Operations Authority

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to influence how operational assurance is delivered across one of Aotearoa’s most complex and diverse generation portfolios.

Reporting to the Engineering Authority, you'll provide independent oversight of operational safety, work control systems, operator capability, plant operations, and operational risk across Contact's generation sites. You'll work across the business, from frontline operational teams through to executive leadership and board committees, helping ensure critical operational controls remain effective and fit for purpose.

You'll have the opportunity to shape the future direction of operational excellence at Contact by:

• Establishing and evolving Contact's operational authority framework, including assurance practices, standards, and governance mechanisms.
• Providing independent operational assurance and influencing decisions on operational risk, capability, work control, and future operating models.
• Maintaining oversight of operational performance and critical operational controls across generation assets from commissioning through to operation.
• Leading the development and stewardship of operational standards, operating procedures, safety rules, isolation practices, and work control frameworks.
• Partnering with operational leaders, engineering specialists, health and safety teams, and risk professionals to strengthen consistency and alignment across our generation operations.
• Acting as the enterprise-wide escalation point and subject matter authority on operational safety, work control, and plant isolation matters.
• Supporting executive and board-level reporting through robust analysis, insight, and assurance on operational performance and risk.
• Representing Contact with regulators and external stakeholders on operational safety and work control matters.
• Helping the business navigate complex operational questions where safety, technology, capability, and business needs intersect.

Success in this role will come from your ability to step back from day-to-day operations and provide an independent perspective on what good, safe, and sustainable operations look like. You'll be comfortable navigating ambiguity, challenging assumptions, and balancing competing priorities to help the business make informed decisions that stand the test of time.

Ko wai koe | About You

You'll bring deep operational credibility earned through leading complex operations in a safety-critical industries. Importantly, you'll have walked in the shoes of the people you're influencing, bringing practical operational experience alongside strategic thinking and sound judgement.

You may have built your career in power generation, oil and gas, chemical processing, refining, mining, or a similarly complex operational environment where safety, operational discipline, and risk management are critical to success.

You'll thrive in this role if you:

• Bring significant experience in senior operational leadership roles within large-scale operational environments where safety, reliability, and operational discipline are critical.
• Have extensive knowledge of plant operations, operational risk management, work control systems, plant isolation, and safety-critical operations.
• Can provide objective, independent advice while building trusted relationships across all levels of an organisation.
• Are comfortable influencing senior leaders, executives, governing bodies, regulators, and technical specialists.
• Demonstrate excellent judgement and can make sound decisions in complex or ambiguous operational environments.
• Have experience providing operational assurance, governance, oversight, or independent review functions.
• Can identify emerging risks, challenge established thinking, and influence outcomes through evidence and credibility.
• Are confident communicating complex operational issues in a way that supports informed decision-making.
• Bring a strategic mindset and can understand the long-term operational implications of decisions made today.
• Hold a relevant technical or business qualification, or equivalent experience gained through your career.

Above all, you'll be someone who genuinely cares about operational excellence, has high professional standards, and is motivated by creating safer, stronger, and more effective operational environments.

Additional Information
If you're looking for a senior opportunity to apply your operational expertise, influence how operational assurance is delivered, and shape the future of Contact's generation operations, we'd love to hear from you.

We support flexible working where it works for the individual, the team and the business. This role can be based in Auckland, Taupō or Wellington. Regular travel to generation sites across New Zealand will be an important part of the role, enabling you to build strong relationships and maintain visibility across our generation operations.

Contact is not a place you'll stagnate. We're growing, evolving, and investing in our people. We also offer a bunch of other perks like free health insurance cover, boosted KiwiSaver, access to Contact Shares, a ‘Good to be Home’ annual payment toward your home set up & wellbeing, a trail-blazing parental leave policy, twice yearly payments towards our products if you're a Contact customer, and more!

Applications close on Wednesday 28th October 2026. But just like peak demand, great talent surges early, so if this role sparks your interest, power up your application now!

We love a good story at Contact, it’s what keeps our energy flowing! If you’ve got one that connects with this role, send it our way.

Here at Contact Energy (Te Mata Hiko), we know our strength lies in developing a sense of belonging - one that helps us attract and retain people with a broad range of perspectives and experiences.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our customers and communities to help build a better Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have a rich community of talented people that we support to thrive at Contact.

Our inclusive hiring process is designed to embrace the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring a wide range of perspectives are included in our decision-making and helping reduce bias along the way.
The wellbeing of our kaimahi is super important to us.
We use employee insights to offer a range of initiatives and resources to support physical, mental, financial and emotional wellbeing – including flexible working arrangements, employee network groups and a market-leading parental leave policy.

At Te Mata Hiko, we want everyone to thrive. We welcome applicants far and wide - of every age, stage, background, and pride. Join us and be part of a team that values your passion and attitude just as much as your experience and skills.

Please note, only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role.

Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria, women and those in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they tick every box. We're not about box ticking, so if you think you have what it takes but don't meet everything stated above, please still get in touch. We'd love to kōrero.

Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) does not accept any CVs received from recruitment agencies where a formal engagement has not been confirmed and agreed to with our Talent team. In the event that unsolicited CVs are submitted by recruitment agencies, Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current/future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency in question. This will also apply to any CVs sent directly to line managers.