Emergency Management Lead

Wellington City Council; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Wellington City Council seeks a senior emergency-management leader to drive readiness and response capability for the capital. You will lead four specialists, maintain an activation-ready Emergency Operations Centre, and ensure plans, doctrine and exercises are in place.

The role carries the Local Controller appointment and requires coordination with WREMO, NEMA and multiple partners. You will work across resilience, readiness, response and recovery, advising senior leaders and governing bodies,

Qualifications

• 10 or more years’ demonstrated experience and capability in senior emergency-management leadership or a closely related sector.
• experience leading incident responses and Emergency Operations Centre operations;
• experience as a Response Manager, Operations Manager, Local Controller or in an equivalent emergency-leadership role;
• strong knowledge and practical application of CIMS and New Zealand emergency-management arrangements;
• experience in emergency planning, readiness programmes, training and exercises;
• people leadership and organisational capability-building experience;
• strong multi-agency and stakeholder leadership, including work with iwi, Māori organisations and diverse communities;
• experience advising senior leaders and governance bodies;
• programme and financial-management capability; and
• a relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent professional experience at a recognised level.

Responsibilities

• lead and develop four specialist staff;
• maintain an activation-ready Emergency Operations Centre, including staffing, rosters, facilities, systems and operational resources;
• develop and assure response plans, doctrine, procedures, training and exercises;
• lead readiness assurance, lessons management and continuous improvement;
• integrate emergency response with business continuity, organisational resilience and recovery;
• advise senior leaders and governance bodies on readiness, response risks and capability;
• manage programmes and budgets; and
• work with WREMO, NEMA, emergency services, lifeline utilities, mana whenua, iwi, Māori organisations, communities, government agencies and Council business units.

Skills

Senior leadership

Emergency leadership

Incident response

Stakeholder leadership

People leadership

Education

Tertiary qualification or equivalent

Tools

CIMS knowledge

Job description

Shape how New Zealand’s capital prepares for and responds to emergencies.

Wellington City Council is strengthening how it prepares for, responds to and recovers from disruption. We are looking for a senior emergency-management leader to lead Council’s readiness and response capability and help mature the systems Wellington relies on during an emergency.

This is both a substantive people-leadership role and Council’s senior operational emergency-management position. You will lead four specialist staff, build capability across the organisation and maintain the people, plans, facilities and systems needed to activate and sustain an effective Emergency Operations Centre.

The role also holds the Local Controller appointment for Wellington City. During an emergency, you may direct the Council’s response and exercise the responsibilities associated with that appointment.

Reporting to the Manager City Resilience and Emergency Management, you will be part of a unit providing integrated leadership across resilience, readiness, response and recovery.

You will:

• lead and develop four specialist staff;
• maintain an activation-ready Emergency Operations Centre, including staffing, rosters, facilities, systems and operational resources;
• develop and assure response plans, doctrine, procedures, training and exercises;
• lead readiness assurance, lessons management and continuous improvement;
• integrate emergency response with business continuity, organisational resilience and recovery;
• advise senior leaders and governance bodies on readiness, response risks and capability;
• manage programmes and budgets; and
• work with WREMO, NEMA, emergency services, lifeline utilities, mana whenua, iwi, Māori organisations, communities, government agencies and Council business units.

As Local Controller, you will lead in complex and high-consequence situations, direct the Emergency Operations Centre, coordinate response activity under CIMS and help manage the transition from response to recovery.

Ngā tohu me ngā wheako | Qualifications and experience

We are looking for a senior leader with substantial emergency-management experience and sound operational judgement. Credible candidates may come from local government, emergency services, infrastructure, lifeline utilities or a related operational environment.

You'll bring:

• 10 or more years’ demonstrated experience and capability in senior emergency-management leadership or a closely related sector;
• experience leading incident responses and Emergency Operations Centre operations;
• experience as a Response Manager, Operations Manager, Local Controller or in an equivalent emergency-leadership role;
• strong knowledge and practical application of CIMS and New Zealand emergency-management arrangements;
• experience in emergency planning, readiness programmes, training and exercises;
• people leadership and organisational capability-building experience;
• strong multi-agency and stakeholder leadership, including work with iwi, Māori organisations and diverse communities;
• experience advising senior leaders and governance bodies;
• programme and financial-management capability; and
• a relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent professional experience at a recognised level.

You will need the training and qualifications required for appointment as a Controller. An otherwise strong candidate who does not yet hold all required Controller training or qualifications may be considered if they can attain them.

We recognise that credible emergency leadership develops through different career paths. If your experience is transferable and you can demonstrate the judgement, leadership and operational foundation required, we encourage you to apply.

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

This is an opportunity to shape emergency-management capability in New Zealand’s capital city. You will work across the full resilience, readiness, response and recovery system, combining strategic leadership, operational command, people leadership, capability building and partnership work.

Working for the Council offers you a range of benefits including:

• 5 weeks annual leave
• flexible working options
• health and wellbeing support
• Council staff discounts
• a range of learning and development programmes and opportunities

We want your application to enable you to portray the real you. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the advert through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.

We welcome applications from all people and like our workforce to reflect the diverse communities we serve.

Accessibility Support:

We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have, are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support, we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing: [e-mail]

Applications close 18 October 2026. Please note that we may engage with applicants prior to the vacancy closing and/or close applications ahead of this date so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

All applications must be submitted online and must have the right to work in New Zealand – we will not accept emailed applications.

All employees must undergo a Criminal Conviction Check, the results of which will be held on your employee file if employed.

If you have questions, please contact Phil Becker, Manager City Resilience and Emergency Management, [e-mail]

Location(s): Wellington CBD

Expertise: Community services, Compliance, consents, regulation and licencing, Democratic, electoral and governance services, Iwi/public engagement and relations, Legal, Risk management, audit and assurance