Manager - Infrastructure

• Leads Waikato’s flood, river and drainage systems, delivering programmes that safeguard communities and ensure sustainable, resilient infrastructure.
• Relocation costs + Additional Leave + WFH +Flexible Working + Extra Sick Leave.
• Training and Development Opportunities Provided + Annual Salary Review.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

Provide strategic leadership for regional flood protection, river management, and land drainage infrastructure. Oversee a $15m operational and $20m capital programme linked to a $1.1b asset base. Develop and implement infrastructure strategies, engineering standards, and asset management frameworks. Support organisational planning and reporting, including Long-Term and Annual Plans. Manage regional programme delivery, prioritisation, resourcing, and coordination across offices and teams. Build relationships with iwi, scheme committees, landowners, government agencies, and stakeholders. Lead flood response and emergency management activities to ensure readiness and resilience.

This role contributes to a team known for its respectful, supportive and stable working environment. We are growing our capability so we can continue delivering high-quality work for our communities, and we’re looking for people who can bring their expertise and calm professionalism into a period of change.

Mō te tangata | Who we are looking for

We are looking for a highly experienced infrastructure leader with the confidence and professional credibility to operate at senior and governance levels in complex, high-profile environments. You will bring strong judgement and the ability to balance engineering, environmental, community and organisational considerations in decision-making, particularly where issues are politically sensitive or contested.

You will be an effective communicator, able to engage constructively with elected members, iwi partners, landowners, industry representatives and Council colleagues, and to build trust across organisational and disciplinary boundaries. Comfortable working with uncertainty, change and competing priorities, you will demonstrate a calm, decisive leadership style and a commitment to collaborative, solution-focused outcomes.

• As a values-driven leader, you will foster a positive and accountable team culture, model high standards of integrity and professionalism, and champion health, safety and wellbeing across all areas of responsibility. You will also understand the importance of working in genuine partnership with tangata whenua and incorporating te ao Māori perspectives into planning, delivery and long-term infrastructure stewardship.

Mō ngā pūkenga | Qualifications and experience

Essential Experience

• 15+ years’ experience in a relevant field, including 10+ years leading large operational and asset-based teams.
• Demonstrated success managing senior leaders and geographically dispersed workforces within complex organisational environments.
• Strong leadership capability across people management, financial oversight, programme delivery and operational performance.
• Proven ability to lead large‑scale infrastructure programmes involving multiple stakeholders, funding sources and delivery partners.
• High levels of political awareness, with the ability to navigate sensitive, high‑profile issues and maintain constructive relationships.
• Strong strategic and operational thinking, with the ability to influence at executive and governance levels.
• Experience making sound decisions in high‑pressure and rapidly changing contexts.

Essential Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in natural resource management, environmental science, river or catchment management, engineering or a related discipline.

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification.
• Experience in local government or complex public‑sector organisations.
• Experience leading culturally competent teams and working alongside tangata whenua in a partnership context.
• Knowledge of te ao Māori and its application to environmental and infrastructure decision‑making.
• Experience working within legislative and statutory frameworks relevant to infrastructure, land and environmental management.
• Emergency management or Civil Defence Emergency Management leadership experience.

Mō te tīma | About the team

You will lead a regional Infrastructure function of approximately 69 staff, including six senior managers, operating across multiple locations within the Waikato. The team is responsible for delivering and maintaining critical catchment and flood protection infrastructure that directly supports community safety, environmental outcomes and regional resilience. The role works closely with Catchment Delivery teams, iwi partners and senior leadership to ensure integrated, regionally consistent outcomes.

Mō mātou | About us

Waikato Regional Council works in partnership with communities and tangata whenua to support a healthy environment, a strong regional economy and vibrant communities. Our work spans environmental stewardship, infrastructure management and regulatory functions, with a strong focus on collaboration, long‑term thinking and customer service. Through collective kaitiakitanga, we seek to deliver infrastructure and environmental outcomes that make a meaningful difference for current and future generations. Our mahi is as diverse as the region we care for and the people who share it. Our work helps look after our region's water, soil, air, geothermal areas and coasts - so we can all enjoy these precious resources for generations to come.

Customers sit at the heart of everything we do, and all staff have an important role to play in the delivery of exceptional customer service.

If you’d like to understand more about what we do please click here The work we do | Waikato Regional Council.

By partnering with iwi and working with many others in our communities, our collective kaitiakitanga will make the Waikato region even better. Together, we’ll create a sustainable future that will make a positive difference to people’s lives.

To learn more about what we offer you, view our available staff benefits here.

Mō te tuku tono | How to apply

• Applications will be reviewed as they come in, and this role will close on Sunday 15 March 2026.
• For a copy of the role description, please click here.
• If you have any questions about the role, please contact ICM Director – Greg Ryan greg.ryan@waikatoregion.govt.nz
• Please click ‘apply’ and include your CV & cover letter as a pdf.
• Apply now!