Senior Manager - Operations

• Moving Kaikōura Forward - Small Council, Big Opportunity
• A leader with a heart for the community
• Live and work in a beautiful part of NZ – no commute, a beach walk at lunchtime!

Are you looking for a sea-change in 2025?

Are you tired of long commutes?

We offer a place to work in a spectacular location nestled between the mountains and the sea. Leave behind the hassles of city-life and enjoy the outdoors on your doorstep with fabulous scenery, fishing, diving, cycling, walking and beaches.  

Come and join the senior leadership team at Kaikōura District Council.

About the Organisation:

Kaikōura District Council covers a diverse district where great things happen. Unlike larger councils, we don't have a huge team. So, when you work for us you won't be placed in a specialist niche were every day is more or less the same.

Our District is evolving and growing. With varied development projects and challenges we require a more flexible approach to working. We build teams that make the most of employee talents and play to our collective strengths to get the job done. And we try to have fun on the way!

The Kaikōura region is in a really exciting point in its development with huge potential and opportunity for the future.

About The Role: 

Living in Kaikōura encompasses the breath-taking moana (sea), maunga (mountains) and nga tuaone (beaches), meandering coastlines, abundant wildlife and stunning coastal alpine scenery.  Living here opens opportunity to be part of Kaikōura’s unique quality of life, rich culture, strong well-connected community and exciting employment and business opportunities. It’s an unforgettable place.

As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, and reporting to the CEO, the Senior Manager – Operations leads a team of 23 people, including Building Control, Operations Delivery and Regulatory Services.  You will provide strategic direction, lead and foster a positive and innovative culture for Operations, ensuring management and delivery of services is service-centric and customer focused, efficiently run, represents value for money for residents and the ratepayer and meets the needs of the community.  This role is key to Council achieving the Long-Term Plan and strategic priorities.  With the vision of 'Moving Kaikōura forward', there are plenty of projects underway with more exciting development projects planned.

About the Person:

Successful candidates will have demonstrated people leadership experience at the executive level and a background in engineering or project management, ideally in horizontal infrastructure, or in management.   You will have:

• 10+ years’ senior leadership/executive experience.
• Proven ability to implement modern and effective infrastructure functions to do the basics brilliantly.
• Experience in managing large teams and sizable budgets.
• Significant experience in the successful delivery of large, complex infrastructure projects, including management of consultants and contractors.
• A proven track record in engineering, asset management or project/programme management and a solid understanding of all these elements.
• Superior analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Proven track record of developing and maintaining relationships across a broad range of stakeholders within the organisation, as well as externally.
• Significant experience leading and managing people, inspiring and leading others to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Experience and strong evidence of the ability to create a culture of collaboration, critical thinking, performance and transparency and to build capability and effective teams.
• Drive, energy and a positive “can do” attitude with a growth mind set – a drive to make a difference.
• Business and political acumen with a successful track record of sound decision-making and strategic agility.

Experience within local government, or a similarly complex operating environment is essential.

How to Apply: 

Candidates can apply, in strict confidence, online at www.sheffield.co.nz

To apply by email, please attach your cover letter and CV and send to cvchc@sheffield.co.nz quoting 8893lgj.  Applications close on 19 January 2025.  Emails will be electronically acknowledged, and further correspondence may be by email. 

Click here to view the Candidate Briefing document including a full Position Description.

For more information please phone Andrea Bankier on +64 274 478 102.