As our Open Space Service Delivery Lead, you’ll help shape the standards behind the parks, sports fields, gardens, trees, cemeteries, playgrounds, water features, trails and public spaces that are part of everyday life in Napier.

This is an 18-month fixed-term opportunity for an experienced open space, parks or amenity professional who understands what good service delivery looks like – and knows how to turn that into clear, practical and measurable service levels.

Working across Open Space and City Operations, you’ll bring together asset management and operational delivery to establish service levels, strengthen how performance is monitored and ensure our investment in open spaces is delivering the right outcomes for our community.

And if Napier isn't currently home, this could be an opportunity to make it one. Hawke’s Bay offers the chance to build your career while enjoying a lifestyle that’s hard to replicate in many larger centres – with the coast, trails, parks, wineries and great outdoor spaces all within easy reach.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

This is a senior role with genuine scope to influence how open space services are delivered across Napier.

You’ll lead the development and implementation of service levels across our open space portfolio, using industry good practice and adapting it to what works for our city and community. You’ll work closely with our City Operations team to establish clear expectations around what needs to be delivered, how performance is measured and what represents best value.

A key part of the role will be bringing greater structure and visibility to service delivery. You’ll help electronically map maintained areas and their service levels, establish regular auditing and reporting, and ensure new assets and changing community expectations are reflected in future planning and budgets.

You’ll also:

• Develop and review service levels across Napier’s open space network.

• Build strong partnerships between Open Space, City Operations and wider Council teams.

• Establish meaningful auditing and performance reporting against agreed standards.

• Manage operational budgets with a focus on value, quality and community outcomes.

• Plan for asset growth and ensure new areas are appropriately scoped, mapped and funded.

• Support continuous improvement across systems, processes and frontline service delivery.

• Help strengthen cemetery systems, records and operational practices.

Ultimately, your work will contribute directly to our goal of keeping Napier clean, safe and looking great – creating public spaces that are well cared for, fit for purpose and that our community can be proud of.

He kōrero mōhou - About You

You’ll bring strong experience from the parks, open space, horticulture, arboriculture, sports turf or wider amenity sector, along with the practical understanding needed to connect strategy with what happens on the ground.

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Significant experience across horticulture, arboriculture, sports turf or open space management.

• A relevant degree or equivalent level of sector knowledge and experience.

• Proven leadership experience and the confidence to influence across teams.

• Experience developing, monitoring or auditing service levels and performance.

• Strong commercial awareness, including budgets, contracts and procurement.

• Excellent relationship, communication and negotiation skills.

• An understanding of Council planning processes, or experience within a similarly complex environment.

• The ability to lead calmly through change while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.

Experience within local government, public parks operations, landscape architecture, tree management or cemetery operations would be an advantage, but what matters is your depth of sector experience and ability to apply it across a diverse city-wide portfolio.

If you’re ready to bring your open space expertise to a role where the outcomes are visible across an entire city, we’d love to hear from you – whether you’re already in Hawke’s Bay or considering what your next move could look like.

Ngā painga mōhou - What we Offer

• Employee Assistance Program (OCP)

• Quarterly values awards + Social club

• Free flu vaccinations (annual)

• Ka Awatea Cultural Wānanga + NCC Kapa Haka

• Te Reo Māori language classes

• Flexible work arrangements

This is an 18-month fixed term opportunity, working full-time 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. You will be based in Napier

The annual salary package for this role is $115,239 – $128,796 (including KiwiSaver), with the final offer depending 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 – Open Space Service Delivery Lead