Chief Executive

• Bring strategic, solution-based thinking, community focus and organisational empowerment
• Significant leadership opportunity to help shape the future of Waikirikiri Selwyn
• Urban-Rural lifestyle in a dynamic and expanding community

Waikirikiri Selwyn is unlike any other district in New Zealand. Spanning mountains in the west, to the waters of Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere, it is a diverse district of rural communities and fast-growing towns. The Selwyn District Council is managing growth, with the population expected to increase by around 30,000 over the next ten years - bringing a rare combination of challenge and opportunity. 

Selwyn District Council is seeking a Chief Executive to lead the organisation through its next phase of disciplined performance and delivery, to embed financial discipline, and help deliver fantastic outcomes for our district and its communities.

 About the Role

The Mayor and Councillors are seeking to appoint a Chief Executive with the clarity, discipline, passion and proven ability to lead our Council, that is evolving deliberately. 

This is a role for a leader who will take ownership and walk alongside elected members, through local government reform complexity and deliver measurable improvements in how Council operates and serves its community.  This is not a caretaker role; this is genuine leadership opportunity to shape an organisation that is fit for purpose.

Key priorities for the incoming Chief Executive include:

• Leading a shift from reactive to planned, disciplined growth management, ensuring infrastructure, planning, and financial sustainability are aligned
• Strengthening financial oversight and value for money, within a rates-constrained environment
• Bringing a strong focus on organisational performance, discipline, and delivery, that is fit for purpose.
• Driving a culture of high trust and high accountability
• Ensuring alignment between governance direction, organisational delivery, and community expectations
• Rebuilding and maintaining elected member and community confidence through transparent clear communication
• Leading with a grounded, practical, and action-oriented style
• Providing strong, enabling leadership to our Executive Leadership Team and 600+ employees across the district
• Building relationships with key stakeholders including Te Taumutu Rūnanga, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Malvern Community Board and our community groups, residents and rate payers across the district
• Building effective working relationships with the Council's two Council controlled organisations (CCOs) - CORDE and Selwyn Water Limited

About You

You are a proven Chief Executive or an exceptional senior executive ready to make the step up. Council is open to emerging CE’s who bring the scale of leadership required, fresh energy and new ideas. What matters most is that you arrive with your eyes wide open, are fully aware of the context, and have a strong community focus and commitment for the future of the district.

You will bring:

• Strategic, solution-based thinking with a deep understanding of local government in the current reform environment in NZ. Experience from an adjacent sector will be considered
• Strong financial and business acumen - the ability to interrogate finances, bring operational discipline, and exercise creative problem-solving within existing resources
• Proven capability of providing strategic leadership through change and ambiguity; building and embedding organisational systems and processes in a fast-moving and complex environment
• Strong governance capability, with the ability to build effective relationships with elected members, employees and the community - a leadership style that empowers and builds culture
• Resilience, transparency and openness to front-foot issues early on a ‘no surprises’ basis
• Understanding of Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with demonstrated capability to engage meaningfully with mana whenua.

A connection to the Selwyn district or South Island or a genuine commitment to becoming part of it, plus experience in rural or high-growth contexts will be well regarded. 

What we can offer

• Great work-life balance with flexibility
• Career coaching and development
• Life insurance
• Five weeks annual leave
• Wellbeing and volunteer leave
• Three days paid leave between Christmas and New Year
• Two weeks paid Partners Leave
• Continued KiwiSaver contributions during savings suspension
• Discounts with local and national businesses

To apply in strict confidence now, click ‘Apply for this job’ or email your cover letter and CV in PDF format wherever possible to cvchc@sheffield.co.nz quoting 9157SILG. Applications close on 29th April 2026.  Emails will be electronically acknowledged and further correspondence may be by email.

To view the Candidate Briefing document, please visit www.sheffield.co.nz 

For more information please phone Louise Green on +64 3 353 4367.