General Manager Operations

GM Operations – Inspire Performance

• Unite operational teams through visible leadership and fresh thinking
• Build a culture of safety, service and continuous improvement
• Join a collaborative executive team with shared responsibility for success

Central South Island Water | Help shape what comes next

Central South Island Water has been established to deliver drinking water and wastewater services across the Timaru and Mackenzie districts, alongside stormwater services for both councils. Preparing to commence operations on 1 July 2027, the organisation has a clear ambition: reliable services, decisions grounded in evidence and a genuine focus on customers and the communities it serves.

The new role of GM Operations is an opportunity to bring people together, strengthen leadership and shape how essential services are delivered - building on local expertise while creating consistent expectations and better ways of working. Sound like you?

About the opportunity | Establish, Build, Shape

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will join three other new General Managers who will collectively build and lead Central South Island Water. Your contribution will extend across the organisation, helping the executive team make sound decisions, navigate competing priorities and deliver shared outcomes.

You will lead drinking water, wastewater and network operations, together with stormwater services delivered to the councils. Your immediate focus will be preparing teams, contracts and operational systems for a safe transition and dependable service from day one.

People leadership will be central to your success. You will develop your leaders, strengthen engagement and create a culture where expectations are clear, people take ownership and career development matters. Succession planning and knowledge transfer will help retain the expertise on which these services depend.

Alongside this, you will bring strategic oversight to maintenance and service delivery arrangements, using operational evidence to assess performance, challenge established practices and inform investment. Working closely with fellow executives, you will connect operational decisions with customer needs, affordability and long-term asset performance.

Your priorities will include:

• Leading operational readiness while maintaining safe, reliable and compliant services.
• Building leadership capability, engagement and accountability across both districts.
• Reviewing maintenance and contracting arrangements to strengthen service quality and value.
• Using performance data, staff insights and customer feedback to improve processes and guide decisions.

About you | Fresh thinking, New ideas

You are an operational leader who brings clear direction, sound judgement and the ability to get the best from people. You can lead through experienced specialists, ask searching questions and turn strategy into practical improvements.

Your background could be in water, utilities, infrastructure or another regulated, asset-intensive environment and we welcome transferable capability and fresh thinking from beyond water and local government.

You will bring:

• Senior operational leadership experience across multidisciplinary teams and infrastructure.
• A record of strengthening engagement, developing leaders and building a culture of performance.
• Strong judgement across safety, compliance, operational risk and incident leadership.
• Commercial capability in maintenance, contracting and resource allocation, supported by confident use of performance data.
• The ability to contribute to executive decisions and build effective relationships with staff, providers and councils.
  

You will be comfortable with ambiguity, willing to challenge established approaches and committed to working as one executive team. Above all, you will connect strong people leadership with safe operations and dependable customer service.

Help establish an organisation, develop its people and lift the performance of essential services.

How to apply

For a copy of the position description and to apply, visit the Decipher Group website on https://deciphergroup.co.nz/job-opportunities/general-manager-operations/

To discover more about Central South Island Water and the partner Councils visit www.timaru.govt.nz and www.mckenzie.govt.nz.

To make a time for a confidential discussion about the role, contact Lisa Edwards at Decipher Group by text to 021 240 4410 or email lisa@deciphergroup.co.nz.

Applications close: Friday 6 November 2026.