Product Owner - Digital

• Fixed Term/Secondment to 30 June 2028
• 3 positions available
• Auckland/Wellington or Christchurch based

About us

The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) takes a long-term view of how New Zealand’s towns, cities and regions grow and change. We work across housing, transport, the environment, urban development, infrastructure and investment, and partner closely with local government.

We provide joined-up policy and investment advice to government, support effective regulation and market settings, and work with others to help deliver affordable housing, connected communities, well-planned infrastructure, and a healthy, sustainable environment.

About the role

We are seeking experienced Product Owners to provide delivery leadership for digital products and services that support the transformation and digital enablement of New Zealand's planning system.

As Product Owner, you will own the delivery and prioritisation of your product area, working closely with stakeholders, users and delivery teams to maximise the value delivered. You will help shape and contribute to the product vision and roadmap, balancing customer needs, policy objectives, technical delivery and long-term sustainability. You will connect business needs with technical delivery, prioritise enhancements and delivery activity, and ensure products continue to deliver value for users and stakeholders. In doing so, you will help maximise the value of investment in the digital enablement of New Zealand’s new planning system.

The key purpose of this role is to:

• Deliver the vision, objectives and roadmap for your product area, ensuring delivery aligns with organisational and stakeholder needs.
• Prioritise enhancements and delivery activities to maximise product value and achieve strategic outcomes.
• Lead product delivery planning and decision making by balancing user needs, business priorities, technical considerations and available resources.
• Engage with users and stakeholders to understand requirements, identify opportunities and keep the product relevant and fit for purpose.
• Advise senior leaders on product performance, delivery priorities, risks and opportunities to support informed decision making.
• Coordinate delivery across technical teams, data providers, suppliers and partner organisations.
• Champion a user-centred approach that focuses delivery on outcomes and real-world benefits.

Skills and experience

Our ideal candidate will bring a mix of the following skills and experience:

• Proven experience as a Product Owner or in a similar role, ideally delivering digital or geospatial products in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• A track record of contributing to product direction and translating objectives into prioritised delivery outcomes, and making informed decisions about priorities and trade-offs to maximise value.
• Strong ability to translate user needs into product improvements and investment decisions, using evidence, feedback and insights to guide decision-making.
• Experience managing and prioritising product backlogs, including writing, refining and sequencing work to support effective delivery.
• Excellent relationship-building skills across government, local government, technical communities and internal teams, bringing people together around shared outcomes.
• Confident decision making under competing demands, with the judgement to make clear, transparent and timely calls that keep delivery on track.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to engage credibly with both technical and non-technical audiences and build support for priorities and decisions.
• Sound understanding of product risk, dependency and issue management to support sustainable and reliable service delivery.
• An understanding of the planning system, resource management, digital transformation, or related public sector environments would be an advantage.

Salary range

Salary range for this role is $121,414 - $147,455 pa.  Appointment within this range will be based on skills and experience.

Apply now

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submit your CV and cover letter. Note: your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key skills required for this role.

If you require further information about this position please contact Ross Lothian at ross.lothian@mcert.govt.nz.

We are committed to equal opportunities and building a diverse, inclusive workplace. We support our people to work in ways that help them do their best. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.

We want our recruitment process to be fair and accessible for everyone. If you need any support or adjustments, please let us know or get in touch at recruitment@mcert.govt.nz.

You must have the right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.

Note: If you are considering a secondment, please speak with your Manager before submitting your application.

Applications close: Wednesday, 14 October 2026