Parks and Reserves Manager

Waimate District Council; Timaru; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday leave

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team culture

South Canterbury living benefits

Job summary

Waimate District Council is seeking a passionate and strategic Parks and Reserves Manager to lead an activity valued by our community.

You will provide strategic and operational leadership for Council's Parks and Reserves Activity, focusing on the big picture—planning for the future, managing projects and assets, and supporting your team to keep parks and facilities safe, attractive and well cared for.

Qualifications

• Relevant qualification in horticulture, parks management, asset management, project management or related field.
• Experience managing budgets, projects and contracts.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
• Commitment to health, safety and continuous improvement.
• Local government experience advantageous but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for parks, reserves and public spaces.
• Plan and maintain the places our community relies on, including sports fields, gardens, playgrounds, cemeteries, campgrounds, streetscapes and public facilities.
• Plan ahead for key seasonal operations, including the Waimate Lakes Camping Area and the Norman Kirk Memorial Pool.
• Turn ideas into projects that enhance the spaces our community loves.
• Manage budgets, contracts, assets, leases, compliance requirements and reporting to Council.
• Support strong health and safety practices across the activity.
• Build positive relationships with community groups, stakeholders and residents.
• Help ensure our parks, facilities and public spaces remain safe, attractive, welcoming and well cared for.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Budget management

Communication

Asset management

Health & safety

Education

Horticulture / Parks management qualification

Job description

Waimate District Council | Permanent | 40 hours per week

Champion the parks, reserves and public spaces that make Waimate one of New Zealand's most unique rural districts. Waimate District Council is seeking a passionate and strategic Parks and Reserves Manager to lead an activity that is highly valued by our community and visitors.

This is an opportunity to make a visible difference every day. From award-winning gardens and well-loved recreational spaces to campgrounds, swimming pools, streetscapes, reserves and community facilities, you'll play a key role in ensuring Waimate continues to be a district we are proud to call home.

Located in the heart of South Canterbury, Waimate offers an enviable lifestyle, stunning natural surroundings and a strong sense of community. With its heritage streetscape, rolling countryside, iconic White Horse, Waimate Lakes and genuine rural charm, Waimate is a place where people take pride in their district and care about the spaces around them. Here, your work will have a real and visible impact on the everyday life of the community.

About the role:

Reporting directly to the Asset Group Manager, you'll provide strategic and operational leadership for Council's Parks and Reserves Activity.

While a dedicated Parks Supervisor oversees the day-to-day operational delivery, your focus will be on the bigger picture: planning for the future, managing projects and assets, supporting your team, and ensuring our parks, facilities and recreational spaces continue to meet the needs of our growing community.

This is a genuinely diverse portfolio. You'll help oversee and plan for parks, reserves, gardens, cemeteries, campgrounds, playgrounds, streetscapes, recreational facilities, leases, contracts, asset management, seasonal pool operations and even our much-loved "zoo" (as the staff affectionately call it).

Working closely with the Parks Supervisor and wider team, you'll provide the leadership, direction and oversight needed to keep these valued community spaces safe, attractive, welcoming and well cared for.

What you'll be doing:

Setting the strategic direction for Waimate's parks, reserves and public spaces.

Planning and maintaining the places our community relies on, including sports fields, gardens, playgrounds, cemeteries, campgrounds, streetscapes and public facilities.

Planning ahead for key seasonal operations, including the Waimate Lakes Camping Area and the Norman Kirk Memorial Pool.

Turning ideas into projects that enhance the spaces our community loves.

Managing budgets, contracts, assets, leases, compliance requirements and reporting to Council.

Supporting strong health and safety practices across the activity.

Building positive relationships with community groups, stakeholders and residents.

Helping ensure our parks, facilities and public spaces remain safe, attractive, welcoming and well cared for.

Please refer to the Position Description for the full breakdown of responsibilities.

About you:

We are open to candidates from a variety of backgrounds.

You may be an experienced parks, horticulture or reserves professional with a passion for maintaining and enhancing public spaces. Equally, you may be a proven people leader, operations manager, project manager or asset manager looking for an opportunity to apply your skills in a role that makes a genuine difference to a community.

You'll bring:

Strong leadership and people management skills.

Strategic thinking and the ability to balance long-term planning with operational delivery.

Experience managing budgets, projects and contracts.

Excellent communication and relationship management skills.

An understanding of asset management principles.

A commitment to health, safety and continuous improvement.

A relevant qualification in horticulture, parks management, asset management, project management or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Local government experience would be advantageous but is not essential.

Working at Waimate District Council is about more than just a job. It's about being part of a community that takes pride in where it lives and values the people who help make it a great place to call home.

Along with a diverse and rewarding role, we offer

• birthday leave
• professional development opportunities
• supportive team culture
• the chance to enjoy the benefits of South Canterbury living

Applications close Wednesday 16 September 2026.

Please note: You must have and maintain the legal right to work in New Zealand and hold a full, current driver's licence. This position is subject to satisfactory police and credit checks.