Team Leader Water

Tiaki Wai; Wellington; On-site; NZD 97,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing day

Professional development opportunities

5 weeks annual leave after 2 years

Job summary

Tiaki Wai is seeking an experienced Team Leader to head our water operations across Porirua and Wellington City. Based at the Porirua Depot, you will lead a crew to deliver safe, reliable water services daily.

This role blends technical knowledge of water infrastructure with leadership, coaching, and performance management to improve water quality and customer outcomes while supporting the region's growth.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading operational or infrastructure teams.
• Experience in water/utilities or civil infrastructure.
• NZ Certificate in Infrastructure Works Level 4 or 5.

Responsibilities

• Lead a crew delivering essential water services to the community.
• Drive water quality, network performance, and customer outcomes.
• Coach and develop team capabilities through performance management.
• Collaborate across Porirua and Wellington City depots.

Skills

Team leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder communication

HSE awareness

Asset management systems

Planning & organization

Education

NZ Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Pipeline Construction and Maintenance) Level 4 or 5

Tools

Asset management software

Work management systems

Job description

This is a full time position of 40 hours per week. The remuneration range for this role is $96,543 to $136,296 (including KiwiSaver) depending on skills and experience we would look to appoint around $110,000.

The opportunity

We're looking for an experienced and motivated Team Leader to lead our water operations team across the Porirua and Wellington City areas. Based at our Porirua Depot, you'll play a critical role in ensuring safe, reliable, and high-quality water services are delivered to our communities every day.

This is an opportunity to combine your technical expertise in water infrastructure with your passion for leadership, coaching, and operational excellence.

In This Role You'll Have The Opportunity To

• Lead a crew delivering essential services to the community
• Make a meaningful impact on water quality, network performance, and customer outcomes
• Work within a supportive and collaborative environment
• Grow your leadership capability and technical expertise
• Contribute to the future of water services across the Wellington region

About You

To be successful in this role you will bring:

• Proven experience leading operational or infrastructure-based teams
• Experience working in water, utilities, civil infrastructure, or a similar industry
• Strong people leadership, coaching, and performance management skills
• Sound knowledge of water network operations and maintenance, NZ Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Pipeline Construction and Maintenance) Level 4 or 5
• A strong commitment to health, safety, environmental, and quality standards
• Experience managing budgets, costs, and operational performance
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Strong planning, organisational, and problem-solving abilities
• Good computer literacy, including experience with asset management and work management systems.

Benefits

At Tiaki Wai, our purpose extends beyond delivering great water services for the region; we foster a thriving community, support a diverse workforce, and offer supportive development opportunities. We genuinely care about your safety and wellbeing.

Our Benefits Include

• Comprehensive wellbeing programme, including one paid wellbeing day annually
• Formal and informal professional development opportunities
• 5 weeks annual leave accrual will be available following 2 years of continual service

About Us

Tiaki Wai is a council-owned organisation responsible for managing the delivery of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services across Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Wellington.

We manage public-owned extensive water infrastructure and oversee the delivery of safe and reliable services for our communities. We focus on long-term investment, asset management, maintenance, and delivering major infrastructure projects that support public health, environmental protection, and regional growth.

Water is a precious taonga. At Tiaki Wai, we put care into every drop and are guided by our values of Integrity, Care, and Leadership. We work directly with water consumers and in partnership with councils and mana whenua to deliver better water outcomes for current and future generations.

Applications close: 20 September 2026.

For further information, email: [e-mail]

Applicants for safety sensitive roles will be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing prior to commencing employment with Tiaki Wai. You must also be legally entitled to work long-term in New Zealand or eligible to obtain a working visa.