Ritchies is one of New Zealand’s most established and recognisable passenger transport businesses, with a 90-year history of safely moving people across the country. From public transport and school services to charters, tours and on-demand solutions, the company combines national scale with strong regional expertise.
Today, Ritchies is helping shape the future of public transport through major contract wins, innovation in fleet and service delivery, and an increasing focus on sustainable operations. The business is values-led, commercially minded, and deeply committed to partnership with its clients and communities.
About the Role
Reporting to the Commercial Director, this Auckland-based role sits at the centre of Ritchies’ contract performance and customer-facing commercial activity. You will manage the operational and contractual performance of a portfolio of long-term public transport agreements, while acting as a key interface with transport authorities and internal operational leaders.
This is not a procurement role. Instead, it is about managing customer contracts, navigating complex service agreements, driving compliance and KPI performance, supporting tenders and variations, and ensuring issues are resolved in a commercially sound and relationship-conscious way.
Based at Swanson, you will be embedded in the operational environment and work closely with Finance, Operations, Safety and senior leadership. The role offers broad scope, from high-level commercial input and dispute management through to hands-on administration, meeting preparation, minute-taking and action follow-up.
Duties
- Lead contract management activities across Ritchies’ public transport and related customer contracts
• Attend and contribute to regular partnering and commercial meetings with key clients, including Auckland Transport and regional councils
• Monitor contractual obligations, KPI performance and reporting requirements, ensuring risks and issues are identified early
• Prepare clear commercial reports, meeting papers, action logs and supporting documentation
• Manage contract variations, support dispute resolution, and escalate issues where required
• Work alongside internal stakeholders to align operations, finance and safety with contract commitments
• Support tender activity through contract review, issue spotting, submissions coordination and commercial input
• Maintain accurate contract records, version control and follow-through on agreed actions
- Proven experience in contract and commercial management within a large-scale operational environment
• Exposure to government, council, infrastructure, transport or similarly complex service-based contracts
• Strong understanding of contractual compliance, KPI frameworks, risk analysis and commercial negotiation
• Excellent relationship-building capability, with the judgement to balance partnership and commercial discipline
• Confidence working across both strategic issues and detailed administrative requirements
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to prepare reports, minutes and clear commercial correspondence
• Tertiary qualification in law, commerce, business, finance, engineering or a related field is advantageous
• Background in public transport, mobility or public sector service delivery will be highly regarded
Ritchies offers a practical, down-to-earth and high-accountability environment where people are expected to roll up their sleeves and contribute. The business values collaboration, integrity and follow-through, and this role will suit someone who enjoys being close to the action rather than removed from it.
You will join a team that is ambitious about performance and growth, yet grounded in real operational delivery. It is a setting for someone who wants visibility, ownership and the opportunity to make a measurable difference.
Benefits
- Play a key commercial role in one of New Zealand’s leading passenger transport businesses
• Work closely with senior leadership on contract performance, tenders and strategic initiatives
• Influence important client relationships and help shape long-term service outcomes
• Broad, varied scope spanning compliance, commercial improvement, negotiations and tender support
• Be part of a business investing in innovation, sustainability and public transport growth
For a confidential discussion, contact Rhys Holding at Farrow Jamieson on +64 9 915 9147.
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