Four Directors

Sheffield Group; Timaru; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Central South Island Water Limited is establishing a foundational governance board to guide the entity and deliver safe, reliable water services for Timaru and Mackenzie regions.

Directors will shape strategic direction, governance frameworks and risk management from day one while building strong ties with councils, mana whenua, regulators and the wider community.

Qualifications

• Experience in water and wastewater engineering, treatment and capital delivery.
• Asset management and multi-year capital programme delivery.
• Financial, commercial and treasury expertise.
• Board-level governance and senior leadership experience.
• Regulatory knowledge including Taumata Arowai and Commerce Commission.
• Understanding of South Canterbury water consenting and Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua.
• Strong South Canterbury community and stakeholder networks.

Responsibilities

• Help set CSIW's strategic direction and establish governance, performance and risk frameworks.
• Build strong relationships with shareholding councils, mana whenua, regulators and the community.
• Navigate establishing a new commercial entity within a regulated, high-scrutiny environment.
• Collaborate with the Chair and potential Deputy Chair on governance matters.

Skills

Water engineering

Asset management

Treasury expertise

Governance experience

Regulatory knowledge

Consents & environment

Community networks

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 16th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Four Director roles on the inaugural board of a new water services CCO

Foundation governance opportunity for South Canterbury and Mackenzie

Help deliver safe, reliable water services for generations to come

About the Organisation:

Central South Island Water Limited is a new council-controlled organisation being established by Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils under the Government's Local Water Done Well reforms. It will take over delivery of drinking water and wastewater services across the Timaru and Mackenzie districts from 1 July 2027. The organisation is expected to hold assets worth close to half a billion dollars, with responsibility for essential services for current and future generations.

A Chair has been appointed and CSIW is now building out its Board with four additional Directors to guide the entity through this critical establishment phase and into early operations, working in partnership with the shareholding Councils and Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua as mana whenua for the region.

The Role:

Working alongside the Chair, Directors will help set CSIW's strategic direction and establish the governance, performance and risk frameworks the organisation needs from day one. This is a foundational governance role: you'll be shaping how a new entity operates, while ensuring it delivers safe, reliable and affordable water services to the communities of Timaru and Mackenzie for generations to come.

Directors will be expected to build strong working relationships with the shareholding councils, mana whenua, regulators and the wider community, and to navigate the practical realities of establishing a new commercial entity within a regulated, high-scrutiny environment.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking Directors who collectively bring:

• Water and wastewater engineering, treatment operations and capital delivery experience, including operational consenting.
• Asset management and capital programme delivery, including building asset registers, Asset Management Plans and delivering multi-year capital programmes.
• Financial, commercial and treasury expertise, including LGFA covenant and treasury literacy and Audit & Risk Committee chairing experience.
• Governance and senior leadership at board level, including a Director able to step up as Deputy Chair, ideally with prior CCO or local government governance experience.
• Regulatory expertise spanning drinking water quality and compliance (Taumata Arowai) and economic regulation and information disclosure (Commerce Commission).
• Resource consents, RMA and environmental experience, alongside a genuine understanding of South Canterbury water consenting issues and existing relationships with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua.
• Strong South Canterbury community and stakeholder networks across industrial, rural and community sectors.
• These are collective board skills across the matrix - no individual Director needs to bring all of them.

Applications close on 4th October 2026.

For more information please phone Louise Green on [phone].