SSDM Senior Designer, Manager

Greenbynature; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual wellness benefit

Career growth opportunities

Collaborative team culture

Job summary

Green by Nature is seeking an SSDM Senior Designer & Manager to lead the design and delivery of specialised turf construction projects across sports fields and golf environments. The role focuses on underground infrastructure, drainage, irrigation, and subgrade preparation.

You will collaborate with clients, consultants, and contractors to deliver high-quality, technically sound, and sustainable turf solutions from concept through to completion, driving project plans and team capability.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in sports turf and/or golf course construction.
• Strong knowledge of underground turf systems, drainage, irrigation.
• Experience managing complex turf construction or redevelopment projects.
• Relevant tertiary or industry qualifications as listed in the ad.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of sports turf and golf construction projects.
• Provide technical expertise on underground turf construction systems including drainage, irrigation, rootzone profiles, and sub-surface infrastructure.
• Develop project plans, specifications, and construction methodologies.
• Manage project delivery, timelines, budgets, and stakeholder relationships.
• Conduct site assessments and provide practical, buildable design solutions.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, health & safety, and environmental requirements.
• Mentor and support team capability within turf construction and design.
• Support operations for tender, pricing and additional information as required.

Skills

Sports turf

Golf course construction

Drainage systems

Irrigation design

Sub-surface infrastructure

Project leadership

Stakeholder management

Site assessments

Buildable design

Education

Turf Management qualification

Landscape/Civil Construction qualification

Horticulture related qualification

Job description

At Green by Nature, we are passionate about creating and maintaining exceptional green spaces that communities, athletes, and golfers enjoy every day. We are now seeking an experienced and technically capable SSDM (Sports Surface Design Management) Senior Designer & Manager to lead the planning, design, and delivery of specialised turf construction projects predominantly across sports fields and golf environments.

This is a unique opportunity for a hands‑on industry professional who understands that great turf performance starts below the surface.

About the Role:

As the SSDM Senior Designer, Manager, you will lead the design and development of sports turf and golf construction projects, with a strong focus on underground infrastructure, drainage systems, irrigation, subgrade preparation, and turf profile construction.

You will work closely with operational teams, clients, consultants, and contractors to deliver high-quality, technically sound, and sustainable turf solutions from concept through to completion.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and development of sports turf and golf construction projects
• Provide technical expertise on underground turf construction systems including drainage, irrigation, rootzone profiles, and sub-surface infrastructure
• Develop project plans, specifications, and construction methodologies
• Manage project delivery, timelines, budgets, and stakeholder relationships
• Conduct site assessments and provide practical, buildable design solutions
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, health & safety, and environmental requirements
• Mentor and support team capability within turf construction and design
• Support operations for tender, pricing and additional information as required

About You:

To be successful in this role, you will bring a combination of technical design capability and practical, on-the-ground construction experience within the sports turf industry.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience in sports turf and/or golf course construction and development
• Strong practical knowledge of underground turf systems, drainage, irrigation, and construction methodologies
• Experience managing complex turf construction or redevelopment projects
• Relevant tertiary or industry qualifications in Turf Management, Landscape Construction, Civil Construction, Horticulture, Sports Turf Management, or a related discipline
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical execution
• A passion for delivering high-performance turf environments

Why Join Green by Nature?

At Green by Nature, you’ll be part of a team that values innovation, sustainability, collaboration, and excellence. We offer the opportunity to work on exciting, large-scale projects that positively impact communities and sporting environments across the region.

In return, we offer:

• Competitive salary package, annual salary reviews and a $300 annual wellness benefit (after qualifying period)
• Career growth and professional development opportunities with internal and external providers
• A supportive and collaborative team culture across our Trans-Tasman business

About Us:

Green by Nature is a business which specialises in Sports Turf Management and have diversified into a professional full facility parks maintenance company, operating across New Zealand and Australia. We have over 2000+ employees and are committed to a culture of health and safety, excellence and continuous improvement, whilst caring for our people, clients, and communities.