Manager - Engineering Services

Taituarā Resource Management Reference Group; Oamaru; Remote; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Aqus Ltd in Oamaru invites a seasoned General Manager to lead consenting and infrastructure across major water schemes. You will own the capital works programme, build business cases, manage budgets and risk, and oversee a largely external delivery team from planning to delivery.

Based in Waitaki district, you will influence strategic direction alongside the CEO and engage diverse stakeholders. Reporting to the CEO, you will drive governance, resilience and operational excellence across multiple

Qualifications

• Senior leadership across programme delivery and risk management.
• Background in infrastructure, utilities, water or primary sector.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Operational understanding to work with operations team.
• Excellent relationship skills with boards and stakeholders.
• Commitment to health and safety leadership.
• Delivery discipline matters; hydrology/engineering background not required.

Responsibilities

• Own the capital works programme end to end.
• Lead an external delivery team of planners, engineers, ecologists and PMs.
• Build multi-year Capital Works Plan.
• Develop business cases and manage budgets and risk.
• Engage contractors and lead project delivery.
• Influence the direction of the business as second-in-command to the CEO.

Skills

Senior leadership

Programme leadership

Project delivery

Risk management

Financial acumen

Stakeholder management

Health & safety

Operations collaboration

Infrastructure background

Job description

Thank you for your interest in this position.

We have received your application from Indeed, so the first step of your application is complete.

To finish your application we will email you further details.

Manager - Engineering Services

• Senior leadership role with strategic influence
• Shape Waitaki water infrastructure across 50,000+hectares
• Oamaru based + competitive package + relocationsupport

About theCompany

Established in2024 by North Otago Irrigation Company (NOIC) and Lower Waitaki IrrigationCompany (LWIC), Aqus Ltd manages irrigation schemes drawing water from theWaitaki River. Aqus also manages the Kurow-Duntroon and Maerewhenua schemesunder contract, and together these schemes deliver reliable water to more than50,000 hectares of irrigated farmland and over 450 farmer-shareholders.

With more than$250M of infrastructure assets in its care, an Oamaru-based management team andfield crews across the district, Aqus is lean, practical and closely connectedto the farming community it serves. Its purpose is simple but significant:giving farmers the confidence to grow their businesses, supporting the economicand social wellbeing of the Waitaki for generations to come.

About TheRole

Irrigationschemes operate on 30-35 year consent cycles, and for most of that time it's business as usual. For Aqus, the defining moment is now. Three of the schemes it manages require new water-take consents by 2030 and, alongside this, sits a$40-50M programme of new capital works - storage ponds, pipelines and pumpinginfrastructure - that will shape water supply in the region for decades.

Reporting tothe CEO and a member of the executive team, the General Manager Consenting andInfrastructure will own this programme end to end. Leading a largely externaldelivery team of planners, engineers, ecologists and project managers the rolewill build the multi-year Capital Works Plan, develop business cases, managebudgets and risk, engage contractors and lead the delivery of capital projects.

The capitalprogramme will run well beyond 2030 and, as effectively second-in-command tothe CEO, the role will have genuine scope to influence the direction of thebusiness.

Skills &Experience

Aqus is lookingfor a seasoned, commercially astute general manager who has the experience andjudgement that only comes from leading complex work through to delivery. Youwill bring:

• Substantial senior leadership experience acrossprogramme leadership, project delivery and risk management
• A background in infrastructure, utilities, water orthe primary sector - whether in a large infrastructure organisation,consultancy or scheme
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, includingbusiness cases, budgets and contractor management
• Enough operational understanding to work alongsidethe operations team
• Outstanding relationship skills, with thecredibility to earn the trust of boards, farmer-shareholders, regulators,consultants and contractors
• A visible commitment to health and safetyleadership

Technicalexpertise in hydrology or engineering is not required; sound judgement,delivery discipline and the ability to bring people with you matter most.

The role isbased in the Aqus office in Oamaru, so you will live in, or be ready torelocate to, the Waitaki district. Oamaru is a characterful coastal town withan affordable, unhurried lifestyle and easy access to the lakes, rivers andhigh country of the Waitaki.