Strategic Property Programme Lead

Taituarā; Invercargill City; On-site; NZD 98,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Supportive culture

Work-life balance

Affordable living

Outdoor lifestyle

Job summary

Environment Southland is seeking a Strategic Property Programme Lead to drive the Learning from the Land programme and other strategic land initiatives. The role focuses on programme management, integration, engagement and decision support across multidisciplinary teams, from concept to implementation.

If you have 5+ years in programme or project management, especially in property, environmental management or local government, this exciting opportunity could be right for you.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex programmes or projects from design to implementation with a relevant qualification.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams and coordinate multidisciplinary teams with strong analytical and decision-support skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; experience presenting to senior leaders.
• Experience partnering with mana whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi engagement.
• Knowledge of property, leases, rural land management or farm systems; local government or regulatory experience is advantageous.
• Full current driver’s licence.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage Environment Southland's strategic property portfolio through a forward programme of lease, land-use, flood risk management, asset maintenance and management, and investment decisions.
• Ensure timing of future investment decisions is identified, consulted upon with staff and leaseholders, using Learning from the Land framework for governance-ready investments.
• Lead implementation of the Learning from the Land programme, including the Titiroa pilot, applying the framework to future land.
• Coordinate input across property, land management, freshwater plans, environmental science, policy, finance, legal and operations to develop integrated recommendations.
• Work with mana whenua and engage with lessees, landowners, community organisations and partners.
• Prepare decision material and governance reporting, maintain momentum across concurrent workstreams, manage actions, risks and dependencies.

Skills

Programme management

Engagement with mana whenua

Communication skills

Multidisciplinary coordination

Driver's licence

Job description

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Strategic Property Programme Lead

Love where you work. Love where you live.

Join Environment Southland and help shape the future of our region.

Meaningful and impactful work

• Supportive and collaborative culture
• Work-life balance that matters
• Affordable living and short commutes

In partnership with our community, Environment Southland (Southland Regional Council) is responsible for the sustainable management of Southland's natural resources - our land, our water, our air and our coast. As a Regional Council we operate across a large geographical region which extends from Stewart Island to Fiordland.

This newly created position contributes to the overall performance of the Regional Programmes Team by leading the delivery and transition of the Learning from the Land programme and other complex strategic land initiatives.

About the role:

The role provides programme management, integration, engagement and decision support across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring agreed processes, pilots and land-use decisions are progressed from concept through to implementation. If you have over 5 years of experience in programme or project management, strategic land or property, environmental management, infrastructure or a related field then this exciting opportunity could be right for you.

Your key responsibilities:

• Proactively manage Environment Southland's strategic property portfolio through a forward programme of lease, land-use, flood risk management, asset maintenance and management, and investment decisions.
• Ensure the timing of future investment decisions are clearly identified, consulted upon across internal staff and leaseholders, and using the Learning from the Land framework shaped into governance ready investment decisions.
• Leading the implementation of the Learning from the Land programme, including the Titiroa pilot, and applying the established framework and processes to subsequent priority land.
• Coordinating multidisciplinary input across property, land management, freshwater farm plans, environmental science, policy, finance, legal and operational functions to develop integrated and practical recommendations for both current and future land use scenarios.
• Working in partnership with mana whenua and engaging effectively with lessees, landowners, community organisations and other delivery partners.
• Preparing decision material and governance reporting, maintaining momentum across multiple concurrent workstreams, and ensuring actions, risks, dependencies and lessons are actively managed.

Love where you work. Love where you live.

Join Environment Southland and help shape the future of our region.

Meaningful and impactful work

• Supportive and collaborative culture
• Work-life balance that matters
• Affordable living and short commutes
• Incredible outdoor lifestyle on your doorstep

In partnership with our community, Environment Southland (Southland Regional Council) is responsible for the sustainable management of Southland's natural resources - our land, our water, our air and our coast. As a Regional Council we operate across a large geographical region which extends from Stewart Island to Fiordland.

This newly created position contributes to the overall performance of the Regional Programmes Team by leading the delivery and transition of the Learning from the Land programme and other complex strategic land initiatives.

About the role:

The role provides programme management, integration, engagement and decision support across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring agreed processes, pilots and land-use decisions are progressed from concept through to implementation. If you have over 5 years of experience in programme or project management, strategic land or property, environmental management, infrastructure or a related field then this exciting opportunity could be right for you.

Your key responsibilities:

• Proactively manage Environment Southland's strategic property portfolio through a forward programme of lease, land-use, flood risk management, asset maintenance and management, and investment decisions.
• Ensure the timing of future investment decisions are clearly identified, consulted upon across internal staff and leaseholders, and using the Learning from the Land framework shaped into governance ready investment decisions.
• Leading the implementation of the Learning from the Land programme, including the Titiroa pilot, and applying the established framework and processes to subsequent priority land.
• Coordinating multidisciplinary input across property, land management, freshwater farm plans, environmental science, policy, finance, legal and operational functions to develop integrated and practical recommendations for both current and future land use scenarios.
• Working in partnership with mana whenua and engaging effectively with lessees, landowners, community organisations and other delivery partners.
• Preparing decision material and governance reporting, maintaining momentum across multiple concurrent workstreams, and ensuring actions, risks, dependencies and lessons are actively managed.

What we are looking for:

• Demonstrated experience delivering complex programmes or projects from design through implementation together with a relevant tertiary qualification in programme or project management, planning, property, environmental management, business or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and coordinate multidisciplinary teams across organisational boundaries plus strong analytical, options-assessment and decision-support skills, including the ability to work constructively with incomplete or contested information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing papers and presenting recommendations to senior leaders or governance groups.
• Experience working in partnership with mana whenua and planning engagement appropriate to Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities and the Murihiku context.
• Understanding of property, leases, rural land management or farm systems is desirable; experience in local government, environmental management or regulatory settings would also be advantageous.
• Full current driver's licence.

Are you ready for your next challenge?

We have a lifestyle that is second to none, with easy access to beaches, rivers, lakes, ski fields, national parks and first‑class sports facilities. We pride ourselves on the support we give our team to ensure a good work‑life balance is a priority. And with affordable real estate, short commutes and a great range of schools on offer there is something here for everyone!

The salary for this position will be in the region of $115,000 but will be set dependent upon experience.

Applications close: 13 September 2026