Napier City Council is at an exciting turning point, with an organisational redesign driving smarter, more connected services for our community.

As part of this transformation, we’re seeking a visionary Portfolio Lead – Open Spaces to guide the strategic delivery of our parks, reserves, and public realm developments. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of Napier’s open spaces—ensuring they reflect our values of sustainability, climate resilience, and community wellbeing. You’ll lead a diverse portfolio of initiatives that enhance the city’s liveability and create places where people thrive.

This position will be part of the Strategy & Urban Development Directorate (Urban), which leads future planning, policy development, and compliance to promote sustainable growth and enhance community well-being. The directorate supports businesses and developers through regulatory service excellence. It oversees projects to ensure efficient resource utilisation and the delivery of tangible community benefits.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

• Strategic coordination of open space projects across parks, reserves, and civic spaces
• Ensuring alignment with Council’s sustainability, financial, and service delivery goals for our community and ratepayers
• Portfolio-level risk, budget, and milestone management - oversight that enables smarter decision-making, better resource allocation, and stronger alignment with strategic priorities.
• Collaboration with internal teams, mana whenua, Waka Kotahi, Maritime NZ, and other key partners

He kōrero mōhou - About You

• Experienced in strategic leadership with 7–10 years in project and portfolio management, including delivering complex public realm or community infrastructure programmes.
  
• Holds relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience in open spaces, infrastructure, or planning.
  
• Self-motivated, solutions-focused professional who thrives in complex environments, takes ownership, and builds strong relationships across diverse teams and communities.
  
• Strong understanding of asset management, procurement, and contract delivery in a public sector setting.
  
• Clear and engaging communicator, able to tailor messaging to different audiences, resilient under pressure, and passionate about delivering meaningful outcomes for Napier’s people and places.

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’s CBD.

The annual salary package for this role is between $112,900-$132,800 (including KiwiSaver), with the final offer depending on your skills and experience.

We’re reviewing applications as they come in and may close the role early once, we’ve found the right fit.

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 – Portfolio Lead Open Spaces