UPDATED 1.53PM: Around 500 managers and specialist staff at New Zealand Post are facing job cuts in the next three months.

A spokesperson for the state-owned company has confirmed roles mainly in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch are affected by the second phase of a five year transformation plan.

The number is part of up to 2000 jobs that were forecast to be affected when the plan was rolled out in 2013.

NZ Post hopes the change will remove layers of management and simplify how the organisation is set up.

However, E Tu Union spokesman Joe Gallagher argues the restructure that should be getting government help.

"You look at Solid Energy and Kiwirail, which seems to get money hand over fist, and New Zealand Post has really been funding a lot of this change in the growth of the bank themselves," he said.