The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading University. With over 6000 academic and professional staff supporting over 46,000 students, we are one of NZ’s largest employers. We have eight academic faculties and 11 service divisions creating a diverse, dynamic and complex organisational culture that demands excellence.
Our lecturers and health researchers are regarded as experts in their fields, frequently directing global research projects designed to better the lives of New Zealanders and the world, and in turn passing this knowledge on to our students.
The Organisational Performance & Improvement (OPI) team plays a strategic role in delivering the University’s priorities by enabling service excellence, organisational capability uplift, and continuous improvement. As part of the Organisational Performance division, the Service Excellence team partners with stakeholders across the University to enhance operational effectiveness, customer experience, and service maturity. We support change and innovation through practical frameworks, tools, and collaboration—empowering teams to deliver better outcomes for staff, students, and the wider University community.
The University of Auckland is dedicated to enhancing the capability and culture required to improve and innovate operational-service effectiveness across our complex service environment.
As a Senior Service Excellence Consultant, you will play a pivotal role in leading and enabling this transformation. You will partner with senior leaders, teams, and service areas to embed fit-for-purpose tools, techniques, and service performance frameworks that make services more accessible, user-friendly, and responsive to both organisational and customer needs.
This role champions collaboration, a shared service language, and connected ways of working—bringing together delivery teams, partners, and customers to co-design integrated service experiences. As a visible leader in service management practice, you will coach others in using tools such as service catalogues, service standards, and visual management boards to support continuous improvement and alignment with functional goals.
By helping others apply service thinking and customer-centred behaviours, you will drive real and sustainable uplift in operational-service effectiveness across the institution. The role is ideal for someone who can build rapport quickly, influence widely, and hold strategic conversations with clarity, humility, and confidence—like a trusted advisor or consultative sales partner guiding transformation.
As a Senior Service Excellence Consultant, you will:
- Lead service management capability by designing and delivering programmes that embed a shared approach to service performance, aligned with organisational frameworks and strategy.
- Develop customer-focused initiatives by using insights and trends to tailor service improvements that deliver measurable impact.
- Enable capability uplift through coaching, facilitation, and tools such as visual management boards and service essentials.
- Drive change and engagement by designing practical strategies and using clear communication to support adoption across all levels.
- Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders to influence decisions and embed service excellence as a core way of working.
This is a fulltime (37.5 hours per week) permanent position. The salary range for this role is between $110,100 – $149,000 dependent on skills and experience.
For more detailed information, please refer to the Position Description.
You will be an experienced and credible service excellence professional with the interpersonal confidence and technical capability to lead change in a complex, fast-paced environment. You’ll bring deep consulting, facilitation, and coaching skills, along with the maturity to build strong relationships, hold your ground when needed, and collaborate with humility.
You will be outcome-focused, with a passion for enabling service performance through capability building, visual management, and customer-led innovation. Your background will reflect a solid mix of service delivery insight, improvement methodologies, and stakeholder influence across large-scale systems.
To be successful, you will have:
- A tertiary qualification in business, organisational development, or a related field
- Experience with service management, continuous improvement (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma), and change methodologies (e.g. Prosci ADKAR®)
- At least ten years’ senior experience leading service performance or capability uplift programmes
- Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
- Confidence using visual tools, data, and digital platforms to support improvement and service maturity
For a full list of essential and preferred criteria, please see Position Description.
The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment through:
- Flexible employment practices (including working from home, flexible hours)
- Up to 6.75% company superannuation scheme
- A competitive salary with five weeks’ annual leave
In addition, we offer career development programmes, discounted car parking, a generous parental leave allowance, childcare, and a number of other discounts on internal and external services.
For more information, please visit Staff Benefits.
