Technical Strategist

The Role: At Propellerhead, the Technical Strategist role focuses on the delivery of resilient software systems that power everything from complex infrastructure to innovative new platforms. This role works alongside our Product Strategists to shape the technical specification and platform direction for a portfolio of client products. We’re looking for someone who combines architectural insight with a strong hands‑on engineering background and a genuinely AI‑native way of working. You will have spent the formative part of your career as a software developer and still be confident with understanding the structure of software solutions. You’ll have knowledge of emerging trends and you are agentic‑first where you reach for AI to rapidly prototype new ideas and judge their value in hours, not weeks, and you are at home with directing an AI‑assisted delivery pipeline. You will lead and guide the design of complex systems, and we’ll depend on your extensive experience, judgement and insights to ensure that early delivery and continuous improvement is possible. You’ll be applying and reinforcing Engineering standards for programming, and shape the technical solutions our AI‑assisted pipeline builds, in a lean and evolutionary manner. Importantly, you will be responsible for ensuring that client platforms align with our technical strategy. You will work closely with the Chief Technologist and Engineering Principal to apply standards, patterns, and tooling in client contexts, and provide informed input into technical strategy through client platform insights and delivery experience. This is a highly visible, client‑facing role. You will represent Propellerhead in front of senior stakeholders, so a professional, confident presence and the ability to communicate and influence with clarity are essential. Propellerhead operates a hybrid working model (work from our office and from your own home). While you must be based in Auckland for this role, we warmly welcome applications from across New Zealand and internationally who are planning to relocate to Auckland. This particular role requires regular in‑person office attendance. We offer a culture built on trust, continuous learning, and meaningful impact. You’ll join a team that values integrity over ego, and clarity over complexity. If you’re looking to contribute your insight and engineering experience to projects that matter – we would like to hear from you. Qualifications 8+ years of experience with the development of multi‑tier and distributed applications. Agentic‑first: very comfortable using AI to rapidly prototype, shape solutions, and direct an AI‑assisted delivery pipeline across requirements, testing and code generation. A confident, credible communicator and presenter in front of senior client stakeholders. Experience with React user interfaces and services written in C#, and confidence in working with Typescript, Java, Go and Rust services. Strong communication skills demonstrable, with tangible examples of bridging technical solutions with business needs and presenting concepts to a variety of internal and customer stakeholders. Hands‑on experience designing solutions on Azure, including active participation in building CI/CD pipelines and instrumenting for operations. Experience with streaming and messaging platforms such as Kafka or NATS. Proven experience leading the design of complex software applications, preferably for corporate enterprise. Interest or experience in digital identity, verifiable credentials, open banking, AI agent authorization, edge or device‑based software deployment. Responsibilities Authoring, reviewing and communicating solution architecture and specifications in collaboration with the Development teams and our core Engineering team. Championing the technical strategy of Propellerhead as our key business differentiator, aligning design and implementation of the solutions in your portfolio with that technical vision. Building trusted relationships with key client decision‑makers and ensuring our teams understand technical requirements and clearly explaining our solution design to client technologists. Serving as the go‑to technical person for our client’s solutions, including facilitating any technical pre‑requisites for delivery or addressing improvements from operational feedback. Developing strategies to ensure quality measures such as speed‑to‑value, security, reliability, maintainability, performance and functional fit for purpose. Facilitating the evolution of our code base from C# to Rust and the ecosystem of tools, practices and services that it implies, with AI central to how we handle requirements, testing and code generation. Benefits Be part of an innovative team, with a culture of learning and collaboration. Contribute to interesting, diverse, and commercially minded work for well‑respected clients. Opportunity for professional growth and development. Fortnightly knowledge sharing sessions, with lunch. Competitive salary and Employee Share Purchase Scheme offering. This role is Auckland based, regular in‑office attendance is required. Work within our beautifully designed office and from home (hybrid working model). Propellerhead is an equal opportunity workplace which is free from discrimination. #J-18808-Ljbffr