Head of Customer Strategic Relationships

New Zealand Government; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Two days WFH

Wellbeing programme

Professional development

Five weeks annual leave accrual

Job summary

Tiaki Wai is seeking an experienced leader to establish and head the Strategic Customer Relationships function. Based in Petone, Wellington, this full-time role will guide a team that manages our most important council and high-value commercial relationships, delivering coordinated account planning and issue resolution.

You will partner with senior leaders and mana whenua, turning customer insights into service design and long-term planning while ensuring the organisation remains easy to work

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading strategic relationship or key account functions.
• Strong understanding of local government and governance processes.
• Experience managing high-value commercial or public-sector relationships.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead Tiaki Wai's Strategic Customer Relationships function.
• Provide trusted advisory support to senior leaders and councils.
• Coordinate relationship model, account planning and issue escalation.
• Translate customer insights into investment, service design and planning.

Skills

Strategic relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Key account management

Team leadership

Local government knowledge

Governance understanding

Customer-focused delivery

Job description

Lead Tiaki Wai's key customer partnershipsHelp shape the future of water servicesBased in PetoneThis is a full time position of 40 hours per week.The opportunityWe're looking for an experienced and strategic leader to establish and lead our Strategic Customer Relationships function. Reporting to the Chief Customer Officer, you will lead a team responsible for Tiaki Wai's most important relationships, including shareholding councils and our highest-value commercial, institutional, trade waste and development customers.You will create a coordinated relationship model that provides a single front door for customers and councils, oversees strategic account planning, and manages issue resolution and escalation pathways. Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, council executives and key customers, you will ensure customer insights inform investment, service design and long-term planning, while supporting the transition of key customer-facing services into Tiaki Wai.Success in this role will come from building strong partnerships, proactively managing risks and opportunities, and ensuring Tiaki Wai is easy to work with. While the role provides leadership and coordination across strategic relationships, accountability for strategy, decisions and delivery remains with the relevant operational leaders.This is a rare opportunity to build a new function from the ground up, influence the future direction of a critical public service, and make a lasting impact on communities across the Wellington metropolitan area.About youYou're a senior relationship leader who thrives in complex environments and can confidently engage with council executives, senior stakeholders, commercial leaders and community partners. You understand the dynamics of local government and the needs of major customers, and you know how to balance multiple perspectives while maintaining focus on long-term outcomes.To be successful, you'll bring:significant experience leading strategic relationship, stakeholder engagement or key account functions within a complex organisationa strong understanding of local government, governance processes and customer-focused service deliveryexperience managing high-value commercial, institutional or public-sector customer relationshipsproven success leading and developing high-performing teamsan appreciation of te ao Maori and a commitment to building meaningful partnerships with mana whenua.BenefitsAt Tiaki Wai, our purpose extends beyond delivering great water services for the region; we foster a thriving community, support a diverse workforce, and offer supportive development opportunities. We genuinely care about your safety and wellbeing.Our benefits include:flexible working arrangements including up to two days working from homecomprehensive wellbeing programme, including one paid wellbeing day annuallyformal and informal professional development opportunitiesfive weeks annual leave accrual will be available following two years of continual service.For a full list of our employee benefits, click here.About usTiaki Wai is a council-owned organisation responsible for managing the delivery of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services across Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Wellington.We manage public-owned extensive water infrastructure and oversee the delivery of safe and reliable services for our communities. We focus on long-term investment, asset management, maintenance, and delivering major infrastructure projects that support public health, environmental protection, and regional growth.Water is a precious taonga. At Tiaki Wai, we put care into every drop and are guided by our values of Integrity, Care, and Leadership. We work directly with water consumers and in partnership with councils and mana whenua to deliver better water outcomes for current and future generations.Applications close: Thursday, 29 October.How to applyTo view a copy of the position description, click here.To apply for the role, click on the 'apply' button or visit the Tiaki Wai Careers site, if you are a Tiaki Wai employee please apply using your work email.For further information, email: [e-mail] for safety sensitive roles will be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing prior to commencing employment with Tiaki Wai. You must also be legally entitled to work long-term in New Zealand or eligible to obtain a working visa.