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Dr Nicky Smith
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT – ROADING AND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
I believe the best solutions come from collaboration, open discussion and bringing diverse perspectives together.
Core skills
Strategic operational leadership, transport infrastructure delivery, procurement and tender strategy, alliance and collaborative contracting, commercial and contract management, road maintenance and renewals, transport resilience programmes, stakeholder management, project governance, team leadership and organisational alignment.
Nicky is a member of Height's experts' bench. She is a Subject Matter Expert in roading and transport infrastructure.
Nicky is a Chartered Professional Engineer with more than 35 years of experience across New Zealand’s transport infrastructure sector. Her career spans client, contractor and consultancy organisations, giving her a broad perspective on how projects are procured, won, mobilised and delivered.
She has held senior leadership roles across some of New Zealand's most significant transport programmes, including the Auckland System Management (ASM) Alliance, Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) and Hawke's Bay Expressway RoNS. Her experience covers the full project lifecycle, from procurement and bid development through to mobilisation, design and construction delivery, and commercial and contract management.
During her career, Nicky led the successful tender for the Auckland System Management (ASM) Alliance and subsequently played a key role in mobilising the new organisation of more than 270 people. In other senior leadership roles, she led national road maintenance operations, growing a business from approximately $30 million to more than $100 million in annual revenue while building capability, high-performing teams and strong client relationships.
As part of Height's team of Subject Matter Experts, Nicky supports the Commercial, Contract Delivery and Bid Strategy and Management teams, providing specialist input into transport infrastructure pursuits, procurement and delivery strategies.
Outside of work, Nicky enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering as a Financial Mentor in her local community, and supporting people through various parenting and wellbeing initiatives.