Are you a strategic thinker with a heart for community impact? Do you thrive in fast-paced environments where customer service, forward planning, and real-world outcomes intersect? At Napier City Council, we’re looking for a proactive, people-focused leader to drive the future of community services—where resilience, assets, safety, and long-term sustainability are at the core.

Napier City Council is evolving to deliver smarter, more connected services, with a redesign shaping the future of community support. This brand-new role as our Head of Community Resilience & Assets offers you the chance to shape how we support our community through the interfaces between resilience, emergency management, and asset planning. You’ll bring together community development and building asset management into a unified structure, embedding resilience into everyday Council operations and ensuring our services and infrastructure reflect evolving community needs.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

This is more than a leadership opportunity—it’s your chance to influence how we protect, plan, and provide for our community in meaningful and lasting ways.

In this pivotal role, you’ll lead integrated strategies across community resilience, emergency management, and asset planning, ensuring our community is not only supported today but prepared for tomorrow. You’ll empower teams to deliver exceptional outcomes, foster strong local partnerships, and help shape safe, connected, and thriving places for everyone.

This role will see you:

• Providing strategic leadership across community resilience, emergency management, and building assets, aligning work programmes with Council’s long-term goals.
• Championing community wellbeing through inclusive programmes, engagement, and initiatives that strengthen resilience.
• Empowering subject matter experts to ensure effective asset management, renewals, maintenance, and capital works, optimising performance and ensuring safe, adaptable facilities for our community.
• Leading complex projects and programmes, promoting accountability, quality delivery, and measurable outcomes.
• Building strong partnerships across iwi, community groups, emergency services, and government agencies to support integrated, resilient service delivery.

He kōrero mōhou - About You

You will be a people-focused leader who thrives in complexity and brings clarity to diverse teams. With a broad understanding of local government systems, you know how to navigate challenges and influence outcomes that matter. You’re experienced in guiding subject matter experts—helping them see opportunities, shape solutions, and set priorities that align with long-term community goals. Your leadership style is collaborative and empowering, enabling others to deliver with confidence and purpose. You bring an appreciation for resilience frameworks, community engagement, and asset management, and you’re comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels. Most importantly, you know how to elevate the visibility of your function, ensuring its impact is understood and valued across the organisation and beyond.

Ideally would will be able to demonstrate:

• Tertiary qualification in Community Development, Asset Management, Engineering, Public Policy, or related discipline.
• 9–12 years’ senior leadership or advisory experience in local government, community development, or asset/infrastructure management.
• Proven ability to deliver strategy and complex work programmes that strengthen community outcomes
• Strong understanding of community engagement, with excellent relationship management skills.
• Skilled at leading multi-disciplinary teams and driving collaboration across organisations and stakeholders.

Ngā painga mōhou - What we Offer

• 5 weeks annual leave after 2 years service
• Discounted Health Insurance Work Scheme + Eye Test Subsidy
• Retailer Discounts + Study assistance
• Employee Assistance Program (OCP)
• Quarterly values awards + Birthday vouchers + Social club
• Free flu vaccinations (annual)
• Ka Awatea Cultural Wānanga + NCC Kapa Haka
• Te Reo Māori language classes

This is a permanent, full-time opportunity working 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday. You’ll be based in Napier.

The annual salary package for this role is $154,500-$181,800 (including KiwiSaver), with the final offer dependent on your skills and experience.

We will be interviewing applications as we receive them and may close the role when we have found the right person.

He kōrero mō Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri - About NCC

At Napier City Council, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and work to make our hiring process fair and accessible. If you need any support or adjustments during your application or interview, let us know—we’re happy to help!

Our success is grounded in strong partnerships with Mana Whenua and Iwi, supported by our Māori Partnerships team, Te Waka Rangapū, which builds cultural capability through education and training.

Before you join, you’ll need to complete pre-employment checks (including drug testing, with some roles requiring health screening). As an NCC employee, you may also be called on to support Civil Defence emergencies when our community needs us most.

Please visit Napier City Council Careers website to see full job description

Job Description – Head of Community Resilience & Assets