Head of Open Spaces

Napier City Council is at an exciting turning point, with an organisational redesign driving smarter, more connected services for our community. This brand-new role as our Head of Open Spaces offers you the chance to lead the strategic planning, development, and maintenance of all open spaces within Napier. From premier parks and sportsgrounds to cemeteries, public toilets, and other recreational areas, you’ll ensure these spaces are safe, accessible, and designed to enhance community wellbeing.

Are you passionate about creating vibrant, welcoming places where people connect, play, and thrive? Do you see exceptional customer service not only in buildings, but in the parks, playgrounds, and open spaces our community treasures? If so, this is your opportunity to lead with purpose. Bring our Executive Leadership Team’s vision to life; empowering your people, embracing innovation, and delivering long-term value through inclusive engagement and sustainable design

At Napier City Council, our open spaces are more than green areas—they’re central to wellbeing, resilience, and identity. We’re looking for a visionary leader to drive the strategy, delivery, and activation of this network, ensuring our public spaces are sustainable, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of a diverse and evolving community.

You’ll be at the intersection of customer experience, community engagement, and place-making—guiding teams and partnerships that bring parks, spaces, and outdoor experiences to life.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

• Provide strategic leadership for Napier’s parks, reserves, sportsgrounds, playgrounds, cemeteries, and public amenities, aligning them with long-term community aspirations.
• Oversee operational delivery and maintenance, ensuring our open spaces are high-quality, sustainable, and safe for all users.
• Contribute to capital works programmes and development planning, future-proofing infrastructure and embedding open space design into city growth.
• Lead inclusive engagement with iwi, contractors, developers, and community groups, ensuring spaces reflect Napier’s identity and support wellbeing.
• Drive continuous improvement through innovation, best practice, and smart use of resources.

He kōrero mōhou - About You

• A tertiary qualification in parks management, recreation, public sector management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 12–15 years’ experience leading large, multi-disciplinary operational teams within parks, open spaces, recreation, or local government.
• Proven experience working with elected members or in a board/governance environment, with the confidence and ability to engage effectively in all interactions with senior leadership—articulating ideas clearly, contributing strategically, and influencing outcomes with credibility.
• Expert knowledge in asset and contract management, financial oversight, and long-term planning.
• Proven ability to analyse complex systems, identify inefficiencies, and deliver innovative solutions.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build trust across diverse stakeholders.

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.

The annual salary package for this role is $154,500-$181,800 (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 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 – Head of Open Spaces