Executive Assistant & Events Coordinator
SPS Automation is a small Christchurch-based engineering company specialising in advanced unmanned aircraft systems and robotics. We design, build, and deploy high-performance drone platforms for real-world applications across commercial, agricultural, and emerging sectors. You can see a video of some of our past projects below.
About the Role
We’re looking for a highly organised, proactive Personal Assistant & Events Coordinator to support our CEO and wider team.
Personal Assistant – Right hand (sometimes both) to the CEO
In short… we need a unicorn.
You’ll be supporting a CEO who operates somewhere between Dexter and Doug. Highly capable, fast-moving, and full of ide.a..s… Squirrel...
It’s a fast-paced, technical environment where priorities shift quickly and not everything is clearly defined. Your role is to bring structure to that environment by anticipating needs, extracting the right information, and turning ambiguity into action.
A key part of this role is learning how the CEO operates. This includes understanding strengths, blind spots, and working style, then adjusting how you work to be effective alongside them. This isn’t about managing the CEO. It’s about enabling them to operate at their best.
You’ll act as a force multiplier, reducing noise, creating clarity, and ensuring focus is placed where it matters most.
If you’re someone who naturally takes ownership, asks the right questions, and gets things done without needing step-by-step direction, this role is for you.
Events & Commercial Coordination
SPS Automation regularly attends trade shows, industry events, and field demonstrations across New Zealand and beyond. This role will take full ownership of planning, coordinating, and executing these events end-to-end.
You’ll be responsible for organising all logistics including travel, accommodation, equipment, and event setup. You will ensure everything runs smoothly before, during, and after each event. This isn’t a fly-in, fly-out setup. Expect road trips across the country with drones, gear, our robot dog, and team in tow.
This is not just event coordination. You’ll attend events alongside the CEO and engineering team, representing the business, engaging with potential clients, and acting as a key part of the sales front line.
The CEO/engineers will lead technical discussions and closing. You will play a critical role in initiating conversations, qualifying opportunities, and capturing leads.
You’ll ensure all interactions are documented, followed up, and converted into actionable sales opportunities, turning event presence into real business outcomes.
General Admin, Operations & Marketing Support
Beyond executive and event support, you’ll help keep the day-to-day business running smoothly, Including:
[Insert general admin tasks here…]
Yes… that’s intentional. Admin is admin.
That said, you’ll act as a first point of contact for the business, managing inbound enquiries and ensuring communication is handled professionally and efficiently.
You’ll support marketing, sales, and brand presence by coordinating social media updates, assisting with the creation of promotional material, and helping ensure consistency across what we put out into the world.
You’ll also step in where needed to keep things moving across the business, whether that’s supporting the team, organising information, or making sure nothing falls through the cracks.
About You
You’re highly organised, but more importantly, you know how to operate in environments where things aren’t always clearly defined.
You know how to turn chaos into… medium chaos.
You’re comfortable working with incomplete information. You ask the right questions, figure things out, and keep things moving without needing constant direction.
You have strong communication skills and know how to deal with different types of people, from engineers to clients, adapting your approach as needed.
You take ownership. If something needs to be done, make it happen.
You’re just as comfortable planning logistics as you are talking to potential clients or helping represent the business at events.
You know it doesnt matter what your job is... you are in sales...
You’re practical, adaptable, and solutions-focused. You don’t get stuck on problems, you work through them.
Regular travel doesn’t faze you. You enjoy getting out, meeting people, and being where the action is.
You’ve mastered the art of proactive thinking. You can see what’s coming around the corner, anticipate needs, and quietly make things happen before anyone realises they need to
Why This Role
This is not a typical EA role.
You’ll be working directly with a CEO building and deploying drones and robots, supporting everything from development to real-world operations.
This isn’t a desk job. You’ll be in it, coordinating, travelling, attending events, and helping turn conversations into real business…. Also you will become a skilled operator of our robot dog… as well as learn to fly drones
If you want ownership, variety, and a front-row seat to a fast-moving engineering business, this is it.
Experience in a PA, EA, admin, or coordination role is required.
Apply Now!
SPS Automation has a strong team culture, and we are looking for an applicant who fits our team, is enthusiastic and likes working collaboratively. This is a permanent full-time, in office, salary based position. If this sounds like you, Please apply through Seek with your CV and Cover letter!
Applicants for this position must be able to legally work in NZ
Applicants must be Christchurch based or willing to relocate.