This is a rare opportunity to lead one of Napier City Council's largest and most visible operational portfolios.

The Head of Waste, Operations & Transport provides strategic leadership across waste, transport and city operations services that directly influence how our community experiences Napier every day. From keeping our city clean and safe to delivering reliable, efficient services, this role plays a key part in achieving Council's vision of a Clean, Safe & Looking Great Napier.

This is far more than an operational leadership role. It is an opportunity to lead the next phase of the department's evolution continuing a significant transformation programme while embedding a high-performing, customer-focused culture. You'll challenge traditional ways of working, build capability across leaders and teams, and create a service that is innovative, commercially responsible and centred on delivering great outcomes for our community.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

This role carries significant organisational responsibility and influence over the performance, culture and future direction of essential city services.

You will:

Lead one of Council's largest operational portfolios, delivering waste, transport and city operations services that have a direct impact on our community every day.
Continue leading a significant transformation programme, embedding new ways of working while challenging traditional approaches and driving continuous improvement across the department.
Inspire and lead a high-performing leadership team, building a culture of trust, accountability, collaboration and continuous learning.
Foster an engaged and positive workplace where people feel empowered to contribute, embrace change and deliver excellent service outcomes.
Strengthen commercial and financial discipline across the portfolio, balancing community expectations, affordability, value for money and long-term sustainability.
Embed strong performance frameworks that provide visibility of service outcomes, risks and opportunities, enabling informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
Contribute as a senior organisational leader, influencing strategic direction while ensuring operational realities are reflected in organisational planning and investment decisions.

He kōrero mōhou - About You

You are an experienced senior leader who thrives in complex environments and enjoys leading organisations through change. You know how to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery, bringing people with you while creating clarity, confidence and momentum.

You are comfortable challenging the status quo, building positive and high-performing cultures, and creating an environment where leaders and teams feel supported, engaged and accountable for delivering outstanding results.

Whether your experience comes from local government, infrastructure, transport, utilities, logistics, facilities or another complex operational environment, what matters most is your ability to lead people, drive transformation and deliver sustainable performance improvements.

You will bring:

Significant senior leadership experience leading large operational teams within complex service delivery environments.
A proven track record of successfully leading transformation, embedding change and delivering measurable improvements in operational performance.
The ability to build positive, high-performing cultures where people embrace change, work collaboratively and take ownership of outcomes.
Strong commercial and financial capability, with experience balancing service levels, affordability, risk and long-term sustainability.
Proven success leading through leaders, developing capability and building aligned, accountable leadership teams.
Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to work across diverse stakeholder groups and build trusted partnerships.
Strategic judgement and sound decision-making, translating long-term organisational priorities into practical outcomes.
A genuine commitment to customer service and community outcomes, recognising the impact operational decisions have on the people who live, work and visit Napier.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of essential services in Napier—leading meaningful transformation, building an engaged and capable workforce, and delivering services that make a visible difference to our community every day.

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 CBD.

The annual salary package for this role is $171,288 - $191,439 (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 criminal background checks, with some roles requiring health screening and drug & alcohol testing). 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 Waste, Operations & Transport