Product Owner - Network and Infrastructure

Salary: Competitive salary - 3 extra Customs leave days

Lead the future of Customs' network and core infrastructure services. We're seeking a senior networking professional to own the roadmap, security, resilience, and performance of critical enterprise platforms that help protect New Zealand's border.

At New Zealand Customs Service, technology plays a critical role in protecting New Zealand's border and enabling the movement of people and goods across Aotearoa. We're looking for an experienced Product Owner, Networks & Infrastructure to lead the delivery, performance, and future direction of our enterprise network services.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior networking professional who enjoys owning platforms end-to-end, influencing technology strategy, and ensuring critical infrastructure remains secure, resilient, and fit for purpose. Reporting to the Product Manager IT Infrastructure, this is a permanent full-time position based in our Wellington Customhouse.

About the role…

As Product Owner, Networks & Infrastructure, you'll provide technical leadership and product ownership across Customs' network, network security, and voice communications platforms. Working closely with internal teams, vendors, and stakeholders, you'll shape and deliver the roadmap for enterprise networking services while ensuring operational excellence and continuous improvement.

You'll be responsible for:

• Owning and managing the network platform roadmap and work pipeline
• Providing senior technical leadership across WAN, LAN, wireless, cloud networking, SD-WAN, VPNs, firewalls, mobility, VoIP, Teams calling, unified communications and secure connectivity services
• Leading the design, implementation, and ongoing improvement of core edge infrastructure including IT facilities and network solutions across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments
• Managing platform lifecycle, resilience, security, performance, and service health
• Working with vendors, carriers, and delivery partners to deliver reliable and secure services
• Translating business needs into technical solutions and helping shape infrastructure investment decisions
• Identify opportunities to improve network platform stability, security, efficiency, and service delivery
• Collaborate with architecture, security and delivery stakeholders across the wider network transformation programme.
• Mentoring team members and contributing to a high-performing technology team

About you…

You'll bring significant experience in network engineering, network operations, platform ownership, or infrastructure leadership within a complex enterprise environment.

You will have:

• Extensive hands-on experience designing, implementing, and managing secure, robust and scalable enterprise network services
• Expertise in large-scale network and security infrastructure across routing, switching, wireless networking, WAN/LAN technologies, VPNs, SD-WAN, IPAM, VoIP and secure connectivity
• Experience with network security platforms such as Fortinet, Zscaler, F5, Palo Alto, or similar technologies
• Knowledge of cloud networking and modern security approaches, including Azure networking and Zero Trust concepts
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical decisions into business outcomes
• Operate confidently with managing external stakeholders, vendors and suppliers including major incident response escalations
• Experience working in Agile and ITIL-aligned environments
• Experience in delivering large scale technical projects
• A passion for driving continuous improvement, innovation, and in delivering resilient technology services

Relevant certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, Fortinet, Azure Networking, Network+, or ITIL are highly desirable. Experience with host servers, SAN storage, and core infrastructure is also advantageous.

Working at Customs…

The purpose of the New Zealand Customs Service is to protect New Zealand's border using world-class tools, people, and innovative approaches. Our Enterprise Services Group enables Customs to deliver secure, resilient, and modern technology services that support our critical operational mission.

To join Customs in any role, applicants must have New Zealand Citizenship or have NZ Permanent Residency and be able to obtain and maintain an organisational security clearance. The successful applicant will also be required to pass an initial drug test.

(*) A New Zealand Citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident who has resided continuously in New Zealand for the last 5 years and resides in NZ at the time of application.

OR a New Zealand Citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident who has resided in New Zealand for the last 5 years and resides in NZ at the time of application but may have been absent from New Zealand for periods of six or more months within the past five years, preferably in one or more of the following countries: either Australia, Canada, UK or the USA. You will be required to provide overseas police certificates for these periods spent outside of New Zealand.

To express your interest, please apply online by submitting an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining your suitability and motivation for the role. For further information, please view the attached position description or contact Suzanne Leahy, Senior Corporate Recruitment Advisor, at Suzanne.leahy@customs.govt.nz. For technical role-related queries, please contact Vincent Pratt at vincent.pratt@customs.govt.nz.

New Zealand Customs Service | Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa is a member of Diversity Works New Zealand and is committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities, consider flexible working arrangements and welcome applications from everyone who can meet the requirements of the role.

Please note applications will not be accepted if sent directly to an email address. All applications must be submitted online.

Please note Customs will be managing this recruitment independently in-house and will not be engaging with recruitment agencies at this stage.

Applications close at 11pm, Wednesday 2nd September 2026.