Are you an experienced leader with expertise in water, waste, and land drainage, ready to take on a key strategic role? Looking for an opportunity where your skills can drive operational excellence and deliver real impact? If you're passionate about leading teams and enhancing essential services for the community, we have the role for you.

• Join a dynamic organisation where our people and our place are at the heart of everything we do.   
• Collaborative team culture, supportive leadership and a range of well-being initiatives on offer.           
• Full-time position based in Mangawhai or Dargaville, with flexible work-from-home options to support work-life balance.

About the role:

Reporting to the General Manager of Service Delivery, you'll take the lead in managing Council's water, waste, and land drainage functions, ensuring they align with customer, stakeholder, and legislative expectations. With a focus on strategic planning, contract management, budget oversight, and resource allocation, you'll drive operational excellence across these key areas. In addition, you'll provide strong leadership to a team of 8, fostering collaboration, and mentoring team members to help them reach their full potential.

Key responsibilities also include:

• Developing business plans that align with Council's strategic direction.
• Overseeing operations and maintenance contracts, ensuring high performance and financial integrity.
• Fostering collaborative relationships with stakeholder's, including Iwi, regional councils and utility operators.
• Managing budgets and allocate resources to maximise efficiency.
• Providing insights to shape strategy and policy in key forums.

What we're looking for

• A tertiary qualification in Engineering or a related field.
• Exceptional strategic planning skills, coupled with the ability to effectively manage contracts, budgets and resources.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including guiding teams through change, operational transformations and process improvements.
• Strong report writing and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in managing budgets effectively.
• Experience within a local government environment.

What's on offer

Kaipara District Council offers a flexible, supportive, and inclusive team culture within a collaborative environment. We also offer:   

• Competitive salary, laptop and mobile phone  
• An emphasis on career pathways with ongoing professional development, study assistance options, and secondment and promotion opportunities  
• 1 paid day off per year to volunteer in the Kaipara community  
• Staff healthcare, banking and retail discounts  
• A culture of health and wellbeing with free EAP services and regular staff wellness initiatives  
• Fruit and espresso in the office 
• 5 weeks Annual Leave after 5 years' service

About us

Our business is to create a thriving community, where people love to live, work and play. We pride ourselves on making a positive difference and we nurture our people and place by inspiring a vibrant healthy and caring environment with a commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture. Our mahi is underpinned by our values of mahi tahi (teamwork), mana (integrity), pono (being trustworthy), whakaute (respect) and mahia te mahi (make it happen).

How to apply

If you're keen to join a supportive team in an interesting and rewarding role, use the link below to be directed to our Careers Website and apply now!       

For more information, please refer to the job description or contact Kevin Whitehead, P&C Talent Acquisition Partner at careers@kaipara.govt.nz.

Please note that the preferred candidates will be required to undergo pre-employment checks, including criminal history and police vetting checks.