Strategic Planning Engineer

Dunedin City Council; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 106,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks leave

Superannuation

Flu vaccinations & eye checks

Career progression

Supportive team

Job summary

The Dunedin City Council is seeking a proactive Strategic Planning Engineer to join the Engineering Services Team in Dunedin. You will lead ongoing strategic planning for 3 Waters infrastructure and oversee asset condition assessments to inform long‑term capital works.

With 10+ years in 3 Waters engineering, you will manage high‑level options studies, coordinate consultants, and help develop asset standards and data structures to support best‑practice asset management for future budgets.

Qualifications

• Right to work in New Zealand indefinitely.
• NZQA Level 7 engineering qualification or equivalent.
• 10+ years of engineering experience in 3 Waters with breadth across scenarios.
• Current, valid Class 1 driver’s licence.
• Strong communication, numeracy and strategic thinking abilities.
• Proficiency with MS Office, especially Excel, Word and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning for 3 Waters infrastructure and asset condition programs.
• Manage high‑level options studies and feasibility work with consultants.
• Support asset standards development and data structures for future guidance and budgets.

Skills

Right to work in NZ

Engineering experience

3 Waters

Analytical skills

MS Office

Education

NZQA Level 7 Engineering

Tools

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Dunedin City Council – Dunedin, South Island

The Dunedin City Council (DCC) takes great pride in delivering a broad range of services to the communities of this unique and fascinating city. From our roads to recycling, public libraries and pools, water supply to walking tracks, and everything in between, DCC's people are talented and committed to serving their city.

Ōtepoti Dunedin really is one of the world’s great small cities. We’re a small city with a big town vibe. We’re a place where greeting strangers is socially expected and helping each other is just what we do. We’re visionary, creating cutting edge industries through technology and the health sector to create jobs, careers and lifestyles. Everyone who lives here recognises the special characteristics that make Ōtepoti Dunedin the place we want to live and call home.

Department Specific Information

The Engineering Services Team, part of 3 Waters Planning, provides technical support to guide investment in 3 Waters infrastructure, through strategic planning, engineering and hydraulic modelling. Our work is long‑term and future‑focussed supporting investment in 3 Waters infrastructure and ensuring that services are delivered to the community in a cost effective, sustainable and coordinated manner, while meeting regulatory requirements.

The Opportunity

We have an exciting career opportunity for a pro‑active, motivated Strategic Planning Engineer to join the Engineering Services Team. The Strategic Planning Engineer will be responsible for ongoing strategic planning of 3W infrastructure as well as asset condition and performance assessment programmes, information which will be used to inform long‑term capital works programmes. In this role you will provide early input to identifying problems across all 3 Waters to ensure that future problems are identified early enough in the planning cycle that they can be addressed in a timely manner. The role will also ensure that large projects with long lead times are identified, defined and scoped at a strategic level and clearly identified in future funding budgets. Responsibility in this role includes developing, maintaining and optimising asset standards to ensure that all new or rehabilitated assets meet the current and future needs of the business and will support the development and implementation of asset data structures, standards and valuations, enabling best practise asset management to be achieved.

The current work load involves various strategic projects. You will act as project manager and lead strategic and high‑level options, conceptual and feasibility studies, managing the input of selected consultants when required, to support asset strategy development, decision‑making, capital prioritisation and programming.

Requirements For The Role

DCC is not an Accredited Employer, therefore cannot provide a path to residency under the current AEWV scheme and applicants will require existing work rights in NewZealand.

Essential Requirements For The Role Include:

• Right to work and remain in New Zealand indefinitely.
• Relevant NZQA Level 7 (or above) qualification (e.g. Engineering), and/or equivalent experience.
• Significant engineering experience (10+ years) in the field of 3 Waters, preferably with a breadth of experience across a range of different situations.
• A current, valid Class 1 motor vehicle licence.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills (English), particularly the ability to communicate technical information.
• Strong numeracy, analytical, literacy and reasoning skills and the ability to think strategically.
• Excellent computer literacy and skilled with MS Office suite, especially Excel, Word and Outlook.

Ideally You Will Also Have:

• Professional Membership of recognised Engineering or Water Industry Institution.
• Experience in the area of 3 Waters asset management.
• Comfortable to work closely in a team‑setting.
• Proven track record in contract management, briefing, engaging and managing consultants.
• Well‑organised and pro‑active.
• Have good interpersonal skills.

What We Offer

• 5 weeks annual leave.
• Superannuation (after 6 months of service) + free annual flu vaccinations and eye checks every 2 years.
• Supportive team environment.
• Exposure to a broad range of projects and work types.
• Career progression opportunities.

Salary Range:

$106,328 to $125,092

The DCC is committed to the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and our work serving the citizens of Dunedin will reflect this.

Applications for this role may be considered as they are received, and suitable candidates may be progressed through the recruitment prior to the closing date.