We believe that if we want to be a world class Kiwi Company, we shouldn’t just employ people, divide them into functional departments and tell them what to do. Instead, we defined a purpose - to solve what matters for our customers and their moving world - and go about achieving this by setting clear goals and expectations and embracing diversity of thought.

At Z, Customer Experience is at the heart of everything we do - our strategy, capability development and investment decisions. We're creating and continually developing products and digital channels our customers will love and that make their lives easier.

Here at Z we stand for an environmentally sustainable New Zealand that is an example to the rest of the world and an inspiration to Kiwis. The products we sell are a major contributor to Aotearoa’s carbon emissions and part of the climate change problem, so we are moving to being at the heart of the solution. The Z of 2030 and 2050 needs to look vastly different to today. We are actively choosing to invest in low-carbon revenue streams that are better for the planet and deliver a sustainable, viable future for our business. It is the right thing to do, for our customers and for Z.

To find the most valuable future problems to solve, we have created Z Low Carbon Innovation, a fast-moving team focused on rapid and constant experimentation directly with customers. We exist to unearth new low carbon products and services that are profitable for our business in the future and good for the planet. We do this by rapidly exploring and testing each opportunity to quickly validate if it is valuable to users, or not. We explore, experiment, and validate.

Our team is a curious bunch of smart creatives - designers, builders, strategists, researchers, and creatives committed to identifying new low-carbon ventures through rapid experimentation. We are excited to welcome an Innovation Lead / Kaiārahi Auahatanga to the Z whānau. This role holds accountability for overseeing complex innovation projects through the entire innovation cycle – framing the problem, designing a solution and experimenting to learn.

This role can be located in either Wellington or Auckland.

You will have the opportunity to

• Oversee complex innovation projects through the entire innovation cycle – framing the problem, designing a solution and experimenting to learn.
• Coordinate user research to refine next generation products and services as well as identify unmet needs to solve valuable problems
• Guide and partner with fellow Innovation Leads, UX designers and freelancers to develop compelling real-world prototypes for testing
• Design and deliver data driven experiments to inform decisions
• Responsible for delivering, mentoring and guiding the team on human centred design / design thinking (customer focus), lean (experimentation) and agile (iteration and optimisation) process
• Determine Minimum Viable Product requirements and Design Specifications for projects that are approved for commercialisation
• Monitor and contribute to a database of industry, customer and technology trends as a tool for identifying emerging low carbon innovation opportunities and participate in the opportunity prioritisation process

What you’ll bring to Z

• Relevant professional experience: ideally in a fast-moving environment - deep, hands-on experience in any combinations of the following: strategy, experience design, human centred design / design thinking, service design, business design, innovation, business analytics, customer research, product management, product marketing, and project management, business consulting, strategy design, but also entrepreneurial driven roles in startups or venture capital firms.
• A passion for creating great end user experiences and a love of all things customer
• Critical-thinking skills and analytical rigour with an appetite to draw conclusions from imperfect information
• Resilience and perseverance when faced with setbacks, and the ability to quickly adapt plans
• A deep curiosity and a willingness to explore leads as they arise
• Able to frame opportunities and inform the design process to ensure design solves customer and business problems effectively

And of course, you’ll be passionate about what matters to Z, embracing and living our values to help us deliver on our aspirations and broader commitment to Aotearoa New Zealand.

What we can offer you

• A competitive remuneration package including short-term incentive (bonus) plan, medical insurance for you and your family, enhanced employer contribution for KiwiSaver
• Generous leave provisions including enhanced sick leave, parental leave benefits and the option to buy additional leave
• The opportunity to contribute and be part of a supportive team that is here to make a difference
• A chance to build your own capability through learning from some the industry’s most knowledgeable people who have a desire to share their insights along with access to upskilling opportunities and career development across the organisation
• Two days a year to do Good in your Hood, though our volunteering scheme, a chance for you to help others in your community in a meaningful way to you

Why Z?

Z is a dynamic and innovative Kiwi company that provides energy solutions for today while working on playing our part in Aotearoa’s shift towards a low-carbon future – a transition that we’re passionate about.

Being proudly Kiwi, we’re up for challenging the status quo, stand-up for what we believe is right and most importantly, we back our team to bring their true selves to work every day. Our flexible working approach and Rainbow Tick and Gender Tick accreditations - backed by our strong company values, Stand Up Tū Kaha, Speak Out Tū Maia, Side by Side Tū Kotahi - have created an open and inclusive workplace that promotes personal development, and is underpinned by a desire for our people and our communities to succeed.

We’re distinctive in our approach and if you’re up for a challenge, we’d love you to be part of it. If this sounds like a place you believe you can add value and grow your own capability, then make sure you read Our Why   it’s our founding document and provides further insights in what it means to part of the Z whanau. If Z feels like a good match for your head and your heart, come join us for one heck of a journey!

Whakauru | Apply

Please include a cover letter in your application, telling us why you’re a great fit for Z.

Applications close: Wednesday 18th May 2022

Please note that we may begin shortlisting as we receive applications. We encourage early applications as we may withdraw the advertising at any time.

To be considered for this position you must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.