People & Capability Manager (Fixed Term)

Napier City Council; Auckland; On-site; NZD 134,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development opportunities

Community projects

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Social club

Wellbeing initiatives

Free flu vaccinations

Job summary

Napier City Council is hiring a fixed-term People & Capability Manager to lead the P&C Operations team in Napier, with responsibility for the full employee lifecycle. The role reports to the Chief People Officer and focuses on practical, timely HR guidance and risk-balanced decisions.

You will guide a team of HR professionals, drive strategic People & Capability initiatives, and contribute to a culture of wellbeing, inclusion and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in people & capability/HR across full employee lifecycle.
• Strong understanding of employment relations and modern HR practice.
• Ability to provide clear guidance to leaders and navigate risk.

Responsibilities

• Lead the People & Capability Operations team across recruitment, onboarding, performance, remuneration, ER and offboarding.
• Provide practical, timely and trusted advice to people leaders while balancing organisational risk.
• Contribute to the People & Capability Strategic Plan and organisational projects.
• Coach and empower the team to deliver high-quality HR outcomes.

Skills

HR leadership

Generalist HR

Coaching

Change management

Job description

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People & Capability Manager (Fixed Term)

Napier City Council – Auckland, North Island

At Napier City Council, our people are at the heart of everything we do. That's why we're looking for an experienced People & Capability leader to join us on a fixed-term basis until 30 June 2027, providing leadership and continuity while our current P&C Manager is on secondment.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly capable, motivated and close-knit P&C Operations team. We are a team that genuinely enjoys working together, supports each other through the busy moments, celebrates successes and takes pride in delivering high-quality outcomes for our leaders and people across the organisation. The team is highly capable, well established and trusted across the organisation, creating a great platform for someone to step in and lead with confidence.

As our P&C Manager, you will lead the team responsible for the full employee lifecycle, from attraction and recruitment through to onboarding, performance, remuneration, employment relations and offboarding. You'll ensure our people leaders receive practical, timely and trusted advice while balancing organisational risk with great people outcomes.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

The ideal person for this role is confident in their HR expertise, comfortable making difficult decisions, and able to balance organisational risk with positive people outcomes. You will bring sound judgement, a strong understanding of employment relations and contemporary HR practice, and the ability to navigate complexity with professionalism and care. Most importantly, you'll be someone who can remain calm under pressure, provide clarity during busy periods, and be a steady and approachable leader for both your team and the wider organisation.

This role requires a leader who enjoys coaching others to succeed. You'll lead a team of experienced HR professionals, creating an environment where people are empowered, supported and challenged to continue growing. You'll know when to step in, when to guide and when to trust your team to deliver.

Reporting directly to our Chief People Officer, you'll be part of a broader P&C function with a clear strategic direction and a strong focus on continuous improvement. You'll have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful organisational projects, influence key people initiatives and help deliver our People & Capability Strategic Plan.

You'll bring proven HR leadership experience, strong generalist knowledge across the employee lifecycle, and the confidence to navigate complex people matters with sound judgement. You're an approachable and trusted leader who builds strong relationships, balances organisational risk with people outcomes, and remains calm and solutions-focused when things get busy.

If this sounds like your kind of challenge, we'd love to hear from you. Bring your HR expertise, sound judgement and people leadership skills, and join a team that's passionate about making a difference for our people, our organisation and our community.

• A supportive and collaborative leadership environment.
• Flexible working arrangements where possible.
• Ongoing professional development and learning opportunities.
• The opportunity to contribute to projects that make a real difference to our community.
• A culture that values wellbeing, inclusion and continuous improvement.
• The chance to lead an established, high-performing team that is respected across the organisation.
• Employee Assistance Program (OCP)
• Quarterly values awards + Social club
• Free flu vaccinations (annual)

This is a fixed term opportunity til June 2027, working full-time 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. You will be based in Napier

The annual salary package for this role is $133,774 - $149,513 (including KiwiSaver), with the final offer depending on your skills and experience.

We will be interviewing applications as we receive them and may close the role when we have found the right person.

At Napier City Council, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and work to make our hiring process fair and accessible. If you need any support or adjustments during your application or interview, let us know—we’re happy to help!

Our success is grounded in strong partnerships with Mana Whenua and Iwi, supported by our Māori Partnerships team, Te Waka Rangapū, which builds cultural capability through education and training.

Before you join, you’ll need to complete pre-employment checks (including criminal background checks, with some roles requiring health screening and drug & alcohol testing). As an NCC employee, you may also be called on to support Civil Defence emergencies when our community needs us most.

Job Description – People & Capability Manager (fixed term)