Regional Rural Lead

Opteon AUS & NZ; Hamilton; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NZIV membership covered

CPD training

Parental leave

Flexible working

Induction & training

Rewards program

Mental health support

Job summary

Opteon’s Regional Rural Lead will drive the national delivery of rural and lifestyle rating valuations across New Zealand, providing technical leadership and ensuring valuation outcomes are consistent with regulatory requirements.

You will lead and develop a team of valuers, manage valuation revaluations, audits, and stakeholder engagement with Councils and the Office of the Valuer-General, shaping capability and succession in the rural valuation discipline.

Qualifications

• Registered Valuer (NZIV) or MRICS
• Degree in Property or equivalent recognised qualification
• Significant experience across rural and lifestyle valuations
• Strong technical expertise in valuation methodologies and market evidence

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of rural and lifestyle valuation valuations across multiple regions
• Oversee triennial revaluations, ensuring quality, compliance, and audit readiness
• Manage roll maintenance delivery in line with KPIs and statutory timeframes
• Deliver and review complex rural valuations (dairy, grazing, forestry, horticulture, lifestyle assets)
• Ensure methodologies are robust, evidence-based, and aligned to Rating Valuation Rules
• Lead quality assurance, peer reviews, and resolution of audit queries
• Provide technical leadership on objections, including complex cases
• Prepare and deliver expert evidence for Land Valuation Tribunal (LVT) when required
• Embed learnings into future valuation methodologies and processes
• Mentor, coach, and develop valuers across all levels
• Build a high-performing, collaborative team culture
• Support graduate development and pathways to registration
• Build strong relationships with Councils and the Office of the Valuer-General
• Communicate market insights, valuation approaches, and methodology changes
• Support alignment across multiple service providers where required

Skills

Leadership

Rural valuations

Valuation methodologies

Stakeholder management

Education

Property degree

Job description

Regional Rural Lead – New Zealand

Government Services | Opteon

About Opteon:

Opteon is reimagining the future of property solutions. As a leading valuation insights firm operating across New Zealand, Australia, and the US, we deliver trusted insights by combining human expertise with industry‑leading technology.

Having recently strengthened our operating model, Opteon is entering a new phase of growth with clearer regional accountability, enhanced leadership capability, and a renewed focus on performance and outcomes. This evolution positions us strongly for the future and creates an exciting opportunity for a senior valuation leader to make a meaningful impact.

At Opteon, value also means investing in our people. We support flexible work, leadership development, mentoring, and clear career pathways, underpinned by a strong safety‑first culture and a deep commitment to our values.

The Opportunity:

We’re seeking a Regional Rural Lead to drive the national delivery of rural and lifestyle rating valuations across New Zealand.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for technical excellence, operational delivery, and stakeholder engagement across multiple councils. You’ll play a key role in ensuring valuation outcomes are consistent, defensible, and aligned with regulatory requirements.

You’ll also lead and develop a team of valuers, contributing to capability uplift and long‑term succession across the rural valuation discipline.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Delivery

• Lead end-to-end delivery of rural and lifestyle rating valuations across multiple regions
• Oversee triennial revaluations, ensuring quality, compliance, and audit readiness
• Manage roll maintenance delivery in line with KPIs and statutory timeframes

Technical Excellence

• Deliver and review complex rural valuations (e.g. dairy, grazing, forestry, horticulture, lifestyle assets)
• Ensure methodologies are robust, evidence-based, and aligned to Rating Valuation Rules
• Lead quality assurance, peer reviews, and resolution of audit queries

Objections & Dispute Resolution

• Provide technical leadership on objections, including complex cases
• Prepare and deliver expert evidence for Land Valuation Tribunal (LVT) when required
• Embed learnings into future valuation methodologies and processes

People Leadership

• Mentor, coach, and develop valuers across all levels
• Build a high‑performing, collaborative team culture
• Support graduate development and pathways to registration

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with Councils and the Office of the Valuer‑General
• Communicate market insights, valuation approaches, and methodology changes
• Support alignment across multiple service providers where required

About You:

You are a highly experienced rural valuer with strong leadership capability and a passion for delivering high‑quality outcomes.

Essential Requirements

• Registered Valuer (NZIV) or MRICS qualified
• Degree in Property or equivalent recognised qualification
• Significant experience across rural and lifestyle valuations
• Strong technical expertise in valuation methodologies and market evidence

Skills & Experience

• Proven leadership experience, with a track record of developing teams
• Experience delivering rating revaluations and working within audit frameworks
• Exposure to objections processes and tribunal environments (preferred)
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Strong planning, governance, and project delivery capability

What we offer:

• Opportunities for Growth: This role offers the opportunity to grow Opteon's residential valuation team in broader Bay of Plenty/Waikato region, diversifying revenue streams and increasing market share.
• We cover: your NZIV membership, 5 verified CPD points together with providing in‑house training
• Paid Parental Leave: Take advantage of our paid parental leave to support you during important life moments.
• Work‑Life Balance: Embrace flexible working arrangements that fit your lifestyle and needs.
• Comprehensive Onboarding & Training: Benefit from our inclusive company induction program and continuous professional development.
• Rewards & Recognition: Be celebrated for your hard work through our dynamic Reward & Recognition program.
• Support When You Need It: Access confidential support at any time through Intellect, our mental health and wellbeing platform.

Inclusion at Opteon:

Opteon is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness, where employees are embraced for their unique qualities and valued for their contributions. We encourage applications from everyone, including people living with disability, job seekers of all ages, members of the LGBTIQA+ community and people from culturally diverse backgrounds, including people of Māori as Tangata Whenua and Pacific Islander origin.