Senior Engineering Officer

Hawke'S Bay Regional Council; Hawke's Bay; On-site; NZD 92,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

5 weeks annual leave

4% superannuation

Life insurance and income protection

Eye tests and wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Hawke's Bay Regional Council is seeking a Senior Engineering Officer to lead maintenance programmes and infrastructure projects that support flood control and drainage networks. You will work closely with contractors, landowners, iwi, and internal teams to oversee technical delivery and budget management.

You will bring a 4-year engineering degree with relevant papers, at least 5 years in large-scale infrastructure operations or asset management, and proven SCADA experience.

Qualifications

• 4-year engineering degree with papers in stormwater, drainage, river management or related fields.
• Minimum 5 years of operations or asset management experience in large infrastructure systems.
• Experience in developing, tendering, and managing engineering contracts and contractors.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and delivery of maintenance programmes for flood control and drainage networks.
• Oversee maintenance of rivers and flood protection assets, coordinating with contractors and stakeholders.
• Manage contracts and budgets to ensure critical assets perform effectively.

Skills

Contract management

SCADA experience

Stakeholder management

NZ Class 2 driver license

Education

Four-year engineering degree

Tools

SCADA software

Job description

Published: 6 November 2026

Te whakapakari tahi i tō tātau Taiao – Enhancing our environment together.
Our vision is a healthy environment and a resilient and prosperous community.

About The opportunity | Ko te āheinga:

We are looking for a Senior Engineering Officer to join the Operations team. The Operations Team plays a vital role in managing and maintaining Hawke's Bay Regional Council's flood control, drainage, and river management infrastructure. The team ensures these critical assets operate effectively, helping protect communities, support environmental outcomes, and build regional resilience.

As our Senior Engineering Officer, you'll lead the planning and delivery of maintenance programmes and infrastructure projects that support HBRC's flood control and drainage networks. A key focus of this position is overseeing the maintenance of HBRC’s rivers and flood protection assets. Working closely with contractors, landowners, iwi, stakeholders, and internal teams, you'll provide technical expertise, manage contracts and budgets, and help ensure critical assets continue to perform effectively for our communities.

About you | E pā ana ki a koe:

You'll bring a combination of technical expertise, operational experience, and strong stakeholder management skills, along with the ability to deliver practical solutions in a dynamic infrastructure environment.

Ideally you will also have:

• A 4-year engineering degree including papers in at least one of; stormwater, drainage, river management, coastal processes, and / or high-volume fluid systems: or an equivalent mix of tertiary-level technical qualifications and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of operations or asset management experience in organisations operating large scale infrastructure systems or networks.
• Experience in developing, tendering, and managing engineering contracts and contractors.
• Experience in using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA).
• Valid full Class 2 NZ driver’s licence.
• Resilience, adaptability, and flexibility to keep up with the ever-changing nature of HBRC.

We're looking for someone who can anticipate change, remain flexible, and bring innovative solutions to the table. Your sound judgment, initiative, and ability to manage multiple priorities will be key to success in this role

What we offer | Nga huanga mōu:

The salary range for this role is between $91,618 to $107,787 and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

Other benefits of working for our team include:

• Flexible working options to support work/life balance
• 5 weeks annual leave after 3 years
• 4% superannuation after 3 years
• Life insurance and income protection
• Subsidised eye tests and lenses, flu vaccinations, and other well-being initiatives
• Strong commitment to developing and upskilling people within a supportive working environment.

See a full list of our staff benefits here

As an equal opportunity employer, we are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. We recognise that collaborative and innovative organisations depend on having a workforce made up from a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. We're all about excellence, and we encourage open communication – if you need any specific support, just let us know! Our main goal is to empower each person to share their unique talents to contribute to the outcomes for our community. This commitment ensures that our workplace is a dynamic and progressive space where everyone can flourish.

HBRC is responsible for Civil Defence emergencies and as such, all staff may be called upon to support the response.

Applicants must have existing rights to work in New Zealand.

About us | E pā ki a mātou:

At Hawke’s Bay Regional Council our purpose is to work with our community to protect and manage the region’s precious taonga of rivers, lakes, soils, air, coast and biodiversity for health, wellbeing and connectivity. Our organisation is diverse and our work is varied. Our structure comprises of six key business units; Corporate Services, Integrated Catchment Management, Asset Management, Māori Partnerships, Policy & Regulation, and the Executive Advisory Group which also consists of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

We focus on prioritising:

Whakaiti ana ngā take waipuke | Reducing flood risk

Tautoko ana i te haumaru wai | Supporting water security

Hāpaitia i te oranga o te whenua me te wai | Promoting land and water health

Ko te urupare ki te āhuarangi e panoni haere ana| Responsing to a changing climate

Ko te toitūtanga pūtea me te āhei utu| Financial health and affordability