Commercial Operations Manager

Citycare Water; Howick; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted health insurance

Mental health first aiders

Regular health check-ups

Flu vaccinations and employee support

Women in Water network

BOOST benefits

Making Waves – Reward & Recognition

Bereavement leave

Five days sick leave

Job summary

Citycare Water is seeking an experienced Commercial Operations Manager to partner with operational leaders and drive commercial excellence across contracts, projects and service delivery. Based in Christchurch or Auckland, you will provide insights and practical support to improve performance, manage risk and deliver sustainable outcomes.

You will lead budgeting, forecasting, pricing, tenders, and investment decisions while building relationships across Operations, Finance, Procurement, Fleet

Qualifications

• Significant experience in commercial management, operational partnering, or business performance roles.
• Experience in infrastructure, utilities, construction, maintenance, or related industries.
• Ability to interpret complex operational and financial information.
• Proven track record influencing senior operational leaders.
• Experience supporting budgets, forecasting, pricing, tenders, and business cases.
• Ability to translate analysis into practical actions.
• Collaborative style with ability to challenge constructively.

Responsibilities

• Drive commercial performance across contracts and service delivery activities.
• Provide commercial leadership, analysis, and advice to regional managers.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, cost management, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Identify commercial risks, opportunities, and performance issues.
• Facilitate performance reviews and drive accountability for results.
• Support pricing, tenders, business cases, and investment decisions.
• Improve reporting and decision-making across the business.
• Build relationships with Operations, Finance, Procurement, Fleet, and Tendering teams.

Skills

Commercial management

Operational partnering

Contract management

Financial analysis

Influencing senior leaders

Budgeting and forecasting

Commercial decision-making

Job description

About the job:

We're looking for an experienced Commercial Operations Manager to partner closely with our operational leaders and help drive commercial excellence across our contracts, projects, and service delivery activities.

Based in either Christchurch or Auckland and reporting to the Head of Commercial & Risk, you'll provide insight, challenge, and practical support to operational leaders, helping them make informed decisions, improve performance, manage risk, and deliver sustainable commercial outcomes.

You’ll work alongside our operational teams to:

• Drive commercial performance across operational contracts and service delivery activities.
• Provide commercial leadership, analysis, and advice to Regional Managers and operational leaders.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, cost management, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Identify commercial risks, opportunities, and emerging performance issues.
• Facilitate operational and contract performance reviews and drive accountability for results.
• Support pricing, tender submissions, business cases, and investment decisions.
• Improve commercial capability, reporting, and decision-making across the business.
• Build strong relationships across Operations, Finance, Procurement, Fleet, and Tendering teams.

To be successful, you’ll bring:

• Significant experience in commercial management, operational business partnering, contract management, or business performance roles.
• Experience working within infrastructure, utilities, construction, maintenance, contracting, or other operationally focused industries.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to interpret complex operational and financial information.
• Demonstrated success influencing and partnering with senior operational leaders.
• Experience supporting budgets, forecasting, pricing, tenders, business cases, and commercial decision-making.
• The ability to identify performance issues and convert analysis into practical actions and improvements.
• A collaborative style combined with the confidence to provide constructive challenge when required.

All preferred candidates will be required to complete preemployment checks to the employer’s satisfaction. These checks include but are not limited to, Ministry of Justice criminal conviction report, medical assessment, and drug and alcohol testing.

If you have any further questions, please email [e-mail]

Benefits and culture:

At our core, we believe that diverse teams drive better outcomes. We’re proud to support and invest in initiatives that create a workplace where everyone feels they belong:

• Perks such as discounted health insurance, mental health first aiders, regular health check-ups, flu vaccinations and access to our employee assistance programme.
• Our Women in Water network provides resources, support and opportunities to thrive as a woman in your career and life in general. This wāhine-only environment is a safe space to connect, ask questions, share thoughts and experiences, support each other and have some fun.
• Employee benefits and discounts via BOOST.
• Making Waves – Reward & Recognition Program: We celebrate team members who truly live our values through our Making Waves program, recognising and rewarding outstanding contributions every quarter
• You’re covered from your very first day, with bereavement leave and five days’ sick leave available right from the start.
• Our culture values different perspectives and we provide mentorship and training to help all team members succeedand progress in their careers.

Find out more:

Visit our Careers page to hear from our people about what it’s like working for Citycare Water; and visit out News section to read about the work we do protecting the health of our water in our local communities.