Environmental Consents Manager

Western Bay of Plenty District Council

Tauranga

On-site

NZD 120,000 - 180,000

Full time

8 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks annual leave

Subsidised medical insurance

Flexible work arrangements

Pet friendly work environment

Learning and development opportunities

Wellbeing resources and workplace支援

Relocation assistance

Free onsite parking

Job summary

Western Bay of Plenty District Council invites a dynamic leader to join its Regulatory Services Leadership Team. You will guide a professional group delivering resource consenting and development engineering, shaping the district's growth and regulatory landscape.

You will bring five+ years in a senior role, strong leadership, and deep knowledge of RMA/LGA to drive performance, partnerships, and informed decision-making in a fast-changing environment.

Qualifications

Five+ years in a senior/professional role, ideally in local government.
Proven leadership of engaged, high-performing teams.
Strong knowledge of the Resource Management Act and Local Government Act.
Strategic thinker with ability to navigate complexity and reforms.
Outstanding communication with Council, stakeholders and community groups.
Strong regional networks with government agencies and iwi/Māori partners.
Innovative, problem-solving mindset.
Budgeting and financial management expertise.
Customer-first mindset and results orientation.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of planning and engineering professionals in resource consenting and development engineering functions.
Champion performance, service delivery, and process improvement.
Foster strong relationships across council, community, and mana whenua.
Contribute to budgeting, reporting, and adapting to regulatory reforms.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Budgeting & finance

Communication

Relationship building

Change management

Regulatory knowledge

Tools

RMA knowledge

LGA knowledge

Job description

Come and make a difference with us

At Western Bay of Plenty District Council, everything we do is about making the everyday better — and helping our communities thrive, now and into the future.

Western Bay is a District undergoing significant growth and transformation. From planning for future communities to delivering the infrastructure that supports them, we’re focused on getting the fundamentals right — and preparing for what comes next.

We’re also focused on our people. At Western Bay, we believe in investing in and empowering our teams to grow, lead, and achieve their goals. Because when our people thrive, our communities do too.

If you're motivated by making the everyday better, helping people thrive, and leaving things better than you found them — we’d love to hear from you.

The opportunity

This is a challenging and dynamic leadership role within our Regulatory Services Leadership Team. You'll join us at a pivotal time, with the opportunity to lead through significant organisational and sector change, including Resource Management reform, the transition of water services to Tāheke, and the implementation of Datascape. These changes will shape how we deliver services to our communities, making this an exciting opportunity to influence the future of our organisation and district.

In this position you will manage a passionate team of planning and engineering professionals in the delivery of our resource consenting and development engineering functions as we continue to grow our district and respond to the challenges and opportunities of our changing regulatory environment. You'll use your significant management and planning experience together with your exceptional relationship and stakeholder management skills to lead Council delivery on fast-track consenting, resource consenting, influence spatial and district planning, and respond to changes in government policy and direction.

Key responsibilities:

Lead a team of 19-20 staff including 3 Team Leaders, Principal Planner, and planners, engineers and support staff.
Champion performance, service delivery, and process improvement
Foster strong relationships across council, community, and mana whenua
Contribute to budgeting, reporting, and navigating reforms

You will deliver a professional high-quality service for our customers in accordance with the Resource Management Act, and national environmental and engineering requirements.

In return we will offer you the challenge of working in one of the fastest growing regions in NZ, with a wide breath, variety, and complexity of work. You will have a positive 'can-do' attitude, be highly professional, and have integrity, ability to work across multiple disciplines, all whilst creating value, high customer care and achieving outstanding results.

To set you up for success, you’ll have

At least five years' experience in a relevant professional role, ideally within local government or a similarly complex environment.
Strong leadership experience, with a demonstrated ability to build engaged, high-performing teams and lead through change.
Strong knowledge of local government legislation, including the Resource Management Act and Local Government Act.
Strategic thinking ability with a proven track record in planning, navigating complexity, and identifying smart, sustainable consenting solutions.
Outstanding communication skills, including the ability to present complex and technical information confidently to Council, stakeholders, and community groups.
Strong regional networks with government agencies, iwi/Māori partners, and community organisations.
Innovative thinking – someone who enjoys problem-solving and isn’t afraid to think outside the square.
Budgeting and financial management expertise, with a sharp eye for cost-effective outcomes.
A customer-first mindset, always seeking to improve the service experience.
Self-motivation, enthusiasm, and results orientation, with a positive, can-do attitude.

What we offer