Parks and Reserves Manager

Waimate District Council; Waimate; On-site; NZD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday leave

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team culture

Job summary

Waimate District Council seeks a passionate Parks and Reserves Manager to lead a valued community activity. You will shape long-term plans for parks, gardens, cemeteries, campgrounds, and public spaces, balancing operations with future growth.

You will report to the Asset Group Manager and guide a team, ensuring spaces remain safe, attractive and welcoming for residents and visitors alike.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership and people management skills.
• Strong strategic thinking with ability to balance long-term planning and delivery.
• Experience managing budgets, projects and contracts.
• Excellent communication and relationship management.
• Understanding of asset management principles.
• Commitment to health, safety and continuous improvement.
• Relevant qualification in horticulture, parks management, asset management, project management or related field, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for Waimate's parks, reserves and public spaces.
• Plan and maintain locations our community relies on, including sports fields, gardens, cemeteries, campgrounds, streetscapes and public facilities.
• Plan ahead for key seasonal operations, including camping areas and pool.
• Turn ideas into projects that enhance the spaces our community loves.
• Manage budgets, contracts, assets, leases, compliance and reporting to Council.
• Support health and safety practices across the activity.
• Build relationships with community groups, stakeholders and residents.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Budget management

Communication

Asset management

Health & safety

Horticulture/parks qualification

Education

Relevant qualification in horticulture/parks management

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Parks and Reserves Manager
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 pool, 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, the Waimate District offers an enviable lifestyle, stunning natural surroundings and a strong sense of community. With its heritage streetscape, rolling countryside, iconic White Horse Monument, Waimate Lakes and genuine rural charm, this is a place where people take pride in 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 Swimming 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.

Why join us?

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, a supportive team culture, and the chance to enjoy the benefits of South Canterbury living. Whether you're drawn by the lifestyle, the variety of work, or the opportunity to make a real impact, you'll find plenty to love about Waimate.

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.