Program Manager - Ruakākā Solar Farm

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey. Ethical Power New Zealand – Whangarei, North Island This is a full-time role supporting us on our Ruakākā Solar Farm project, being constructed for our client, Meridian Energy. The role is a hybrid role, but there will be an expectation of being at our Ruakākā site offices 2-3 days a week. The Ruakākā Solar Farm Program Manager is responsible for owning, maintaining and communicating the integrated project plan for Ethical Power New Zealand projects, providing a single, reliable view of schedule, milestones, dependencies and delivery status. The role will coordinate planning inputs across development, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover, ensuring the program is current, appropriately baselined and updated as work progresses. The Program Manager will identify critical path activities, dependencies, emerging delays and recovery actions, and will work closely with Project Managers and delivery teams to validate progress and forecast completion. A central requirement of the role is high-quality reporting. The Program Manager will lead the regular program review cadence and provide clear, timely schedule updates and dashboards to the project team, senior management, clients and other stakeholders so that risks, decisions and priorities are visible and acted on early. Key responsibilities Act as the custodian of the integrated project plan and ensure it is the agreed source of truth for project delivery status. Establish and lead a disciplined planning and reporting cadence with Project Managers, construction teams and functional leads. Lead project and program status update meetings with Ethical senior management, clients, energy off-takers and finance counterparties as required, using the detailed project plan and a clear high-level status dashboard. Drive timely action and decision making by highlighting critical milestones, dependencies, constraints and required interventions. Coordinate planning inputs and deliverables across project engineering, EPC, client, regulatory, permitting and site delivery teams. Work with Project Managers and functional leads to confirm progress, forecast dates, resource constraints and upcoming deliverables. Own, develop, baseline, track and maintain the integrated project program from development through construction, commissioning and handover to Operations. Maintain detailed project schedules and tasks using appropriate project management tools, including Microsoft Project or Smartsheet. Prepare and issue regular program reports and dashboards showing progress against baseline, key milestones, critical path, forecast completion, key changes and emerging concerns. Ensure program decisions and recovery planning do not compromise Health & Safety, quality or environmental requirements. About you Bachelor of Engineering degree, Diploma in Engineering, project management, construction management or equivalent is desirable. Recognised Project Management qualification. At least 4-6 years professional experience in project or program management within large-scale, complex project delivery. Proven ability to establish, baseline, maintain and report complex project programs involving multiple workstreams and stakeholders. Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel, CPM scheduling, and Microsoft Project or Smartsheet. Experience within EPC construction and an understanding of civil, electrical and structural delivery interfaces is highly desirable. Advanced communication, report writing and presentation skills, including executive-level program reporting and stakeholder engagement. Willingness and ability to travel and attend project sites as required, with a clean Class 1 driving licence. Excellent organisational skills demonstrated by clear, logical and maintainable project plans. Strong facilitation and relationship management skills, with confidence leading program reviews with senior and external stakeholders. What we offer One of NZ’s most exciting solar farm builds, in the beautiful Northland 5 weeks annual leave 5% Kiwisaver employer contribution Medical insurance A further pipeline of large-scale projects Ethical Power Ethical Power is at an exciting point in its evolution. Founded in 2010, we have built an excellent reputation in the solar energy market and are poised to take advantage of increasing opportunities in solar power as countries across the world, commit to a net zero carbon status. We’re an independent vertically integrated renewables company operating globally. We work across the entire project lifecycle and offer excellent opportunities to discover various career paths across our Group Companies. Our mission is to maximise the potential of capturing and using clean power for all stakeholders, while staying true and committed to our values. As our project pipeline in New Zealand continues to grow, we are looking for an experienced Program Manager to strengthen planning, coordination and reporting across our large-scale renewable projects. Ethical Power offers the opportunity to be part of a leading global team working on some of New Zealand’s most innovative and large-scale renewable projects. We value fresh perspectives and diverse experiences, which is why we actively seek individuals who bring unique ideas and a hunger for growth. Applicants must hold New Zealand citizenship, New Zealand permanent residency or a valid New Zealand work permit. #J-18808-Ljbffr