Product Owner - Contract Role - 5 months

About the Role

We’re partnering with a large government organisation seeking an experienced Product Owner to shape how they manage and communicate network disruptions — from unplanned incidents and road closures to major planned events that impact travel and public movement.

This is not your typical Product Owner role. You’ll influence at a strategic level, aligning multiple teams, systems, and decision-makers to create a joined-up, customer-focused approach to how disruptions are identified, assessed, and communicated.

You’ll act as the connector between operations, technology, and communications, ensuring citizens receive the right information at the right time to make informed travel choices.

What You’ll Do

• Shape and own the product vision for managing disruptions that impact end users.
• Drive an integrated end-to-end approach across the disruption management flow of — identification, response, and communication.
• Embed that thinking across two major programmes of work and the systems that communicate to customers.
• Bring together diverse stakeholder groups, from senior executives to operational teams across multiple businesses, to align on objectives, outcomes, and priorities.
• Influence how disruption-related data flows through systems to enable real-time, proactive communication.
• Champion and uplift understanding of the Product Owner function, demonstrating how a product-led approach enhances customer experience and decision-making.
• Support process and technology improvement initiatives, shaping integration across operations and communications platforms.

About You

• A highly experienced Product Owner or strategic delivery professional with strong stakeholder management and influencing capability.
• Technically astute, with understanding of data flows, system integration, and information management.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, cross-functional environments without a dedicated agile squad — guiding and aligning work across existing programme teams.
• Able to translate complex operational processes into clear outcomes and measurable value.
• Known for resilience, diplomacy, and clear strategic communication with senior leaders.
• Familiar with agile concepts and practices (experience using Azure DevOps a plus).
• Background in transport, infrastructure, public service, or customer experience-led delivery highly regarded.

Apply now:

This is a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of customer experience, data, and public service, helping improve how one of New Zealand’s largest organisations responds to and communicates major city-wide disruptions.

You’ll have visibility across multiple programmes, direct access to senior decision-makers, and the chance to deliver real impact for the public.