Supply Planning Manager (Chapter Lead)

Air New Zealand is seeking a Chapter Lead Supply Planning to steer the planning function within Tech Ops. The role is full-time and based onsite in Auckland, NZ, and is ideal for a senior planning leader who wants to shape capability, set standards, and build a high-performing team. The company is known for its culture, service and innovation, and it’s consistently recognised as a top employer in New Zealand. This is a chance to influence how planning supports aircraft availability, crew scheduling, and day-to-day operations. As the Chapter Lead, you’ll shape the Supply Planning Chapter, guiding how planning works across Demand Planning, Engineering, Maintenance Planning, Procurement and the operational Tribes and Squads. You’ll help knit together a digitally enabled planning capability that ensures material availability and helps deliver operational excellence. If you’re drawn to building capability, mentoring talent, and driving cross-functional change, this opportunity could be a fit. Air New Zealand emphasises diversity, equity and inclusion and seeks to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. The airline believes its people are its greatest asset and that differences in thought and background strengthen the team.

Shaping planning across Air New Zealand

You will own the end-to-end supply planning capability, setting best practices, common standards and a loop of continuous improvement across the function. You’ll also coach and develop a high-performing team of planning professionals, building capability and future talent for the organisation.

Working across Demand Planning, Engineering, Maintenance Planning, Procurement and the operational Tribes and Squads, you’ll strengthen integrated planning and help deliver meaningful business outcomes. You’ll lead the Supply Review and S&OP processes to improve planning quality, inventory performance and operational readiness, and you’ll champion advanced digital planning tools and data-driven decision making to strengthen planning capability and support transformation. Planning maturity will be advanced through cross-functional collaboration, supplier performance improvements and regular business performance reviews.

Core capabilities

• Broad hands-on experience in supply chain planning within complex operations, with deep expertise in supply planning and S&OP
• A proven track record of guiding, coaching and growing high-performing teams, building capability and engagement
• Demonstrated delivery of planning transformations or broader supply chain optimization initiatives
• Strong grounding in modern planning methodologies, inventory management, and the use of advanced digital planning tools
• Experience working in matrixed or Agile environments, collaborating with operations, engineering, procurement, finance and planning stakeholders
• A collaborative leadership style with clear communication, trusted relationships and a commitment to continuous improvement

Compensation and practicalities

This is a full-time, onsite role based in Auckland, within Air New Zealand’s Tech Ops function. The position centers on building and leading the planning capability that supports material availability and operational readiness across the airline.

• Generous staff travel benefits for you and your whānau
• FlexiLeave option to purchase up to four additional weeks of leave each year
• A learning culture with development opportunities to help you grow your career
• Wellbeing support through the Wellbeing Hub and the Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a wide range of employee discounts across travel, retail, health, banking and lifestyle providers

Tips to stand out for this role

Lead your resume with the impact this job expects: start with a strong example of end-to-end supply planning leadership and a S&OP transformation that improved inventory or service levels, and highlight your role in coaching a team and shaping planning standards.

Back up your must-have claims with concrete metrics and tools: describe the planning methodologies you’ve used, the inventory outcomes you achieved, and the digital planning platforms you’ve operated. Include examples of working in a matrixed or Agile setup and how you partnered with operations, engineering, procurement, finance and planning teams.

Prepare for interviews by telling concise stories: one about leading a planning transformation, another about solving a cross-functional challenge with Tribes and Squads, and a third about how you measure and communicate planning performance to executives.

Ask a focused question about the current evolution of the chapter and the biggest near-term challenge: for instance, what digital tools are being prioritised, how success is measured, and how the role collaborates with suppliers to improve performance.

Submitting your application

Applications close Monday 19th October 2026.