People and Capability Partner

People are at the heart of everything we do. As we continue to grow and evolve, we're looking for an experienced People & Capability Partner to join our team and play a key role in shaping the employee experience across our business.

You will be a trusted advisor to leaders, a coach to managers, and a champion for our people, helping to build high-performing teams that are engaged, capable, and ready for the future.

About the Role

Partnering closely with operational leaders, you'll bring our People Strategy to life by developing and delivering people initiatives that strengthen capability, improve engagement, and support business performance.

You'll work across a broad range of people matters from leadership development and talent planning through to employment relations, union engagement, and organisational change. You will be part of a collaborative People & Capability team that influences business outcomes while ensuring our people remain at the centre of decision-making.

Role Responsibilities

As a People & Capability Partner, you will support our Energy Services business across four Auckland depots, partnering closely with leaders and employees to provide practical, commercially focused people advice while supporting the delivery of key business objectives. You will play an active role in developing and implementing People Plans that drive engagement, build capability, and support business growth. Working alongside leaders, you will coach and develop their people leadership skills, providing guidance on performance management, employee engagement, talent identification, succession planning, and leadership development initiatives. You will also support and advise on a range of employment relations matters, including investigations, performance issues, and workplace concerns, while building positive relationships with union delegates and organisers and contributing to bargaining activities when required.

As a champion of employee experience, you will help drive engagement initiatives, support the implementation of people systems and frameworks, and contribute to continuous improvement projects across the organisation. Using workforce data and insights, you will help measure the effectiveness of people initiatives and identify opportunities for improvement. This role offers an excellent opportunity for growth and development, with ongoing coaching, mentoring, and support from a Senior People & Capability Partner who will help you build your capability and confidence as a trusted business partner.

What Northpower Offers You

Make real impact across Aotearoa in a stable and future‑focused sector. At Northpower, you’ll do work that matters and powers our communities while growing your career in an organisation that genuinely cares for its people.

You’ll benefit from:

• A people‑first culture built on safety, inclusion, and deep care, where contributions are recognised and wellbeing is supported through EAP and our award‑winning peer support network (Kaitiaki)
• Fair and market competitive pay including tool of trade vehicle, with the flexibility to tailor through additional leave and increased employer KiwiSaver contributions
• Life insurance and preventative health initiatives (including annual flu immunisations and Mole Maps)
• Discounted group medical cover and health and fitness programmes (including Fitness Passport)
• Discounted fuel rates plus a range of retail discounts (including Boost, PB Tech and Specsavers)
• Ongoing learning and development, with clear career pathways to help you grow, specialise, or progress
• A welcoming, family‑friendly workplace where people are encouraged to be themselves and feel valued

Experience:

• Proven experience in a Business Partnering, Human Resources, or People & Capability role.
• Strong employment relations and industrial relations experience, including working with unionised workforces (desirable).
• The ability to build credibility and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
• Experience coaching leaders through people challenges and supporting performance improvement.
• A practical, solutions-focused approach with strong commercial acumen.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• A passion for creating positive workplace experiences and helping people perform at their best.

Northpower is an electricity and fibre network provider for Whangārei and Kaipara, with more than 60,000 connected customers. We are one of the largest multi-utility contractors in New Zealand, servicing the needs of clients in transmission, distribution, generation, fibre, renewables, and commercial sectors. We have a reputation for excellence and innovation, providing commercially viable solutions for electrical and telecommunication design, construction, and maintenance requirements. We have over 1,400 staff working together across 16 locations to keep the power on and the lights going for our customers.

Our people are our energy source, and we offer meaningful benefits and rewards that work for you. We offer the opportunity for long term career growth as part of our talent development and succession planning process. This is your opportunity to step into a People & Capability role where you’ll partner with the business and provide meaningful guidance across the HR space. You’ll contribute to a culture that values safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. Apply via #REQ2015 New Zealand work rights are required for the role. Pre-employment checks will include a criminal history check, drug and alcohol testing, and a medical assessment