Head of Licensing and Standards

• The Head of Licensing and Standards is an exceptional leader and manager of their nationwide people
• Demonstrate your regulatory oversight experience within an innovative authority that sets their people up for success
• Wellington location

By joining us, you will be part of a team where meaningful work, collaboration and innovation come together to help keep New Zealand’s skies safe and secure.

At the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, we are constantly evolving to meet the demands of a changing environment and the aviation industry.

Recent legislative changes, along with an organisational realignment, have opened exciting new opportunities across the Authority. These changes are part of a broader effort to better position our teams for the future by enabling us to be more collaborative, efficient and effective in everything we do.

As we step confidently into our role as a modern regulator, we are embracing intelligence-led, risk-based approaches that help us make a real difference for our people and the communities we serve – with a strong value-for-money ethos. We’re also committed to enabling aviation participants to support economic growth in New Zealand's aviation sector.

About the role

In response to recent changes at the Civil Aviation Authority, we have created a new Head of Licensing and Standards within the Aviation Safety Oversight team to provide leadership and drive effective regulatory decision-making.

This requires an exceptional person to lead an engaged and high performing team of technical experts, as well as to collaborate and influence across the whole organisation to develop and implement effective regulatory oversight processes at a strategic and operational level. Travel will be required to engage with the nationwide team and external stakeholders.

The salary band for the Head of Licensing and Standards goes from $188,168 to $261,778 with the mid-range being $230,231. Starting salaries will be based on knowledge, skills and experience the successful candidate brings to the role, and relativities both, within the immediate team and in the broader Authority for the same or similar roles.

What You’ll Bring

We are interested in hearing from experienced leaders who are forward thinkers that can build and maintain interpersonal relationships, communicate to a wide range of people while contributing to the overall success in a challenging and ever-changing regulatory environment.

You will need to demonstrate.

• Proven track record of effectively leading highly functional and cohesive teams that can operate under complexity in critical safety contexts.
• Strong understanding of Licensing in a regulatory setting.
• Strong self-management skills, as well as the ability to understand and influence complex systems with a range of stakeholders.
• Proven expertise in leading the development of innovative systems and processes.
• Demonstrated experience in driving continuous improvement initiatives that enhance team functionality and streamline work processes.
• Be a strong communicator, both written and verbally, with the ability to adjust to different audiences.

About Us

Our Values – Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Transparency, and Collaboration – represent the standards of behaviour we uphold and guide how we work at the Authority. We embrace diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive environment where our people feel respected, safe, and valued for their unique contributions. We recognise that our people drive our success.

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submit your CV and Cover Letter. Note: your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key skills required for this role.

We want to ensure accessibility needs are well supported, so the recruitment process is fair and equitable for all. Therefore, please let us know if there is any support, we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is fully accessible to you.

For more information on the role please view the position description or contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@caa.govt.nz

Applications close Sunday 13 July 2025