Principal Ranger: Lead Conservation & Partnerships

New Zealand Government; Kaitaia; On-site; NZD 94,000 - 119,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

The Department of Conservation in New Zealand seeks a Principal Ranger based in Kaitaia to lead conservation delivery and people across the district. You will recruit, develop and mentor staff, coordinate work programmes, and build strong partnerships with iwi, hapu, whanau, and community partners to deliver regional outcomes.

You will report to the Operations Manager within the Regional Operations Group, guiding strategic decisions, maintaining budgets, and driving continuous improvement in a

Qualifications

• Experienced people leader who can empower, motivate, and foster a positive team culture.
• Strong financial, planning, and resource management skills.
• Experience leading operational delivery across complex or geographically dispersed environments.
• Excellent communicator and collaborator who builds trusted relationships and influences outcomes.
• Experience managing projects, contracts, and work programmes to achieve outcomes.
• Able to work collaboratively with whanau, hapu, iwi, community groups, businesses, and partner organisations.
• Strategic thinker able to navigate complexity and contribute to district-wide planning.

Responsibilities

• Recruiting, onboarding, and developing staff while building a positive team culture.
• Planning, scheduling, and coordinating work programmes to delivery within timelines and budgets.
• Contributing to District Leadership Team discussions on priorities, resources, and delivery.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with iwi, hapu, whanau and community partners to achieve shared outcomes.
• Providing leadership and support across teams and work programmes within a large, dispersed district.
• Managing budgets and monitoring outputs, outcomes, and risks.

Skills

People leadership

Financial planning

Resource management

Operational delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

NZ Driver's license

Job description

The Department of Conservation in New Zealand seeks a Principal Ranger based in Kaitaia to lead conservation delivery and people across the district. You will recruit, develop and mentor staff, coordinate work programmes, and build strong partnerships with iwi, hapu, whanau, and community partners to deliver regional outcomes.

You will report to the Operations Manager within the Regional Operations Group, guiding strategic decisions, maintaining budgets, and driving continuous improvement in a