General Manager

Primo is a locally owned telecommunications provider connecting rural and regional communities across Taranaki. For nearly 20 years we’ve built infrastructure with heart, delivered real customer service, and backed our community.

We are entering our next phase of growth and are seeking our first General Manager to lead our people and operations, strengthening performance and enabling the Managing Director to focus on network development, technology and long-term strategic growth.

This is a significant leadership appointment for Primo.

About the Role: Reporting to the Managing Director, the General Manager will lead day-to-day operations and ensure Primo delivers on its purpose; connecting communities with care.

Over time, this role will assume increasing operational ownership, creating the space for the MD to concentrate on infrastructure, innovation and expansion.

You will lead four Team Leaders across:

• Network Operations
• Field Operations
• Customer Success
• Brand & Growth

You will ensure Primo leaders collaborate effectively, make confident decisions and address issues early, supporting seamless delivery and sustainable customer growth.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Culture:

• Lead and develop Team Leaders to own their priorities and outcomes
• Foster a calm, accountable and professional culture
• Address conflict early and directly
• Strengthen leadership alignment and communication

Operations & Performance:

• Ensure strong service, uptime and delivery performance
• Embed clear systems, documentation and operating rhythms
• Strengthen project management capability and execution consistency
• Drive operational improvements that scale with growth

Commercial & Customer Growth:

• Support sustainable customer growth across rural and regional markets
• Improve operational efficiency as the customer base expands
• Contribute to pricing, vendor and investment decisions in partnership with the Managing Director
• Ensure clear reporting and visibility across operations

Financial stewardship and capital management remain the responsibility of the Managing Director.

Strategy & Change:

• Translate strategy into clear operational plans
• Lead adoption of practical technology, automation and AI

Health & Safety:

• Champion safety as integral to how we work
• Ensure compliance with PCBU obligations

What We’re Looking For:

• Minimum 7+ years leading leaders in a growing business
• Proven delivery of operational outcomes
• Experience in service or infrastructure environments (telecommunications advantageous)
• Calm, stable and objective under pressure
• Strong communicator who builds alignment and holds standards without ego
• Highly organised with disciplined follow-through
• Confident having tough conversations
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity while building structure

Location: This role is Taranaki-based. Presence matters. This is not a remote corporate position.

Why Join Primo: Primo is proudly local and values-driven, with strong community roots and a reputation built on delivery, not marketing.

We are deeply embedded in the Taranaki community and take long-term responsibility for the infrastructure we build and the relationships we hold.

In addition to salary, we offer:

• Full Southern Cross health insurance (including Vision, Dental and Day-to-day modules)
• Income protection and life insurance
• Company mobile phone and plan
• Free Primo broadband
• A flexible, people-first culture grounded in trust and accountability

This is an opportunity to shape a regional infrastructure business at a pivotal stage in its evolution.

Applications will close on the 1st March 2026.