Manager Corporate Systems

Lead critical systems that support every part of our organisation Shape strategy and investment across major corporate platforms Join a senior leadership team driving meaningful organisational impact.

The role of Manager Corporate Systems is a broad, high‑impact leadership role across a complex and business‑critical application portfolio. You will work closely with business leaders, Product Owners, Programme Managers, vendors and technology specialists to turn organisational priorities into clear roadmaps, practical delivery plans and reliable services. This is a role for someone who enjoys the challenge of delivering in a highly complex environment but can see how their systems can drive real improvements across the organisation.

The role is responsible for leading the strategy, performance and continuous improvement of the corporate systems that help Ara Poutama Aotearoa operate every day. This includes major platforms such as SAP, ServiceNow, Kronos, LMS and SuccessFactors – systems that support payroll, rostering, people services, learning, service management and corporate operations across the Department.

Leading a team of people leaders and technical specialists, the role is responsible for solution development, business advice, product roadmaps, backlogs, system enhancements, operational performance and continuous improvement.

The role is responsible for shaping investment choices, improving staff experience, strengthening service resilience and ensuring our core business applications remain fit for purpose now and into the future.

You are a strategic, practical and collaborative leader who can bring clarity to complexity, navigating competing stakeholder expectations with ease. You understand how corporate systems support business operations, and you know how to work across business, internal teams and partners to deliver meaningful outcomes. You are seen as a digital leader – someone comfortable engaging with senior leaders and executives to build trust and influence outcomes.

You can navigate governance, investment and prioritisation decisions with confidence, translating complex system, delivery and operational issues into clear, prioritised roadmaps. You are a natural people leader who builds trust, develops capability and creates the conditions for your team and partners to do their best work. You are confident leading a large team with a wide range of skills, technical depth and capability, empowering them to deliver effective outcomes by working to their strengths.

Your sound judgement, strong communication skills and the confidence to handle tension between operational reliability, business demands, cost, risk, change and adoption while continually applying a user experience lens to services is exactly what Ara Poutama Aotearoa is seeking.

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• Proven experience leading corporate systems delivery in complex environments, working collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve organisational outcomes.
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• Ability to translate business priorities and needs into practical solutions, roadmaps and delivery plans, balancing competing demands, managing trade‑offs and maximising value from investment.
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• Strong stakeholder engagement with the confidence to build relationships, influence outcomes and communicate effectively at all levels.
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• Proven people leadership experience, including developing capability, empowering teams, and creating an inclusive, high‑performing culture to deliver across different technologies, vendors, partners and operating models.
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• Experience leading products, platforms, services, or technology‑related functions in a complex organisation, with a focus on continuous improvement and service performance.
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• Experience with ERP and/or SaaS platforms is beneficial but not essential.
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The midpoint of the salary range is $182,127 per annum and the full range (85%–120%) is $154,808–$218,553 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

We offer flexible working arrangements, including working from home up to two days a week, and access to a range of staff benefits including retail discounts and health services.

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa – Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re‑offending, and addressing the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities.

As a values‑led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship) and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair and encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Applications close on: Sunday 2nd August 2026.