Manager Water & Land

• Lead and improve the delivery of Water and Land programmes
• Apply your experience and knowledge of biophysical and social systems
• Christchurch or Timaru based location

Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha │ About Environment Canterbury

Waitaha - our Canterbury region - is like no other and we are proud to call it home. We are privileged to be working with Ngā Papatipu Rūnanga, stakeholders, and our wider community to protect our environment, including water, land, and air through regulation and planning. As a Regional Council we're responsible for flood protection, public transport, civil defence, biosecurity and more.

Together we're taking action to shape a thriving and resilient Canterbury, now and for future generations. Toitū te marae o Tāne, toitū te marae o Tangaroa, toitū te tangata, If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.

Kōrero mō te Tūranga | About the Role

As Manager – Water & Land, you’ll lead a high-performing team to deliver Environment Canterbury’s strategic water and land goals. This includes overseeing integrated catchment management, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory implementation across Canterbury.

Reporting to the General Manager Catchment Implementation, the purpose of this role is to maximise achievement of Environment Canterbury’s strategic water and land goals through collaborative integrated catchment management, strategic leadership, systems thinking and great relationships both within and outside of the organisation.

You’ll work collaboratively across the organisation and with external partners to deliver outcomes that reflect our values and strategic direction. Your leadership will be key in shaping programmes that support environmental sustainability, community wellbeing, and our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the operational delivery of water and land programmes
• Building strong relationships with mana whenua, stakeholders, and communities
• Supporting regulatory functions and providing technical expertise
• Driving continuous improvement and systems thinking across teams
• Coaching and developing a high-performing, values-aligned team

Mōu │ About You

You’ll be confident collaborating with Senior Leaders within Operations, and across the organisation to ensure alignment of strategies, project, programmes of work, policies, processes and systems to deliver results. Additionally, your relationship and people skills will extend to your team, tangata whenua, stakeholders and our communities.

Mātau ā-Wheako | Experience  

You’re a strategic and collaborative leader with a passion for environmental outcomes and community engagement. You bring deep experience in land and catchment management, and a strong understanding of the Resource Management Act and related legislation.

You’re confident navigating complex stakeholder environments, and you thrive on leading teams to deliver impactful, community-focused work. You’re also committed to growing cultural capability and supporting our journey as a Treaty partner of excellence.

You will bring:

You’ll have a relevant tertiary qualification e.g. Environmental Management, Science, Engineering along with:

• 10+ years’ experience in land and catchment management
• Proven leadership and operational planning experience
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills
• A commitment to te ao Māori and working in partnership with mana whenua

Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha  | Working at Environment Canterbury  

Our mahi is underpinned by our values: 

• Kaitiakitanga (stewardship) 

• Pononga (integrity) 

• Manaakitanga (people first) 

• Whanaungatanga (collaboration) 

• Māiatanga (can do) 

We're on a journey to become a treaty partner of excellence, including incorporating te ao Māori into our work. We offer supportive opportunities to develop capability in this area and encourage our people to use kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori in our daily work. We welcome you with an open heart & mind, wherever you are on your personal te ao Māori journey. 

Ko ētahi atu kōrero | Additional Information  

For a confidential chat about this role, please contact Judith Earl-Goulet 027 687 6248.

Applications close on Sunday, 16 November. Applications will be reviewed as we receive them, and interviews may take place before the close date. We reserve the right to close advertising early. 

Short-listed candidates will be required to complete an interview process, reference checks, and a criminal check. Further background checking will be required when relevant to the role. 

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. 

Me mahi tahi tātou - Together we can