Head of Data & AI at Southern Cross Healthcare

Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

07 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

09 Mar, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Data Governance, Data Quality, Data Accessibility, AI Adoption, Cloud Data Architecture, Data Strategy, Organizational Influence, Delivery Focus, Experimentation, Risk Guardrails, Ethical Guardrails, Strategic Relationships, Data Platform Evolution, Analytics Capability, Data-Informed Culture, Security

Industry

Insurance

Description

About us Southern Cross Health Insurance is shaping a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose is simple: empowering our members to live well for longer. We're here to give peace of mind through timely access to quality care, inspire healthier living, and lead positive change across the health system. As a New Zealand-owned, member-based organisation, we're building a future where wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do -- delivering exceptional value for our members and creating an environment where our people thrive. Now is an exciting time to join us. You'll be part of a high-performing, values-driven team where people are at the heart of everything we do -- and in return for your talent, you'll have the opportunity to grow, make an impact, and be proud of the difference your work makes. About the role Data and AI have the potential to change how organisations operate, but only when they move beyond strategy and become part of everyday decision-making. We’re looking for a Head of Data & AI to lead how Southern Cross builds, governs, and uses data across the organisation. You’ll guide the evolution of our enterprise data platform, shape responsible AI adoption, and help leaders across the organisation use data with confidence to improve outcomes for our members. This role is about building real capability and momentum - helping teams experiment, learn quickly, and embed data and AI into how decisions get made. Why join us You’ll have executive sponsorship, Board-level support, and a clear mandate to shape how Southern Cross uses data and AI into the future. Your job is to turn data and AI from potential into everyday practice: trusted, accessible, responsibly used, and visibly improving outcomes for our members and our people. The opportunity As Head of Data & AI, you’ll lead the strategy and organisational adoption of our enterprise data capability. Your focus will be enabling the organisation to use data and AI confidently, responsibly and at pace - supporting better decisions, stronger operational performance, and improved member outcomes. This is an outcome-focused leadership role that combines technical credibility, organisational influence, and delivery focus. You’ll work closely with technology and business leaders to remove friction, encourage experimentation, and help teams solve problems and translate ideas into working solutions quickly. What you’ll do Lead the evolution of Southern Cross’s enterprise data platform and ecosystem Embed strong practices for data governance, quality, and accessibility Drive practical and responsible AI adoption, encouraging experimentation while establishing the right ethical and risk guardrails. Partner with leaders across the business to ensure data supports better decision-making and measurable outcomes Own and maintain strong strategic relationships with key technology partners including Snowflake and Microsoft Strengthen the organisation’s analytics and data capability, enabling teams to use data confidently and independently Champion a data-informed culture, helping shift mindsets so leaders use data confidently in everyday decisions. Ensure responsible and secure use of data and AI in partnership with Security, Risk, and Compliance What you’ll bring Experience leading enterprise data and analytics capabilities, ideally within modern cloud-based data environments Strong technical credibility across data platforms, cloud data architecture, and emerging AI technologies A track record of turning data strategy into practical outcomes that improve decision-making and organisational performance Experience introducing or scaling data and AI capability across an organisation, helping teams build confidence in using data The ability to balance experimentation and innovation with strong governance and risk awareness Strong leadership and influencing capability within complex or regulated environments, with the resilience to drive change and challenge established ways of working. The ability to translate between technical capability and business outcomes, helping leaders understand how data and AI create value Demonstrated experience building trusted partnerships with senior leaders and technology teams, with the ability to influence, constructively challenge, and drive change Who we are Ngākau nui. Āhurutanga. Tikanga. Join a proud diverse team, that's always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a caring, honest and open culture, we think you’ll love working with us. We know that it is our team’s culture and wellbeing that will drive us forward. That’s why we prioritise not only professional development opportunities but opportunities to thrive personally, too. We offer exceptional work/life balance and our employees are encouraged to – and rewarded for – living well. Southern Cross employee benefits include: • Five days of wellbeing leave per year • Health insurance for you and your immediate whānau • Life insurance cover and discounts on pet and travel insurance • Extra parental leave benefits and financial wellbeing support • Participate in our workplace wellbeing programme. That’s not all. Need more time to study, volunteer or support your whānau? You’ll have the opportunity to purchase flexi leave. Each year, you will also get to take part in a volunteer day, to contribute to a cause or community with your team. This role is Auckland based, and while we appreciate interest from candidates in other locations, we’re unfortunately not able to consider remote options for this position. Have questions? Check out our FAQs for help with the application and recruitment process. We are proud to be Rainbow Tick accredited, and we facilitate an active employee-led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum which supports many diverse groups including our Māori network, Pasifika Collective, Neurodiversity and Whānau Support networks. If you share our commitment and passion, we'd love to hear from you. About us Southern Cross Health Insurance is shaping a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose is simple: empowering our members to live well for longer. We’re here to give peace of mind through timely access to quality care, inspire healthier living, and lead positive change across the health system. As a New Zealand-owned, member-based organisation, we’re building a future where wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do — delivering exceptional value for our members and creating an environment where our people thrive. Now is an exciting time to join us. You’ll be part of a high-performing, values-driven team where people are at the heart of everything we do — and in return for your talent, you’ll have the opportunity to grow, make an impact, and be proud of the difference your work makes.

Responsibilities

The Head of Data & AI will lead the evolution of the enterprise data platform, embed strong governance practices, and drive practical, responsible AI adoption across the organization. This role involves partnering with business leaders to ensure data supports better decision-making and measurable outcomes for members.