Chapter Lead

Spark NZ

As New Zealand's largest telecommunications and digital services company, Spark's purpose is to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world. We provide mobile, broadband, and digital services to millions of New Zealanders and thousands of New Zealand businesses.

We operate in an exciting and constantly evolving industry, where the pace of change brings new and unique challenges every day, so we operate using Agile ways of working to allow us to meet the fast-changing needs of our customers. Agile replaces the traditional hierarchical organisational structure to produce a transparent, collaborative environment with highly productive teams who are empowered to deliver better outcomes for our customers, communities, and all of New Zealand.

About the Role:

The Chapter Lead for Public Cloud is responsible for managing the AWS and Azure Cloud architecture and DevOps engineering teams. This is a leadership role for an energetic hands-on consulting practitioner who leads by example, with a strong strategic and customer-centric mindset.

While managing the team day-to-day is key, this is a group that is being reshaped for growth. You will bring an eye for identifying and growing talent to this role both within the existing team and by reaching into your network.

You will have a clear vision of what a successful consulting practice looks like, and how to execute that change according to your vision. Technically, you will have a deep knowledge of hyperscaler products and services, and how they can be effectively shaped into market leading propositions.

By necessity, this role also requires someone who is very comfortable being in front of customers, and who is capable of accurately determining and articulating client outcomes in order to shape Spark's propositions. Accordingly, you will have a high degree of commercial acumen, and be comfortable in creating certainty and clarity within complex and occasionally challenging conversations.

Day to day you will be involved in:

• Manage the AWS Architect and DevOps teams, and the Azure Architect and DevOps teams
• Coach and develop the team's craft expertise and capabilities, and act in a 'hands on' practice lead and mentoring capacity
• Manage the team's capacity to meet customer and operational demands to meet KPIs and optimise the P&L, and shape the workforce for future success
• Work closely with the Sales teams to develop and pitch industry leading public cloud consulting propositions
• Offer expert strategic insights to the Public Cloud product teams based on current and thorough industry knowledge and market trends, backed by extensive product expertise
• Develop and maintain influential relationships across diverse stakeholders within the Spark Group, while being a constant advocate for the skills and quality of your team.

What experience you'll bring?

• Proven track record of successfully leading high performance Cloud technical, consulting and product team
• Extensive background in consulting through a collaborative leadership style
• Strong relationship building, influencing, internal and external stakeholder management
• Established track record of leading operational improvements to drive sustainable efficiencies and results within a consulting environment
• Demonstrated financial and commercial capabilities across Chapter disciplines and P&L lines
• Customer centric, people-focused style of management, with strong communication skills and comfort engaging across a wide range of solution disciplines
• Systems thinking, proactive approach to problem solving, bringing clarity and solutions to challenges that have a high degree of ambiguity and uncertainty

This is your opportunity to lead from the front, develop top-tier cloud talent, and be the cornerstone of how Spark delivers cloud at scale. Let's build what's next – together.

WHY CHOOSE US:

Diversity and Inclusion: Te Kanorau me te Whakawhāiti mai

At Spark, we are constantly looking for ways to build a more inclusive culture.  Our vision is for diversity and inclusion to be "how things are done at Spark", embedded into our day-to-day activities, standards, and business practices.  We want you to feel totally comfortable bringing your whole self to work regardless of your gender, ethnicity, orientation, age, or ability.

Sustainability: Toitū

Sustainability is a key focus for us.  We are dedicated to supporting Aotearoa New Zealand's recovery and economic transformation.  The principle of equity is at the very heart of our approach, and we remain committed to working in partnership to make a positive contribution to digital equity in line with our focus on Diversity and Inclusion.

Benefits: Awhina

Our people matter and we make sure we look after them. As a valued employee of Spark, we've got our people covered with a range of leading benefits including:

• Wellbeing - Comprehensive medical insurance, life and income protection.  Access to wellbeing coaches, EAP and in-house Specialist Clinical support through our leading Mahi Tahi Wellness programme.

• Hybrid ways of working - for most teams at Spark this means being in the office for 4 days a week, and 1 day being flexible.

• Leave - in addition to four weeks annual leave, we offer purchased leave, enhanced parental leave support and study leave.

• Spark Credit – we provide permanent employees with $120 monthly Spark credit to use on any of our amazing products.

• Spark Share scheme – periodically we offer the opportunity to buy into our share scheme.

• Career development – access to an internal marketplace that connects employees with experiential, on the job learning across Spark.

Due to the nature and urgency of this role, we are only considering applicants that are based in New Zealand with permanent residency, citizenship, or a valid work visa (with at least 18 months remaining).