Lead NZTA's enterprise security controls, standards and guardrails
Senior technical authority shaping secure-by-design outcomes
Influence security strategy across a complex national environment
Location: Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Palmerston North or Christchurch
This is a rare opportunity to join NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA) as we expand our security engineering capability, creating three Lead Security Specialist roles to strengthen enterprise security and support secure digital delivery at scale. We’re already using AI-assisted automation across assurance, vulnerability management and SOC triage, and want people who’ll push that further.
Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity
We're looking for three experienced security engineering leaders to join NZTA as a Lead Security Specialist. These are senior technical leadership roles responsible for the design, deployment and continuous improvement of enterprise security controls across NZTA's digital environment.
As Lead Security Specialist, you will be the senior technical and business authority for security controls, helping ensure security is engineered into NZTA's platforms, products and services from the outset rather than assessed after delivery. You'll own the guardrail and control pattern framework, influence enterprise security standards and provide leadership across security engineering activities.
Working closely with the Manager Security Platforms, Security Centre of Excellence, architecture and technology teams, you'll shape how security controls are designed, deployed and operated across one of New Zealand's largest and most complex digital environments.
You will:
Lead the design, deployment and lifecycle management of enterprise security controls
Own and evolve NZTA's control pattern library and guardrail framework
Co-develop enterprise security standards, policies and secure-by-design frameworks
Identify systemic security control gaps and lead remediation at an enterprise level
Provide technical leadership and coaching to delivery teams
Act as NZTA's senior subject matter expert for security controls and patterns
Establish best practice for AI-assisted security engineering and advisory tooling
Support escalated security incidents requiring deep platform and control expertise.
You will find out more about the role here - Position Description
Ko koe tēnei | About you
You will be an accomplished security engineering leader with deep expertise in enterprise security controls, strong technical credibility and the ability to influence complex security and technology decisions across a large organisation. You will bring sound judgement, strategic thinking and a practical approach to balancing security risk with business outcomes.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Extensive experience designing, deploying and operating enterprise security controls across complex cloud, hybrid and OT environments
Deep expertise in at least one security domain, with broad working knowledge across cloud, infrastructure, application, network, identity and OT security
Strong knowledge of enterprise security frameworks, and knowledge of NZISM and the Protective Security Requirements (PSR) or the ability to rapidly acquire it
Experience developing enterprise security standards, policies and control patterns
A track record of identifying and communicating security risks to both technical and executive audiences
Experience with security automation, infrastructure as code and control as code approaches
Strong stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to influence through technical expertise and trusted advice
Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or industry certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, SABSA, GIAC or major cloud security certifications would be advantageous.
You will demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an understanding of, Te Ao Māori and promote tikanga and Te Reo Māori. You will also have knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an appreciation of,…