Senior Environmental Officer

Napier City Council; Napier; On-site; NZD 94,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks' annual leave after 2 years

Health insurance option

Eye test subsidy

Retailer discounts

Study assistance

Birthday vouchers

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible work arrangements

Cultural training

Māori language classes

Job summary

Napier City Council is seeking a Senior Environmental Officer to balance science, regulation, and practical outcomes across water services. You’ll lead monitoring, investigations, and compliance, providing technical advice and guiding enforcement decisions alongside engineers, regulators, and the community.

This permanent, full-time role is based in Napier, offering a competitive salary and a generous range of benefits including leave and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, engineering, resource management, or related field.
• Solid experience in environmental compliance, monitoring, or regulatory roles with confidence handling complex issues.
• Strong technical capability to interpret data and provide clear, practical advice.
• Sound judgement and the confidence to make decisions where environmental risk is involved.
• Clear and credible communication to engage a wide range of stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental monitoring, investigations, and compliance across Water Services.
• Provide technical advice on complex environmental matters including consents and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee data quality, reporting, and monitoring frameworks for robust outcomes.
• Guide enforcement activities and contribute to incident response, including complex or sensitive cases.
• Support future compliance planning and continuous improvement of environmental practices and processes.
• Build strong relationships across Council, regulators, and external stakeholders.

Skills

Environmental compliance

Environmental monitoring

Regulatory experience

Data interpretation

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Decision making

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science/engineering/resource management

Job description

This is a senior, hands-on role for someone who knows how to balance science, regulation, and practical outcomes. As a Senior Environmental Officer, you’ll help ensure Napier City Council meets its environmental obligations across stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water while also shaping how we improve into the future.

You’ll take the lead on complex monitoring, investigations, and compliance work, providing clear advice where it matters and supporting others to deliver high-quality outcomes. Whether you’re interpreting data, guiding enforcement decisions, or working alongside engineers, regulators, and the community, your expertise will help drive better environmental performance and more sustainable solutions.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

• Lead environmental monitoring, investigations, and compliance activities across Water Services
• Provide technical advice and support on complex environmental matters, including consents and regulatory requirements
• Oversee data quality, reporting, and monitoring frameworks to ensure robust and defensible outcomes
• Guide enforcement activities and contribute to incident response, including more complex or sensitive cases and be part of an on-call roster
• Support future compliance planning and continuous improvement of environmental practices and processes
• Build strong relationships across Council, with regulators, and with external stakeholders to influence positive environmental outcomes

He kōrero mōhou - About You

• A relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, engineering, resource management, or a related field
• Solid experience in environmental compliance, monitoring, or regulatory roles, with confidence handling complex issues
• Strong technical capability, with the ability to interpret data and provide clear, practical advice
• Sound judgement and the confidence to make decisions, particularly where environmental risk is involved
• Clear and credible communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to support others while taking ownership of key pieces of work

Ngā painga mōhou - What we Offer

• 5 weeks' annual leave after 2 years service
• Discounted health insurance work scheme + Eye test subsidy
• Retailer discounts + study assistance + Birthday vouchers
• Employee Assistance Program (OCP)
• Quarterly values awards + Social club
• Free flu vaccinations (annual)
• Ka Awatea Cultural Wānanga + NCC Kapa Haka
• Te Reo Māori language classes
• Flexible work arrangements

This is a permanent, full time opportunity working 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. You will be based in Napier.

The annual salary package for this role is $93,514 - $104,516 (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.

Kia mōhio mai- Please note

Napier City Council is moving toward a joint regional water entity under the Local Water Done Well reform. This means future changes to how water services are governed and delivered are likely, including potential shifts in organisational structure, reporting lines, and regional collaboration. Applicants should be comfortable working in a dynamic environment and open to evolving responsibilities as part of a larger, regional approach to water management.

He kōrero mō Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri - About NCC

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.