About Us
Queenstown Airport (ZQN) is the main domestic and international airport for the Southern Lakes region of New Zealand and the gateway to iconic destinations, including Wānaka, Fiordland and Central Otago, and a critical piece of regional and national infrastructure that influences about $1 billion in economic activity each year.
The airport was established by the community in 1935 and is operated by Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC), which was incorporated in 1988. QAC is jointly owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council (75.01%) and Auckland International Airport Limited (24.99%).
As New Zealand’s fourth busiest airport, ZQN handled 2.8 million passengers in FY 2026. It is growing at around 8% annually towards 3 million passengers a year, with an annual revenue of $90-95 million. An airport Master Plan was approved in 2023 and a significant infrastructure programme is underway, including a major terminal upgrade now at concept stage; supporting the vision to be an innovative airport that people love to travel through and that the community takes pride in.
Guided by our Master Plan, Horizon-ZQN is the largest infrastructure investment programme in the airport’s history: a staged series of interconnected projects over the next decade across the airfield, terminal and landside precincts. Delivery is accelerating. A $65 million programme of airfield improvements, including a Code C heavy taxiway and a complete runway overlay, is under way; construction of Airport House, designed to achieve a Green-Star certification workplace is starting; and concept designs for a major terminal extension and upgrade are being developed with leading architects Warren & Mahoney and Hassell. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the heart of the airport, and this role will lead the financial strategy that makes it happen.
About the Role
Reporting to the CEO, you will play a pivotal part as the airport moves into an exciting new phase of growth and investment by providing enterprise-level executive leadership of QAC’s financial management, corporate governance, treasury, procurement and enterprise assurance functions.
As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will be responsible for shaping and executing QAC’s financial strategy, leading the capital planning, funding and investment governance that will underpin Horizon-ZQN, the largest capital programme in the airport’s history, and ensuring robust financial, governance and enterprise risk management frameworks.
You will be QAC’s principal steward of financial and risk integrity, providing independent, balanced and commercially grounded advice. Your role is to ensure growth ambitions are pursued within an appropriate risk appetite, backed by prudent financial management, strong controls and alignment with shareholder and stakeholder expectations.
About You/Skills and Experience
You will be an experienced CFO or equivalent executive finance leader with a successful track record leading multi-disciplinary corporate functions including finance, procurement and enterprise assurance within complex, capital-intensive environments, ideally including the funding and governance of a major capital or infrastructure programme.
You will bring:
- Proven experience leading enterprise financial strategy, capital allocation and funding frameworks, ideally in aviation, infrastructure or similarly asset-heavy businesses.
- Strong expertise in treasury management, funding strategies and financial risk management, including debt structuring and capital markets engagement.
- Demonstrated experience supporting Boards and governance committees, including preparation of high-quality Board reporting and governance advice.
- Deep understanding of corporate governance, internal controls, enterprise assurance and regulatory compliance frameworks.
- Sound commercial judgement with the ability to engage confidently with internal and external stakeholders within a dynamic and high growth environment.
- CA ANZ, CPA or equivalent professional qualification.
Why Queenstown Airport?
This is a rare opportunity to join the executive team at a pivotal moment for one of New Zealand’s most important gateways. We’re a small, collaborative organisation with ambitious plans, so you’ll be close to the action, make a tangible impact and work alongside people from right across the business, all with the Remarkables as your backdrop.
Our benefits include Southern Cross health insurance; our comprehensive Whānau Policy, including parental leave top-up and childcare subsidy; KiwiSaver contributions matched up to 4%; an annual Get Active wellbeing subsidy; OCP confidential counselling for you and your whānau; a paid day off for your birthday; onsite parking; long service recognition; and a paid volunteer half-day to support our community partnerships.