Senior Water Resources and Stormwater Engineer

Christchurch City Council; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 128,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Ongoing learning and development

Professional registration support

Health insurance benefits

Parental leave enhancements

Additional annual leave purchase

Employee wellbeing programs

Job summary

Christchurch City Council seeks a Senior Resources and Stormwater Engineer to lead a high-performing team and provide expert stormwater engineering guidance across the capital works programme.

You will review designs, drive best practices, and mentor engineers while delivering resilient, sustainable stormwater infrastructure for Christchurch’s growth and climate challenges.

Qualifications

• Requires a four-year Civil Engineering degree and CPEng status.
• Minimum 12 years of post-graduate civil and stormwater experience.
• Significant design experience across stormwater and Three Waters infrastructure.
• Proven leadership in multidisciplinary teams and with technical professionals.
• Strong knowledge of hydrology, hydraulics, flood management and drainage design.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and technical direction within a high-performing team.
• Review and approve internal and consultant stormwater designs.
• Ensure solutions deliver optimal whole-of-life asset outcomes.
• Act as the Council's senior technical authority for stormwater matters.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in engineering practice.
• Build relationships with asset owners, project managers, and contractors.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs across complex infrastructure projects.
• Support delivery of the capital investment programme.
• Champion QA, engineering standards and best practices.

Skills

Leadership

Design management

Hydrology

Hydraulics

Flood management

Drainage design

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Four-year Civil Engineering degree

Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng)

Job description

Senior Water Resources and Stormwater Engineer

Are you an experienced stormwater engineer ready to make a lasting impact in one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities?

Christchurch City Council is seeking an experienced and highly skilled Senior Resources and Stormwater Engineer to join a high-performing technical team delivering critical infrastructure projects that protect our communities and enhance environmental outcomes.

This is a rare opportunity to combine leadership, design management, and technical excellence, influencing the design and delivery of stormwater infrastructure that will serve Christchurch for generations.

About the Team | Ko te rōpū nei

Our Professional & Technical Services (PTS) Unit provides specialist in-house survey, engineering design, environmental planning, and project delivery expertise across Council.

The Water and Waste Design team within PTS plays a vital role in delivering sustainable and resilient infrastructure solutions, including:

• Stormwater networks and conveyance systems
• Open waterways and flood management solutions
• Wetlands and nature-based infrastructure
• Integrated catchment management projects
• Asset management and renewals

We are committed to innovation, collaboration, and ensuring Christchurch's infrastructure is fit for the challenges of future growth and climate resilience.

About the Role | Ko te mahi nei

As the Senior Resources and Stormwater Engineer, you'll combine people leadership and design management with recognised technical expertise. You'll provide leadership within a team of skilled engineers while delivering expert stormwater engineering advice across Council's capital works programme.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing leadership and technical direction within a high-performing engineering team
• Providing expert review and approval of internal and consultant stormwater designs
• Ensuring design solutions deliver optimal whole-of-life asset outcomes
• Acting as Council's senior technical authority for stormwater engineering matters
• Driving innovation and continuous improvement in engineering practice
• Building strong relationships with asset owners, project managers, consultants, contractors, and operational teams
• Coordinating multidisciplinary technical inputs and design management across complex infrastructure projects
• Supporting the successful delivery of Council's capital investment programme
• Championing quality assurance, engineering best practice, and technical standards

You are a respected engineering leader who combines technical credibility with strong people leadership skills. You thrive on mentoring others, fostering collaboration, and solving complex infrastructure challenges that create positive community outcomes.

You will also bring with you:

• A four-year university degree in Civil Engineering
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status
• A minimum of 12 years' post-graduate experience in civil and stormwater engineering
• Significant design experience across stormwater and Three Waters infrastructure
• Proven leadership experience working with technical professionals and multidisciplinary teams
• Strong understanding of hydrology, hydraulics, flood management, and drainage design
• Experience reviewing and approving engineering designs and contract documentation
• Strong knowledge of resource consenting processes and environmental considerations relating to stormwater infrastructure
• Strategic thinking and sound engineering judgement
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• The ability to translate technical complexity into practical solutions
• A passion for coaching, mentoring, and developing engineering talent
• A commitment to sustainability, resilience, and continuous improvement

What's in it for you? | He aha ngā hua ki a koe?

Want to be involved in shaping your city?

At Christchurch City Council, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to projects that make a real difference for our communities while helping to build a resilient and sustainable city for future generations. You'll join a collaborative environment where innovation is encouraged, professional expertise is valued, and your work has a direct impact on the people who call Christchurch home.

We recognise that our people are our greatest asset and offer a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and professional growth, including:

• Flexible working arrangements
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Support to maintain your professional registration and technical expertise
• Wellbeing initiatives and employee assistance programmes
• Additional parental leave benefits
• The ability to purchase additional annual leave
• Access to health insurance benefits
• A supportive, collaborative, and high-performing team environment

• Hours of work: 37.5-40 hours per week
• Permanent full-time position
• Salary: $128,142 - $142,355 per annum, based on a 40-hour week
• Advertisement closes: 29 October 2026

At Christchurch City Council, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every requirement listed.

Applications may be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place before the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close the vacancy early.