The company
Passionate, curious and innovative are a few words that describe our people. We are powering the future, connecting communities and igniting innovation. Orion owns and operates the electricity distribution network that provides power to central Canterbury. As the third largest electricity distribution network in New Zealand, we cover remote rural areas, regional towns and the city of Christchurch.
We are an essential service and take our responsibilities seriously. We are community owned and working here means a career with meaning and purpose that makes a difference in your very own neighbourhood.
The role
Orion plays a pivotal role in powering a cleaner, brighter future for our community. As we continue to evolve our network to meet changing customer requirements, new technologies and the demands of a decarbonised future, we are seeking a highly capable and forward-thinking Head of Operations.
You'll bring a deep technical expertise in electrical distribution systems while also demonstrating strong commercial judgement, operational discipline and the ability to deliver in high-stakes, high-complexity environments.
This is a critical senior position to drive the leadership of a core operational team while strengthening the strategic and commercial partnerships that support our network engaging with industry experts and cross-business stakeholders to deliver value and reliability. Your leadership will ensure we keep our region's power safe, reliable and resilient for the local communities we serve.
Provide visionary leadership that aligns people, systems and operations toward future-focused network performance
Set direction and uplift capability across operational teams fostering a high-perform and safety-first culture built on collaboration and accountability
Drive excellence while leading the safe effectiveness and confident oversight of all network operations
Drive system performance through advanced monitoring, analytics, reporting and targeted continuous improvement initiatives
Manage network demand, load control and operational priorities to optimise reliability, customer outcomes and overall network efficiency
Build and maintain strong influential relationships with Transpower, retailers, emergency services, contractors and key industry partners
Lead emergency management frameworks ensuring robust contingency planning, readiness, and confident leadership during major events
About you
You'll be a highly experienced operational leader with deep sector knowledge and a proven record leading complex distribution network environments with confidence and technical credibility
Strong commercial and strategic acumen to make decisive, well-balanced judgments that optimise safety, operational performance, risk, cost and customer value
A collaborative and influential leader who unites technical experts, operational teams, and stakeholders to solve complex problems and deliver high-impact outcomes
Exceptional communication and relationship-building capability with the presence to engage, influence and align stakeholders at all organisational levels
A people-centred leader who acts as a trusted coach and mentor who is committed to developing capability, strengthening culture and enabling high performance
Technically curious and future-focused - you'll stay across emerging technologies, evolving industry standards and innovative approaches that enhance safety and efficiencies
What they offer
You'll find at Orion, you can come as you are and just be you. You will be joining a workplace that values who you are, the work you do, and the way you think.
Importantly, we offer:
Flexible working environment
Three days of “My Days” leave
A broad range of workplace benefits, from a wellbeing allowance to our holiday house in Hanmer!