Position Description

Position Description
Principal Designer
Access and Use
Reporting to: Manager, Business Design
The Principal Designer is the thought and creative lead for the Access and Use Service Design capability and is
tasked with inspiring innovative solutions for challenging problems within the Agency. The Principal oversees
and takes responsibility for the successful delivery of a range of projects and initiatives while working
collaboratively. As a Principal you are a compelling storyteller; bringing the customer journey to life in a way
that generates empathy, emotion and engagement resulting in better transport outcome by intelligent design.
What we do matters
Here at the Transport Agency we shape New Zealand’s transport networks and people’s safe and efficient use of
them.
To learn more about who we are and what we do click here - "about us” or visit www.nzta.govt.nz
What you do counts
What you will be valued for
Predominant accountabilities include:
Agility

Responding and adapting quickly to changing
business needs.

Learning from your mistakes and willing to
share lessons learnt.
Leadership

Experienced in planning and leading design
projects: managing stakeholders and team
members as well as keeping projects on time
and within budget.

Take responsibility for the quality of all
deliverables across a variety of projects.

Seek out, identify and respond to new
business opportunities.

Manage and oversee the delivery of a range of
projects, defining project scope, goals and
deliverables in collaboration with key
stakeholders.

Manage a diverse team, including
relationships with stakeholders and business
groups.

Lead, coach and mentor design team members
to ensure continued development of their
technical and professional skills.

Instill project teams with the confidence and
discipline to explore innovative design
solutions while respecting deadlines and other
disciplines.

Manage and maintain team motivation and
engagement, offering empathetic and
logistical support.

Identify and resolve issues or conflict within
the team.
Championing Design Thinking

Lead design thinking within the agency in
relation to latest design methodologies,
techniques and trends across Government.

Sign up to, and advocate for, the agency's
design principles.

Inspire innovative approaches to design
thinking and problem solving.

Think strategically, focusing design thinking
on areas of value to the business, not simply
addressing point solutions.

Provide design thinking support to the Group
Leadership team as required.

A hands-on design expert, shaping the
concept and seeing solutions through to
implementation across a variety of devices and
platforms.
Customer focus- external and internal

Keeping customer interests and their
experience at the heart of everything you do.

Building relationships and working
collaboratively with others.
Creativity and innovation

Questioning the status quo and finding ways
to improve how we work.

Openness to experimenting and taking
calculated risks.
High performance

Using information from diverse sources to
drive decisions and actions.

Action orientated and accountable for own
performance and success in the role.
Collaboration

Developing and maintaining open, honest and
trusting relationships with key stakeholders.

Working collaboratively and curiously.

Identifying and responding to potential crises
and work with stakeholders (as appropriate) to
manage changes and risks.

Ensuring communication is clear, consistent,
and transparent.
Planning and Monitoring

Seeking out, identifying and responding to
new business opportunities and linking this
into the work programme.

Working with the Project Manager and other
Leads to engage the most appropriate skill
sets on each project.

Oversee the planning, scheduling and tracking
of design thinking within a project context.

Contribute to and participate in post project
reviews.
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What you will bring
As well as your ability to do what counts, to bring
competencies we value and the behaviours which
enable us to work at our best, you will need to bring
your ‘know how’:
Technical skills and specific experience

Multiple years of experience within a relevant
design thinking discipline.

In depth knowledge of design techniques and
methods and the experience to adapt these
for use in different environments/contexts.

Demonstrated experience in delivering quality
design outcomes within a project
environment.

Experienced in working iteratively and in fast
paced environments.

Ability to build and maintain strong working
relationships with colleagues and key
stakeholders.

Impeccable personal time management.

Responds positively and calmly to shifting
priorities, demands and timelines.

Strong influencing, negotiation and
communication skills, both written and verbal.

A strategic perspective on the work we do,
with the ability to connect the dots between
projects/initiatives and the insights gained
from customers.

Communicates and envisions design concepts
and ideas using methods & tools that illustrate
all the components and touch points of the
service. Including but not limited to;

Highly developed workshop planning and
facilitation skills.

Highly developed prototyping skills.

Illustrating touch points of a service.

Breakdown of business, user and technology
requirements.
Our people tell us




The people here are approachable, smart,
knowledgeable and committed.
They get to make a difference every day.
They are trusted to do what needs to be done
and supported when they need help or
inspiration.
They get opportunities to learn and grow
And, we do our best when we:
Sign up

Commit to the work.

Put our heart into what we do.

Get engaged every day.
Team Up

Enjoy and respect the people we work with.

Appreciate their talents.

Work together to find solutions.
Front Up

Be courageous.

Tackle difficult issues.

Know our value and bring this to our work.
 Work with confidence and good judgment.
Qualifications

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