The demand for tech talent is on the rise. And the tech job landscape in New Zealand is buzzing with opportunities. Securing one of the highest-paying tech jobs in New Zealand could be your ticket to a fulfilling and lucrative career.
However, as the tech industry continues to evolve, staying abreast of these in-demand roles is not just a smart career move. It’s your key to unlocking the door to the highest-paying tech jobs in New Zealand.
In this article, we will discuss the high-paying tech jobs in New Zealand and the opportunities surrounding them.
Do tech jobs pay well in New Zealand?
New Zealand’s tech sector has over 20,000 firms, most of them small businesses. Combined, they employ over 114,000 people.
According to a recent industry study, employers anticipate they will need 4–5,000 new digital technology professionals per year into the near future.
Employers have increasingly relied on attracting people from overseas to access the digital skills they need.
For example, 3,683 immigrants were granted visas for IT occupations in 2019, accounting for over 80% of the new digital technology jobs created.
The relative shortage of digital skills means that these roles continue to be some of New Zealand’s highest-paid jobs. In addition, ICT employees receive generally excellent benefits. This includes most receiving bonuses and having the option to work remotely and flexibly.
Are there opportunities for tech jobs in New Zealand?
A recent industry survey suggested the highest demand will be for software developers, followed by data analytics and cybersecurity skills.
The shift from traditional on-premise computing to cloud-based computing drives demand for skills related to cloud-native environments. Such as Azure and AWS, both of which are also in strong demand.
Also, in terms of location, just over half of New Zealand’s tech sector jobs are in Auckland. 14% each in Wellington and Canterbury/Christchurch, with the remainder (nearly 24,000 workers) spread throughout regional New Zealand.
10 Highest Paying Tech Jobs in New Zealand 2024
Now we know that there is an increasing demand for these tech jobs. Let us look at the 10 highest-paying Paying Tech Jobs in New Zealand
1. Information Security Analyst
An information security analyst works closely with the Chief Information Technology Officer (CIO) of an organization. They design and maintain security systems.
Organizations are willing to pay a premium for security analysts with strong research and technical expertise. Those who can stay on top of new and emerging threats and understand the constantly changing software and hardware terrain.
That is to say, the average salary for an information security analyst is NZ$117,000, with the upper range reaching as high as NZ$178k.
2. Product Manager
As one of the most important strategic and creative tech jobs, the product manager is the visionary who brings products from conception to fruition and continuous refinement.
User research and testing, feature road mapping, and pricing and revenue modeling are among the core components of the product manager’s work.
In addition, product managers are fundamental for growth, making their skill sets invaluable in any business cycle.
They typically need to have several years of experience to gain the essential mix of business knowledge, technical ability, and design skills.
In New Zealand, a product manager’s average base salary is NZ$110,000, with additional pay components reaching as high as NZ$10k, Glassdoor data shows.
3. Software Engineering Manager
Software Engineering Managers oversee teams, audit code, collaborate with managers and other stakeholders, run projects, and recruit software engineers.
In many organizations, they are part of the structure of an IT function or the organization as a whole.
Engineering manager roles are among the best-paid jobs in tech, with an average salary of NZ$172,700 and estimated additional pay in the range of NZ$17,700 annually, according to Glassdoor.
In addition to geographical flexibility, software engineers can be rewarded with great career development tools, such as allocated time to work on stretch projects.
4. Cloud Architect
The cloud is one of the fastest-growing areas for tech jobs. More than 45% of IT spending on system infrastructure, infrastructure software, application software, and business process outsourcing will shift from traditional solutions to the cloud by 2024, according to Gartner.
Cloud architects are a critical part of this equation, making their role one of the most well-paid jobs in tech. Managing cloud adoption projects, developing strategies, and developing cloud architecture are all part of the cloud architect’s remit.
However, essential knowledge areas for cloud architects include networking and application architecture, automation and orchestration, security, and integration architecture.
Cloud architect roles earn an average base salary of NZ$137,971, with up to NZ$10k in bonuses, PayScale data shows.
5. Technical Lead
For organizations with growing or mature IT functions, it’s important to have skilled technical leads on board who can steer teams toward greater efficiency.
As the job title suggests, technical leads manage teams of developers to carry out projects or keep operations running smoothly.
Spotting structural opportunities and weaknesses, looking after code quality, and wrestling with technical debt are among the technical lead’s key priorities.
Aside from excellent technical skills, the success of a technical lead depends on their collaboration and analytical abilities.
The average base salary for technical lead jobs in New Zealand is $121,122, according to Glassdoor. Additional compensation, such as annual bonuses, can nudge total pay toward NZ$150k or higher.
Perks you can expect from a Technical Lead job include an annual health and well-being or transport allowance, a flexible hybrid work environment, and extra holiday leave.
6. Cyber Security
Cybercrime has cost 69.8 million dollars in the past five years in New Zealand and 2022, and reports of phishing and credential harvesting have increased by 16 percent since 2021.
Suffice it to say that every organization worries about cyberattacks.
Especially with the large amounts of sensitive data they are handling and the quick adaptation of cloud technology, which opened up a whole new risk landscape that requires appointing dedicated cybersecurity experts.
Cyber security architects have the second highest-paying IT jobs in New Zealand’s cyber security space, earning $180k on average. This is followed by GRC consultants, who take home $175K.
7. Infrastructure Architect
IT infrastructure jobs are evolving at a rapid pace, with new technologies and approaches like DevOps and cloud computing changing the way that organizations think about their IT systems.
As such, the design and implementation of modern infrastructure is something that organizations are willing to pay top dollar for.
In New Zealand, the highest-paying IT job in infrastructure is the infrastructure architect, earning between $145-200K on average. This is followed by Wellington-based network architects ($145–165K).
However, infrastructure managers are also high earners, with an average compensation of between $120 and $170K.
8. Data Architect
Data architects are also involved in data analytics. With the gathering, processing, protecting, and analyzing of large data sets and the emergence of data lakes and swamps, the importance of dedicated data professionals has grown.
Data is now home to some of New Zealand’s highest-paying IT jobs, with data architects leading with an average salary of $180K.
Other key data roles are also being well-rewarded, with data modelers earning a typical salary of $140K.
Data engineers also sit at $140K, a role that has become increasingly important as organizations going through cloud migrations need to construct new data pipelines between on-premise and the cloud.
9. Test/QA Manager
With so much riding on the success of digital transformation projects, businesses need to get quality assurance right.
This has resulted in high salaries for testing professionals, with test and QA managers leading the pack with average salaries of $155K.
The following test/QA managers are test leads at $145K. Next, automation test analysts earn a respectable $130K on average.
10. ERP/CRM Functional Consultant
In the realm of ERP/CRM, Wellington-based functional consultants are New Zealand’s highest-paid professionals, with a typical average salary of $160K.
But functional consultants are relied on to advise businesses on how to use ERP and CRM systems to optimize their business processes. Their pay packages reflect the value of their consultancy.
Other high-paying ERP/CRM jobs belong to technical consultants ($140–180K) and ERP/CRM architects ($150–180K).
Conclusion
For those aspiring to thrive in New Zealand’s tech sector, keeping an eye on these highest-paying roles is not just prudent; it’s the key to unlocking professional success.
These roles aren’t merely jobs; they represent gateways to a prosperous and fulfilling career.
As the tech landscape continues to evolve, embracing these opportunities ensures you’re not just keeping pace with the industry but also setting the stage for a future in the highest-paying tech jobs
