• Lead a programme that will shape the future delivery of water services in our district.
• Work directly with senior leaders and elected members on high-impact decision making.
• Play a key role in guiding operational readiness and long-term service sustainability

Ko wai mātau | About us

The people at Whakatāne District Council love what we do because we do it for others, and that feels good. We work hard and we know it's important to stop and play too. We're on a learning journey because we know we can always do better, and we know we're better together. Will you come on that journey with us? In return, you'll enjoy a range of staff benefits including hybrid working, an extra week's annual leave and free or discounted access to our community facilities. You'll never be more than half an hour away from rivers, lakes, forests, beaches and great walks - most are just on your doorstep. We love this place, and you will too.

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

This fixed term role is a rare opportunity to lead the end-to-end coordination of Council's Waters Transition Programme, guiding our organisation through the establishment of an Internal Business Unit (IBU) and investigating the potential participation in a future multi-council Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) under Local Waters Done Well.

Reporting to the Transition Director, you will sit at the centre of a high-impact and high-profile programme - integrating multiple workstreams including People & Change, Finance, Digital, Asset, Regulatory, PMO, and Iwi Partnership into one cohesive and well-governed programme ecosystem.

This role brings together systems, people, governance across the organisation, while shaping opportunities to lift service quality, resilience and long-term affordability for our communities. It is programme leadership at a strategic level ensuring planning and delivery confidence across a complex programme. You will provide oversight, governance reporting, risk management, sequencing, dependency coordination, and forward planning, enabling confident decision-making at Executive and Council level.

If you thrive in complexity, understand regulated infrastructure environments, and are motivated by delivering meaningful long-term change for communities, this role offers genuine impact.

What you'll do

• Own and maintain the overall Waters Transition Programme roadmap and critical path.
• Integrate and align multiple workstreams into a single, coordinated delivery programme.
• Embed consistent programme standards and a culture of continuous improvement
• Guide through multiple regulatory changes and ensure advice is on-hand to meet regulatory requirements
• Lead governance reporting to the Programme Steering Group, ELT, and Council.
• Maintain programme-level RAID (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies).
• Coach and support workstream leads to strengthen delivery discipline.
• Oversee budget tracking, financial readiness, procurement sequencing, and compliance uplift.
• Support stakeholder engagement planning including iwi/hapū, partner councils, regulators and contractors.
• Monitor benefits realisation and support strategic decision pathways.
• Lead programme closure, handover, and lessons learned.

Ko wai koe | About you

You are a seasoned programme leader who brings calm structure to complexity. You understand governance environments, political sensitivity, infrastructure delivery, and regulatory accountability. You are equally comfortable in a workshop aligning cross-functional teams as you are presenting a risk update to elected members.

You know how to integrate people, process, finance, and operational realities into a single, clear programme narrative — and you take pride in disciplined execution.

What You'll Bring to the Role

• Degree qualification in a relevant field.
• Formal programme/project management certification (PRINCE2, PMP, MSP, PgMP or equivalent).
• 7+ years' experience leading complex, multi-workstream programmes.
• Strong governance reporting and executive stakeholder engagement experience.
• Proven capability in risk management, dependency mapping, and sequencing.
• Experience in infrastructure, water services, utilities, local government or regulated environments.
• Experience coordinating technical, operational, finance and regulatory teams.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Full, clean driver's licence.

Experience working in iwi partnership environments, multi-council settings, or water regulatory frameworks will be highly regarded.

Me pēhea te tono mai | How to apply

If you're ready to lead a complex transition programme that truly matters to our community, we welcome your application.

Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your programme leadership experience and why you're interested in leading the Waters Transition Programme.

This is a fixed term role for 12 to 18 months. We are keen to hire the right person ASAP and will be reviewing applications as they come in, so don't delay in submitting yours!

For any further information, please phone 07 306 0500 to speak with Nic Johansson, Transition Director.