Technology Partner Manager

Te Whiwhinga mahi The Opportunity

This is not a keep things ticking along vendor management role.

Its a newly created opportunity to build a commercially disciplined partner management capability shaping how Contact engages with strategic technology partners and ensuring those relationships deliver stronger performance clearer accountability and better value from our technology investment.

Sitting in Technologys Strategy & Transformation team and working closely with the Head of Strategy & Transformation youll bring structure commercial leadership and strategic focus to an evolving partner landscape. Youll strengthen governance improve supplier performance support commercial planning and help align our vendors and strategic partners are aligned to Contacts technology roadmap investment priorities and business outcomes.

Youll work across Technology leadership Finance Procurement delivery operations security architecture and external partners connecting the right people insights and commercial levers to improve quality speed cost-effectiveness and risk management.

There is meaningful visible work to lead.  Youll help build partner management capability improve governance and performance and support key commercial activities including work connected to enterprise architecture and broader technology and service opportunities.

• Build and mature Contacts Technology partner management capability across an evolving vendor ecosystem.
• Lead strategic partner development across Technology working closely with Technology leaders subject matter experts Finance Procurement and key business stakeholders.
• Establish and uplift governance frameworks for strategic partners and vendors ensuring alignment with business priorities and the Technology investment plan.
• Drive stronger vendor performance improving quality speed cost-effectiveness and risk management across the Technology partner landscape.
• Support commercial planning modelling RFP development supplier risk management and performance conversations.
• Advise on capex and opex planning performance metrics financial planning and asset management to support efficient delivery and operations.
• Communicate Technology strategy roadmap updates technical requirements and performance expectations to partners vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Provide insight on vendor capability dependencies risks opportunities benefits and change impacts.
• Act as a trusted advisor and coach helping lift commercial and vendor management capability across Technology. 
• Identify opportunities to simplify systems improve processes strengthen financial performance and minimise risk.
• Act as a trusted advisor and coach on vendor and commercial management best practice
• Identify opportunities to improve systems processes financial performance and risk management across the vendor landscape
• Contribute to team performance and support broader technology and business transformation initiatives

Qualifications :

Ko wai koe About You

Youll bring experience technology commercial decision-making and senior stakeholder relationships whether in strategic partner management technology account management service delivery technical sales managed services systems integration or a similar field.

What matters most is your ability to connect the dots. You understand how technology vendors operate how commercial arrangements shape delivery and how to build the kind of partner relationships that create accountability trust and better outcomes.

Youre commercially sharp relationship-led and comfortable operating with ambiguity. You know how to influence without relying on hierarchy bring structure to complex environments and work across multiple stakeholders priorities and delivery models.

You dont need to be the deepest technical expert in the room but you do need enough technology understanding to ask good questions assess trade-offs understand partner capability and contribute meaningfully to strategic and commercial decisions.

Youll ideally bring

• 10 years experience in strategic partner relationship management technology commercial management managed services systems integration service delivery technical sales account management or a related field.
• A strong blend of technology understanding commercial capability and relationship leadership.
• Experience managing vendor or partner performance commercial relationships supplier risk RFPs and/or strategic technology services.
• Strong commercial planning capability including business case development budgeting forecasting reporting and cost/value optimisation.
• Experience working with capex and opex planning.
• Confidence working across cross-functional technology and business transformation environments.
• Strong analytical problem-solving and decision-making skills with a practical can-do mindset.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate strategic and commercial positions to stakeholders at all levels.
• A relevant degree or professional qualification in an area such as commerce finance engineering management or a related discipline.

This role needs someone who can work across commercial technology delivery and relationship spaces and bring people with them.

Additional Information :

This is a rare chance to step into a role where youll build something meaningful influence how Contact works with strategic technology partners and help create a more disciplined scaled and future-focused approach to vendor and commercial management.

We support flexible working where it works for the individual the team and the business. Our main hubs are in Wellington Auckland and Tauranga and this role is best suited to someone who can work flexibly from one of these locations to enable strong in person connection and collaboration. While we do have smaller sites across other centres of Aotearoa proximity to a main hub is important for this role.

Contact is not a place youll stagnate. Were growing evolving and investing in our people. We also offer a bunch of other perks like free health insurance cover boosted KiwiSaver access to Contact Shares a Good to be Home annual payment toward your home set up & wellbeing a trail-blazing parental leave policy twice yearly payments towards our products if youre a Contact customer and more!

Applications close on Thursday 13th August. But just like peak demand great talent surges early so if this role sparks your interest power up your application now!

Here at Contact Energy (Te Mata Hiko) we know our strength lies in developing a sense of belonging - one that helps us attract and retain people with a broad range of perspectives and experiences.

Were committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued respected and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our customers and communities to help build a better Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have a rich community of talented people that we support to thrive at Contact.

Our inclusive hiring process is designed to embrace the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand ensuring a wide range of perspectives are included in our decision-making and helping reduce bias along the way.

The wellbeing of our kaimahi is super important to us.

We use employee insights to offer a range of initiatives and resources to support physical mental financial and emotional wellbeing including flexible working arrangements employee network groups and a market-leading parental leave policy.

At Te Mata Hiko we want everyone to thrive. We welcome applicants far and wide - of every age stage background and pride. Join us and be part of a team that values your passion and attitude just as much as your experience and skills.

Please note only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role.

Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria women and those in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they tick every box. Were not about box ticking so if you think you have what it takes but dont meet everything stated above please still get in touch. Wed love to kōrero.

Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) does not accept any CVs received from recruitment agencies where a formal engagement has not been confirmed and agreed to with our Talent the event that unsolicited CVs are submitted by recruitment agencies Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current/future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency in question. This will also apply to any CVs sent directly to line managers.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time