MANAGER - TRANSPORT POLICY AND PROGRAMMES

at  Waikato Regional Council

Imagine…waking up every day and knowing you are making a difference to people’s lives.
Imagine…working in a forward-thinking council and team who give you the opportunity to follow your passion, and support career development.
Imagine…being a trusted expert transport planning leader, who people look to for objective and technically excellent advice.
Imagine being at the forefront of efforts to decarbonise the land transport system and tackle the challenge of climate change.
Imagine…working in the most stunning natural environment anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Imagine…Waikato.
From dreamy Lake Taupo to the southern edge of the Auckland super city; from the wild west coast to the Coromandel beaches; from the dynamic fast-growing city of Hamilton to historic riverside country towns; the mighty Waikato is the most diverse region anywhere in New Zealand.
With diversity comes opportunity. Waikato Regional Council (WRC) leads transport planning and strategy development through the Regional Land and Public Transport Plans. We operate a large urban bus network in Hamilton, and a series of regional routes which connect our towns and villages. Unlike most other regions in Aotearoa New Zealand, we also have a passenger train!
Te Huia runs between Hamilton and Auckland and is part of an exciting corridor integrated transport and spatial plan. The Hamilton metro region is the fastest-growing area of New Zealand, and WRC is heavily involved in the Future Proof and Metro Spatial Plan (MSP) initiatives which seek to change the way people live, work and travel. But we are also right down in our communities, helping them move around through provision of on-demand services operated by local groups in areas where bus services do not run.
We also work hard with schools and community group to keep people safe on our transport system.
All of this requires a visionary and technically excellent leader of our transport planning responsibilities. And that’s where you come in.

MŌ TE TANGATA | ABOUT YOU

• While you will have a team of experts to draw on, you will be expected to be credible in your own right in matters of transport policy, planning and land use integration.
• You will be a leader who walks the talk, bring your team with you and understands what it takes to develop a high-performance team.
• You will be comfortable with ambiguity and change and have demonstrated your ability to lead positively when times get tough.
• You will be confident working in local government – including overseeing statutory planning processes and decision making.
• You will be an agent of change, always looking for how we can do things better.
• You will have sound judgement when it comes to managing risk, public and political expectations.
• You will be able to lead and facilitate engagement, including with external stakeholders, elected members and the public.

MŌ NGĀ PŪKENGA | QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 7 years’ operating at a managerial or executive level, including clear evidence of people management responsibilities.
• Relevant tertiary qualification (preferably post graduate) in public policy, transport, environmental or town planning, management, or related field.
• Applied experience working in policy guided by legislative or government policy requirements such as Land Transport Management Act 2003, Resource Management 1991 or Local Government Act 2002.

MŌ MĀTOU | ABOUT US

• We work hard to care for the mighty Waikato, so current and future generations will benefit from a healthy environment, strong economy, and vibrant communities.
• Our mahi is as diverse as the region we care for and the people who share it. Our work helps look after our region’s water, soil, air, geothermal areas and coasts - so we can all enjoy these precious resources for generations to come.
• Customers sit at the heart of everything we do, and all staff have an important role to play in the delivery of exceptional customer service.
• If you’d like to understand more about what we do please click here The work we do | Waikato Regional Council.
• By partnering with iwi and working with many others in our communities, our collective kaitiakitanga will make the Waikato region even better. Together, we’ll create a sustainable future that will make a positive difference to people’s lives.

• Oversee the development, monitoring, reporting and review of the Regional Land Transport Plan, Regional Public Transport Plan and other strategic documents.
• Ensure effective policy delivery through planned, efficient and effective programmes of transport investments.
• Develop and maintain productive and enduring networks of regional collaboration and engagement, with local councils, NZTA and government departments.
• Deliver evidence-based business cases to support major investment in public transport services and infrastructure, including a transition to a zero-emission fleet.
• Advocate for improvements to relevant legislation and government policy including by overseeing the preparation and coordination of submissions to relevant national policy development on behalf of the Regional Transport Committee.