Chief Executive

The Big Idea; Whangarei; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible workplace

Legacy impact

Arts sector leadership

Job summary

Whangārei Art Trust seeks a visionary Chief Executive to guide integration of the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Whangārei Art Museum into a unified, high-performing organisation. You will lead operations, culture, and strategy to deliver a sustainable, community-focused destination for arts and tourism.

The role requires strategic leadership, strong financial acumen, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships, including local government and funding bodies.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Chief Executive, General Manager, or equivalent senior leadership role.
• Strong track record in organisational transformation and change management.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with external stakeholders, Boards and funders.
• Experience in arts, culture, heritage, tourism, or not-for-profit sectors is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead integration of teams, systems and operations across the organisation.
• Deliver strategic vision and long-term objectives.
• Build a high-performing, collaborative culture.
• Strengthen sustainability through sound financial leadership.
• Act as the public face and manage media and external communications.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder relationships

Communication

Financial acumen

Job description

The Whangārei Art Trust is entering an excitingnew chapter, bringing together arts, culture, heritage, tourism and communityimpact under a unified strategic vision. We are seeking an exceptional ChiefExecutive to lead the next phase of organisational development, culturalintegration and long-term sustainability. The successful candidate will leadthe integration of the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Whangārei Art Museum into asingle, high-performing organisation, bringing together people, culture,operations and strategy to deliver the Trust’s vision for a sustainable andthriving future.

This is a high-profile leadership positionrequiring a strategic thinker, a strong people leader and a commercially astuteexecutive who can successfully navigate complexity, stakeholder relationshipsand community expectations.

About the Role

Reporting to the Trust, the Chief Executive will:

• Lead the integration of teams, systems and operations across the organisation
• Deliver the Trust's strategic vision and long-term objectives
• Build a high-performing, collaborative and engaged culture
• Strengthen organisational sustainability through sound commercial and financial leadership
• Maintain and develop critical stakeholder relationships, including local government, the Hundertwasser Foundation in Vienna, local iwi, community partners, and funding bodies
• Act as the public face of the organisation and confidently engage with media and external audiences
• Drive continuous improvement and lead organisational change initiatives
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Whangārei's position as a destination for arts, culture and tourism
• Ensure the ongoing care, maintenance and enhancement of the Whangārei Art Museum collection and the City’s wider art collection
• Ensure the organisation remains a vibrant, financially sustainable and community-focused cultural destination for future generations

About You

We are looking for an experienced executive who can demonstrate:

• Experience in a Chief Executive, General Manager, Executive Director or equivalent senior leadership position
• Strong commercial and financial acumen
• Proven success leading organisational transformation and change
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain trusted and enduring relationships with external stakeholders, funding partners, Boards, iwi and Māori organisations
• Strong people leadership capability with experience building engaged high-performing teams
• Strategic thinking combined with practical execution
• Demonstrated resilience, sound judgement and the ability to operate confidently in complex and highly visible environments
• Confidence engaging with media and managing public scrutiny
• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills
• Experience within the arts, cultural, tourism, museum, visitor economy or not-for-profit sectors is desirable but not essential
• An understanding of community-led and purpose-driven organisations

Why Join Us?

• Build a sustainable, thriving and truly unique Northland destination for future generations
• Competitive salary package
• Engaged and committed Trust
• Flexible workplace
• Leave a lasting legacy for Whangārei and the wider Northland community