Digital Transformation Lead - Digital & Innovation

About the organisation

Awanui Group is New Zealand’s largest network for human and veterinary pathology. With 25 laboratories, 150 collection centres, and more than 2,200 employees nationwide, the organisation delivers specialist service at scale, handling and reporting over 7 million patient results each year.

About the role

This is a permanent, full-time position based in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin. Awanui Group is at a key stage in its digital and innovation development, with a strong emphasis on getting more value from data, strengthening digital capability, and creating a platform for scalable analytics, reliable insights, and future GenAI use cases.

The Digital Transformation Lead will help build momentum by keeping digital work clearly prioritised, well aligned, and delivered effectively across the business. Reporting to the Chief Digital Officer, you will work across business and technology teams to translate strategy into execution, advance priority initiatives, and establish practical delivery practices such as rhythm-based execution and light-touch governance. In partnership with the Founding Data Engineer and wider teams, you will help shape roadmaps, support cross-functional collaboration, and ensure digital investment leads to measurable results.

Key responsibilities

• Lead delivery of priority digital and data initiatives by converting strategy into practical plans and coordinated execution.
• Partner with key stakeholders to move use cases from concept through to delivery, keeping attention on business value throughout.
• Develop and maintain the digital roadmap, including priorities, dependencies, and backlog items, so the team stays focused on work with the greatest impact.
• Establish simple governance and delivery guardrails that encourage progress while appropriately managing risk.
• Connect business and technology teams to maintain alignment and keep delivery moving forward.
• Help teams build confidence and capability in digital tools, modern working practices, and emerging opportunities.

About you

To succeed in this role, you should bring experience in digital transformation, delivery leadership, or programme coordination within complex organisations, along with a strong record of turning strategy into practical delivery outcomes. You will be comfortable working across business and technology teams to progress initiatives in environments with competing demands and uncertainty.

• Background in coordinating delivery across business and technology teams to keep initiatives progressing.
• Ability to manage roadmaps, backlogs, and multiple priorities while balancing delivery speed with sensible structure and governance.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across varied groups.
• Good judgement when prioritising and making decisions, especially where delivery risk and competing demands need to be balanced.
• Experience supporting change and helping people adopt new tools, systems, and ways of working.
• Comfort working in complex or ambiguous settings while keeping work clear, focused, and moving.
• Interest in digital, data, and emerging technologies, including AI, and how they can improve outcomes.
• Must be eligible to work in New Zealand.

What’s on offer

You will join a supportive and inclusive workplace that values growth, work-life balance, and personal wellbeing. As part of a close-knit team, you will have room to show initiative, collaborate effectively, and demonstrate resilience.

The organisation is committed to providing accurate medical expertise every day, and this role offers the chance to contribute to that purpose. You will also have access to in-house learning and development support to strengthen your skills and support career progression.

The workplace is guided by three values: Manaakitanga, meaning care for each other and the people served; Whakapakari, meaning continuous improvement and adaptation to create opportunity; and Hiranga, meaning delivery of the highest quality medical and scientific expertise.

Application information

This opportunity is open for application until 28 July 2026. Applicants are invited to submit a CV and cover letter.