Principal People Partner

• Partner with senior leaders to shape workforce strategy
• Coach leaders and influence organisation-wide outcomes
• Collaborate with People & Capability colleagues in the development and delivery of business group initiatives

About the Role

As Principal People Partner, you'll be a trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders, helping shape workforce capability, culture and organisational performance across assigned business groups.

Working closely with leadership teams and colleagues across People and Capability, you'll provide expert people advice, lead strategic initiatives and develop practical solutions that enable business success while fostering a positive, inclusive and values-led workplace.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leaders to shape workforce strategy and deliver key business outcomes.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on complex people culture and organisational challenges, including employment relations.
• Lead the development and implementation of people initiatives that strengthen capability, engagement and performance.
• Coach and mentor leaders and People & Capability colleagues to build confidence and capability.
• Drive organisational development, change and culture initiatives that support long-term success.
• Use workforce insights and data to inform decisions and measure the impact of people solutions.
• Build strong relationships across the organisation to identify opportunities and deliver practical, people-focused outcomes.

The salary band for this role is $136,939 - $168,191. Starting salaries are based on knowledge, skills and experience the successful candidate brings to the role, as well as internal relativities.

For more information on the role please view the position description.

What You'll Bring

We're looking for a senior HR who thrives in complex environments and enjoys partnering with senior leaders to drive meaningful organisational outcomes. You'll bring a balance of strategic thinking, practical problem-solving and strong relationship management skills, along with a genuine commitment to developing people and fostering a positive workplace culture.

To succeed in this role you'll demonstrate:

• Extensive experience providing strategic and operational HR advice to senior leaders
• Extensive knowledge of contemporary HR practices, employment relations and workforce planning
• Proven success partnering with executive teams to deliver people and business outcomes
• Strong coaching and mentoring capability that helps others grow and succeed
• Ability to build credibility, trust and influence across a wide range of stakeholders
• Experience leading culture, engagement and organisational development initiatives
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to turn insights into practical solutions
• Strong change management and organisational improvement experience
• Commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces and supporting diverse perspectives

About Us

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is New Zealand’s aviation safety and security regulator. We play a critical role in protecting the travelling public, supporting the aviation sector, and strengthening New Zealand’s international reputation.

Our vision is simple and powerful: A safe and secure aviation system – so people are safe, and feel safe when they fly.

Our values — Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Transparency, and Collaboration — guide everything we do. We’re committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone feels respected, safe, and valued. Our people are central to our success.

Why Join Us?

• 5 weeks annual leave
• Sick leave entitlements from day 1
• Matching KiwiSaver contributions up to 4%
• Vision assistance
• Flu vaccinations
• Employee Assistance Programme

Ready to Apply?

If you're passionate about helping leaders and teams thrive while shaping the future workforce of a complex and evolving organisation, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submitting your CV and cover letter. Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience aligns with the requirements of this role.

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

If you have any questions about the role or application process, contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@caa.govt.nz.

Applications close: Sunday 30 August 2026

Please be aware that we may start shortlisting as applications come in. We encourage early applications, as the advertisement may close sooner than stated.