Understand why complex systems fail. Shape how they perform tomorrow.
Newly created role connecting network planning and real-world operations
Improve network reliability, resilience and security of supply
Bring electricity network experience or highly transferable systems expertise
Dunedin preferred; Christchurch or Cromwell also available
A network can meet its capacity requirements on paper and still let customers down. A recurring fault, a difficult switching arrangement or a lengthy restoration can reveal a problem that needs a different approach.
Aurora Energy is looking for someone who follows that evidence, challenges assumptions and turns their findings into lasting improvements.
Your opportunity
Supporting communities across Otago, Aurora is strengthening the reliability and resilience of its electricity network. That network runs from Dunedin to the Queenstown and Southern Lakes area, one of the fastest-growing parts of New Zealand, where rapid load growth, long rural feeders and alpine conditions make resilience and security of supply a genuinely difficult problem.
Reporting to the Network Planning Manager, you will own the connection between how the network is planned and how it actually operates. This is a senior-level technical role with genuine influence over planning standards, network configuration and investment.
You will:
Investigate network performance, failure patterns and operational constraints
Develop resilience frameworks and measures that guide priorities and demonstrate improvement
Shape switching, contingency and recovery strategies, including automation and flexible resources
Evaluate reliability improvements against safety, risk, cost and customer outcomes
Work across planning, operations and design to implement changes and verify their impact
Build clear, defensible evidence for investment decisions and regulatory reporting
Your work will go beyond identifying what should change. You will help make those changes happen.
What you bring
You will have substantial experience in operational planning, reliability or network security, with the judgement to assess how interconnected systems behave under normal and abnormal conditions.
Electricity network experience is highly regarded. Relevant backgrounds may also include water, other energy systems, mining, rail, naval electrical systems or aviation and traffic control.
Whatever your industry, you will need to demonstrate practical understanding of system configuration, failure modes, contingency planning and recovery. You will be confident interpreting evidence, balancing competing risks and influencing people across technical and operational teams.
Relevant engineering or technical learning matters, alongside the experience to apply it. Advanced modelling-software expertise is not essential; specialist support is available within the team.
The team around you
You will join a team of curious professionals who enjoy solving difficult problems and take responsibility for the wider network, not just their own task
You will thrive here if you can work through ambiguity, plan your own work and stay motivated by improvements whose value unfolds over time.
Our Network Planning Manager gives people genuine ownership and expects them to defend their reasoning and work collaboratively to develop and test ideas. You will be expected to think deeply, follow the consequences through the wider system, weigh risk and effort trade-offs, and build the evidence behind your decisions and methods. You will have support when you need it, and your thinking will be tested constructively.
Why Aurora Energy?
This is an opportunity to shape the future of essential infrastructure. Here, you will be empowered to innovate, challenge, and improve how we work.
Benefits & Lifestyle
Competitive total remuneration package
Flexible, supportive, people-first culture
Genuine work-life balance with flexible hours
We offer relocation support to the successful applicant!
If you enjoy finding the real cause of a problem and want the responsibility to improve the whole system, we would love to hear from you.
Apply now, or for a confidential discussion, phone Steph Richardson at Paragon on 021 202 2809.
With thanks to Dunedin, NZ for the beautiful images
Paragon
About Paragon - The Agency for People Great people decisions start well before a vacancy exists. We work with your team on headcount forecasting, team design, and the capability you’ll need next, so when a role does open it is already part of a plan we built together. The support continues long afte...
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