Careers

Applications for this role have now closed. The Central Districts Water Board is now in the process of shortlisting and interviewing candidates.

Chief Executive

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Central Districts Water is a new, publicly owned water services organisation that will deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services across three districts from 1 July 2027. Jointly owned by Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Rangitīkei councils, we will serve circa 54,000 connections and manage assets of $1.7 billion.

The inaugural Chief Executive will be an architect of Central Districts Water, building its culture, stewarding the relationships the entity depends on, and positioning it to deliver sustained, future-focused investment for the communities it serves.

Working with an independent and experienced board, the initial focus will be organisational establishment: leading the transition from three council-operated services into one cohesive entity. This will include driving Central Districts Water’s strategic direction and building high-trust relationships with councils, iwi/Māori and regulators that will define the entity's success.

Ko wai koe | About you

We are seeking an executive who has led from organisational inception or through complex and significant transformation. Community focused and commercially ambitious, you will be compelled by the opportunity to deliver durable, affordable and high-quality water services that will make a lasting difference for generations.

The successful candidate will have:

  • Chief Executive or senior leader expertise in a similarly complex, service delivery organisation, ideally in a regulated environment.
  • Self-awareness, integrity and relational intelligence to lead across diverse and competing interests.
  • The disposition to lead a commercially rigorous, public good organisation.
  • Sophisticated financial acumen and understanding of investment and asset management.

Candidate Briefing(PDF, 9MB) 

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