Programme Manager - Terminal Development

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) is seeking an experienced Programme Manager to lead the delivery of its landmark terminal redevelopment. This is one of the most significant infrastructure investments in the Southern Lakes region in a generation. This role sits at the heart of a complex, multi-year programme valued at circa $300 million. Reporting into the newly appointed Chief Infrastructure Officer, the Programme Manager will be responsible for end-to-end programme governance, budget management, risk oversight, and stakeholder coordination across a wide range of internal and external parties including designers, contractors, consenting authorities, and airline partners. The successful candidate will bring proven experience delivering major brownfield redevelopment programmes in live operational environments, ideally within aviation, commercial, mixed-use retail, transport, or critical infrastructure. They will demonstrate strong leadership, commercial acumen, and the ability to maintain operational continuity throughout construction. Queenstown Airport proudly connects our home with Aotearoa New Zealand and the world. Following the approval of the Queenstown Airport 2032 Master Plan, QAC is now moving into a significant, multi-year phase of capital delivery and we are looking for an experienced Programme Manager to help lead the way. This is a newly created role responsible for the leadership of a team of internal and external Project Managers, delivering a precinct-based work programme as part of QAC's broader capital delivery plan. Each programme sits within a $100M–$350M budget range and represents a critical component of the airport's enterprise capital investment strategy. Reporting to the Chief Infrastructure Officer, you will act as the senior programme delivery authority within the infrastructure function and be accountable for the end-to-end for programme outcomes, from concept and planning through to delivery of infrastructure assets, and for benefits realisation aligned to enterprise strategy. The Role: Owning end-to-end delivery accountability for programme outcomes, budget, scope, timeline; Developing programme plans in conjunction with the Chief Infrastructure Officer, covering financial, sustainability, procurement, and resourcing requirements; Providing programme-level input into Board and Executive reporting, including delivery confidence, capital risk exposure, and strategic performance; Identifying and escalating technical, safety, financial, and operational risks including those that may impact live airport operations; Leading internal and external project management resources to build a high-performance delivery culture across teams, consultants, and delivery partners; Building and maintaining relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including airlines, regulators, contractors, iwi, and community groups; and Embedding safety-by-design principles and safety leadership across all stages of programme delivery. Required Skills & Experience: You will be a senior programme delivery professional with a track record of leading complex, multi-year infrastructure programmes at scale, ideally within aviation, mixed-use retail, commercial, utilities, or large precinct development; and Experience delivering within live operational environments, and exposure to operational readiness (ORAT), commissioning, and live-environment delivery will be highly regarded. You will also bring: Strong executive-level stakeholder management, negotiation, and influencing skills; Sound investment and business case development knowledge, including capital governance and programme investment trade-offs; Excellent understanding of NZ construction and procurement processes, including experience managing Tier 1 contractors; A collaborative, high-integrity leadership style, with the ability to build high-performance delivery cultures across multi-disciplinary teams; and The ability to adapt quickly in a dynamic environment, balancing operational constraints with capital delivery pressures. Why join Queenstown Airport? QAC's vision is to be an innovative airport that people love to travel through, and the community takes pride in. Guided by their values: Do the Right Thing, Remarkable Every Day, and We Get It Done; you will be joining a team that genuinely cares about the outcomes it delivers for its people, partners, and community. This is a rare opportunity to shape a nation-significant infrastructure programme in a newly created senior role, based in one of New Zealand's most spectacular locations. #J-18808-Ljbffr