11th February, 2026
Likemind works with people who share our approach to work and to living.
We are about adding value, connecting the dots, and delivering a solution to take the pain away. We believe that when the right connections are made, amazing things can happen.
Likemind is proud to be working closely with the CEO of the Motor Industry Association (the Association) to find outstanding candidates for several newly created, Director-level roles. These roles will support the New Zealand new vehicle industry in operating with clarity, confidence, and credibility within an increasingly complex regulatory environment, while serving the interests of our members and the industry, and maintaining the trust of regulators, government, and the public.
About the Motor Industry Association
The Motor Industry Association (MIA) is the collective voice of New Zealand’s new vehicle industry, representing automotive manufacturers, importers and distributors at the intersection of industry, government and the public.
About this role
The Technical Director, Regulatory and Vehicle Compliance is a senior technical leadership position that operates at the intersection of vehicle regulation and real-world automotive implementation, working closely with technical experts from within our member organisations.
The role provides authoritative judgement on how vehicle rules, standards and regulatory requirements apply in practice across real vehicles, certification pathways and operational settings. It ensures regulatory obligations are interpreted consistently, communicated clearly, and engaged with credibly with members, regulators and government.
This is not a policy theory role and not an enforcement role. It is a pragmatic, high-judgement position focused on implementation, risk management and sector confidence.
Key focus
- Provide authoritative technical leadership on vehicle regulation and compliance
- Interpret complex regulatory requirements into clear, defensible guidance for members
- Engage constructively with regulators and policy agencies on practical implementation
- Protect the industry from avoidable regulatory and reputational risk
- Strengthen MIA’s credibility as a trusted, technically grounded industry voice
About you You are a highly experienced senior professional with deep automotive technical and/or regulatory expertise, strong judgement and professional credibility.
You have held accountability for regulatory or compliance outcomes in complex, highly regulated environments and understand how vehicle rules apply to real vehicles and systems, including homologation, certification and compliance pathways.
Your background may include senior roles within importers or distributors, regulatory or policy agencies, or automotive and transport industry bodies.
You are respected for your clarity of thinking, sound decision-making and ability to balance technical rigour with commercial and operational realities.
Why this role matters Your work will directly influence how regulation is implemented across the new vehicle sector, ensuring obligations are understood, risks are managed and trust with regulators and government is maintained.
For the right person, this is a rare opportunity to apply deep expertise at scale and materially improve outcomes for an entire industry.
Why join the Motor Industry Association - Operate at the centre of New Zealand’s automotive regulatory system
- Work directly with senior regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders
- Be trusted with independent judgment and real influence
- Shape long-term confidence, stability and performance across the sector
If you have deep automotive technical and/or regulatory experience and want to apply that expertise in a role that genuinely shapes outcomes for New Zealand’s vehicle sector, we’d love to hear from you today!
Please note, that you must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand. Background and various pre-employment checks are part of the recruitment process.
We are an equal-opportunity employer. We do all we can to encourage collaborative and diverse working environments throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
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