Senior Principal Civil Engineer

Stantec; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A global engineering firm is seeking a Senior Principal Civil Engineer to join their water team in New Zealand. This role involves leading large-scale projects, ensuring quality and timely outputs while managing client relationships. Candidates should have at least 20 years of water engineering experience and strong communication skills. The firm offers flexible working arrangements and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible Working Arrangements

Health Insurance

Learning and Development Programs

Mentoring

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• 20+ years experience in water engineering projects.
• Ability to prioritize workloads while managing client relationships.
• Proven ability to oversee project delivery and stakeholder consultation.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects ensuring timely and quality outputs.
• Collaborate with clients and understand their needs.
• Prepare cost estimates and contribute to business development.

Skills

Water engineering experience

Client relationship management

Project delivery

Communication skills

Self-management skills

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Overview

Senior Principal Civil Engineer - ( 250002E8 )

Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. At Stantec, we design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve and work as designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

We are seeking a Senior Principal Civil Engineer to join our water team based in one of our locations nationwide. Our team delivers iconic projects, including opportunities across New Zealand and Australia. This role offers exciting projects, strong culture, career development, and work/life balance.

This is an opportunity for a professional with a proven track record of delivering projects and collaborating with clients and colleagues in other offices. You will work on large-scale projects from initial investigation through to design and construction completion, with technical support from our extensive design resources in New Zealand and the wider Asia Pacific area.

Responsibilities

• Project Technical Lead on a variety of projects to ensure the team delivers on outputs on budget, on time, and to quality standards.
• Work closely with key clients, understand their needs, influence project outcomes, and drive successful team results.
• Collaborate with team members to develop their technical capabilities.
• Liaise continually with clients to ensure expectations are met and concerns are addressed appropriately.
• Understand client objectives to undertake effective business development and identify opportunities for Stantec.
• Produce quality project outputs, monitor scope changes, and ensure design work is adequately resourced, reviewed, and programmed.
• Prepare cost estimates for project design and construction.
• Contribute to proposal and bid development to support business development, including preparing proposal material and working with the delivery contractor.

What You Will Bring

Our preferred candidate will have proven technical experience in water engineering projects encompassing water and wastewater. Experience dealing with a range of clients and stakeholders including local authorities, government bodies, and commercial companies is expected.

Your self-management skills are as important as your technical and project delivery abilities. You should be able to prioritise workloads while maintaining strong, trusting relationships with clients and colleagues locally and across the broader Stantec business.

You’ll be a confident communicator with an engineering degree and 20 or more years’ experience, able to develop internal and external client relationships, oversee all aspects of project delivery, and manage stakeholder consultation and negotiation when required.

What We Offer

• Flexible Working Arrangements including purchasing up to 4 weeks additional leave and provision for school term contracts
• Learning and Talent Development Programs including Global programs, online learning and on-the-job learning
• Mentoring for your development
• Professional memberships
• Health Insurance – Income Protection Insurance – Life Insurance
• Service Recognition Awards
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Programs
• Employee Assistance Program

About Us

The Stantec community unites approximately 31,000 employees in over 450 locations across six continents. We collaborate across disciplines to bring water, transport, and infrastructure projects to life. Our work from initial project concept and planning through design, construction and commissioning is built on a nearly 200-year history. We aim to make lasting connections with the people and places where we live and work.

How To Apply

Please apply directly online; no agency assistance required.

Qualifications

Primary Location : New Zealand-Auckland-Auckland

Other Locations : New Zealand-Waikato-Hamilton, New Zealand-Nelson-Nelson, New Zealand-Canterbury-Christchurch, New Zealand-Tauranga-Tauranga, New Zealand-Otago-Dunedin, New Zealand-Wellington-Wellington

Organization : BC-3101 Water-NZ New Zealand

Employee Status : Regular

Job Level : Individual Contributor

Travel : No

Schedule : Full-time

Job Posting : Oct 1, 2025, 3:24:36 PM

Req ID: 250002E8

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations, or any other condition of employment. Stantec complies with local, state, and federal laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment. EEO including Disability/Protected Veterans