Water Services Manager

Lakes, bikes, and endless opportunities

Looking for a job that offers more than just a paycheck? Te Kaunihera o ngā Roto o Rotorua - Rotorua Lakes Council invites you to be part of a community where work meets play seamlessly. Imagine having the lakes as your backyard and being a stone's throw away from the world's premier mountain biking trails. Join a team that's shaping the future with remarkable projects like the Sir Howard Morrison Centre, the Rotorua Aquatic Centre Revitalisation, and the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment. Immerse yourself in a workplace that celebrates biculturalism and thrives on strong connections with Te Arawa, our local iwi - come build your career with us.

He koanga ngākau! He hikinga manawa! Uplifting and Inspiring! Heart pumping and heart warming!

Water is life, and in Rotorua, it is at the heart of our community’s wellbeing, our environment, and our future. This is your opportunity to lead one of the most critical functions in our organisation - a role that safeguards the health of our people, protects our natural taonga, and ensures the resilience of our district for generations to come. As Water Services Manager, you will take responsibility for delivering safe, reliable and sustainable water, wastewater and stormwater services across Rotorua. You will lead a talented team and oversee a significant operational and capital budget, ensuring our infrastructure meets the needs of today and the challenges of tomorrow. Your leadership will influence the trust our customers place in us and the confidence of our elected members that we are delivering excellence.

We are looking for someone with deep technical expertise and proven leadership experience. You will bring tertiary engineering qualifications, ideally Chartered Professional Engineer status or equivalent, and at least a decade of senior experience in water services and asset management. You will be a strategic thinker who can balance operational excellence with long-term planning, and a relationship builder who can work effectively with iwi partners, contractors, elected members and the wider community. Strong communication skills, sound judgement and a commitment to bicultural engagement are essential.

This is more than a job - it is a chance to make a lasting impact on the future of Rotorua. You will join a collaborative, inclusive and values-driven organisation that empowers its people to make a positive difference. If you are ready to lead water services for one of New Zealand’s most iconic regions and help us create a sustainable future, we want to hear from you.

Applications close on Sunday, 11 January 2026.

Click here to view the position description for this role

Te Kaunihera o nga Roto o Rotorua (Rotorua Lakes Council) is committed to working in partnership with Te Arawa, our local iwi. We aspire to being a bicultural organisation and we value staff who speak te reo Māori, have an appreciation of Māori values, and a working knowledge of tikanga Māori.

Sound like you? Click the Apply button now!