complexity and bring people together will be key to your success.

You’ll be a pragmatic and respected technical leader who is comfortable stepping into an established environment. You’ll listen and understand before acting, bring clarity where it is needed and Work constructively with the people and processes already in place, while supporting a culture of continuous improvement.

Most importantly, you’ll balance strong technical leadership with a collaborative approach, helping our people succeed while leaving the data platform capability stronger for the future.

About us | Mō mātou

At Inland Revenue Te Tari Taake we’re passionate about Aotearoa New Zealand being a great place to live and work. We’re making it simpler for everyone to pay tax that pays for things like health care, education and protecting the environment. We are committed to keeping to the Treaty of Waitangi's guiding principles in our work for and with Māori customers and our employees, their whānau, hapū and iwi.

We are committed to building an inclusive workplace free from inequalities, where all our people are valued, respected and feel supported to reach their full potential.

Apply here | Tono mai

Please outline in your application how your skills and experience align with the advert and role description. For more information about the role and to request a copy of the role description, please contact marco.van-hofwegen@ird.govt.nz.

We recognise that AI tools can support application preparation. Just make sure your responses reflect your own experience. We’re keen to get to know the real you and what you can bring to the role.

Applications close, 5pm Sunday 11th October 2026

Please note, we’ll review applications as they come in and you may hear from us before advertising closes.