GM Planning and Delivery – Shape Futures

• Bring fresh thinking to infrastructure strategy and investment.
• Build capability and turn evidence into better long-term decisions.
• 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 Planning and Delivery is an opportunity to shape the organisation’s infrastructure future - building planning capability, challenging assumptions and directing investment towards the outcomes that matter most. 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 water services strategy, asset management, capital delivery and planning for growth. An immediate priority will be developing the first Water Services Strategy, connecting asset condition, service needs and future demand with credible, affordable investment choices.

This role has significant scope to influence how the organisation thinks and invests. You will test the investment pipeline, strengthen the evidence behind decisions and help determine what needs to happen first, what can wait and where a different approach could deliver better value.

Through your team and specialist partners, you will build asset management capability and oversee an achievable capital programme. Working closely with fellow executives, you will connect infrastructure decisions with operational needs, customer outcomes and financial sustainability.

Your priorities will include:

• Developing a clear water services strategy and prioritised investment programme.
• Building planning capability, reliable asset information and disciplined decision-making.
• Leading capital delivery with clear expectations for safety, quality, cost and performance.
• Developing people and improving processes, with accountability for the service benefits investment delivers.

About you | Fresh thinking, New Ideas

You are a strategic infrastructure leader who can connect long-term thinking with practical delivery. You bring the judgement to challenge investment assumptions, the commercial discipline to navigate constrained funding and the leadership to build capability through others.

Your background could be in electricity, utilities, transport, infrastructure or another asset-intensive environment. We welcome transferable experience and fresh perspectives from beyond water and local government.

Water-sector experience would be valuable, but it is not essential – it’s your ability to understand complex infrastructure, lead technical specialists and bring sound judgement to investment decisions that will matter most.

You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience in infrastructure planning, asset management, capital delivery or a comparable portfolio.
• A record of translating strategy into credible investment priorities and achievable programmes.
• Strong analytical and commercial judgement, including the ability to test asset evidence, lifecycle costs and delivery options.
• The ability to develop people, set clear expectations and build a culture of performance and continuous improvement.
• Confidence advising executives and Boards, explaining complex choices and working constructively with delivery partners and stakeholders.
  

You will be comfortable with ambiguity, willing to challenge established approaches and committed to working as one executive team. Above all, you will connect infrastructure investment with reliable services and lasting value for customers and communities.

Help establish an organisation, strengthen its capability and shape infrastructure for generations to come.

How to apply

For a copy of the position description and to apply, visit the Decipher Group website on General Manager Planning and Delivery - Decipher Group. 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.