Team Leader - Water Planning Delivery

Watercare; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and development opportunities

Life and income protection insurance

Parental leave

Employee discounts

Job summary

Watercare in Central Auckland is seeking a strategic Team Leader for Water Planning Delivery to translate the organisation's priorities into an investment-ready portfolio. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, align objectives with the Asset Management Plan, and drive delivery of wastewater infrastructure initiatives across the portfolio.

You will partner with senior leaders, Auckland Council, iwi, consultants and communities to ensure decisions are informed, affordable and sustainable,

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management or related discipline.
• At least 10 years' experience managing large-scale infrastructure programmes or projects.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience.
• Strong judgement across investment, affordability, risk, delivery trade-offs, and contract management.
• Experience improving front-end project definition and transitioning work into design and delivery.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Wastewater Planning Delivery function and its team of project managers with clear expectations and strong performance culture.
• Translate Watercare's objectives and risks into clear portfolio and investment priorities.
• Own the definition, feasibility and transition of water infrastructure projects into design and delivery.
• Drive robust project definition, option assessment and business cases guiding cost, schedule and risk.
• Manage portfolio performance across scope, budgets, forecasts and dependencies.
• Provide strategic advice on investment choices, trade-offs and portfolio risks.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Portfolio management

Stakeholder engagement

Infrastructure planning

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related discipline

Tools

MSP

PMP/PgMP

Job description

Team Leader - Water Planning Delivery# Watercare Careers## Team Leader - Water Planning DeliveryApply: Central Auckland: Full time: Posted Yesterday: End Date: November 13, 2026 (18 days left to apply): JR101552**He kōrero mō mātou | About Watercare** Ki te ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata*When the water is healthy, the land and the people are healthy* There's never been a better time to join Watercare. We're delivering a $15.2 billion, 10-year capital investment programme, the largest in our history, creating opportunities to work on transformative infrastructure, sustainability and digital projects that will shape Auckland's future. With more than $4 million invested every day, you'll be part of work that makes a lasting difference to our communities and environment. **He whakamārama mō te tūranga mahi | About the role**You'll lead Watercare's Wastewater Planning Delivery function, translating strategic priorities and the Asset Management Plan into a coordinated, investment-ready portfolio of infrastructure initiatives.You'll provide strategic leadership across business need definition, feasibility and transition into design and delivery, ensuring projects are well defined, appropriately prioritised and positioned for successful downstream delivery. You'll own performance across a portfolio of concurrent and interdependent work, balancing outcomes, affordability, resources, risk and delivery readiness.You'll work closely with senior leaders, operational teams, Auckland Council, iwi partners, consultants, and community stakeholders to ensure infrastructure decisions are informed, sustainable, and aligned with future growth requirements.Your responsibilities will include:* Leading and developing the Wastewater Planning Delivery function and its team of project managers, with clear expectations, consistent disciplines and a strong performance culture.* Translating Watercare's strategic objectives, enterprise risks and growth priorities into clear portfolio and investment priorities.* Owning the definition, feasibility and transition of water infrastructure projects into design and delivery.* Driving robust project definition, option assessment and business cases that improve cost, schedule and risk confidence.* Managing portfolio performance across scope, budgets, forecasts, schedules, dependencies, resources and risk.* Providing strategic advice on investment choices, trade-offs, delivery implications and emerging portfolio risks.* Leading portfolio governance, assurance, change control and consistent project-management disciplines.* Directing the effective use of consultants and strategic partners while growing Watercare’s internal capability.* Building strong interfaces with technical planning, Programme Delivery, Operations, Consenting and Finance.* Influencing senior internal and external stakeholders and communicating complex decisions clearly.* Embedding sustainability, whole-of-life value, safety and wellbeing in planning and investment decisions.**Ngā pūkenga e rapu nei mātou | About you**You'll be a strategic infrastructure leader who can move confidently between long-term direction, investment decisions and practical delivery. You'll bring structure and momentum to a complex portfolio, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and build alignment across technical, operational, commercial and stakeholder interests.You'll bring:* A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline* At least 10 years' experience managing large-scale infrastructure programmes or projects* Demonstrated people leadership experience* Strong judgement across investment, affordability, risk, delivery trade-offs, commercial management and contract management.* Experience improving front-end project definition and successfully transitioning work into design and delivery.* Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior leadership level* Sound knowledge of New Zealand's regulatory environment and infrastructure planning frameworks* Experience acting as an informed client and directing multidisciplinary professional-services partners.Experience in water, wastewater, utilities or related infrastructure sectors will be highly regarded, as will project or programme management certifications such as PMP, PgMP or MSP.## **Ngā hua mōu | What's in it for you**We offer a competitive salary and staff benefits package including: • Training and development opportunities • Life and income protection insurance plans • Generous parental leave • Employee discounts at a range of large retailers**Me pēhea te tono mai | How to Apply**Come and join our team! If you are looking for an exciting career opportunity with a fantastic team then please apply online today - careers.watercare.co.nz.