Establishment Chair
Timaru
- Lead the establishment of a new joint water services organisation
- Foundation governance leadership opportunity
- Two-year fixed term appointment
The Opportunity
Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils have joined together to establish a new Joint Water Organisation (JWO) - a Council Controlled Organisation that will deliver drinking water and wastewater services across both districts, with a combined asset base of approximately $500 million. This is a rare opportunity to lead governance for a multi-year transformation that will bring together people, systems, technology and services into a single, future-ready organisation.
The JWO will operate in a highly regulated, asset-intensive, and publicly accountable environment, with oversight from Taumata Arowai, the Commerce Commission, and the Department of Internal Affairs. It serves a geographically diverse district spanning coastal Timaru to the vast Mackenzie Basin - unique landscapes with strong community identity and important relationships with Papatipu Rūnaka, Arowhenua, Waiho, and Moeraki.
The Establishment Chairperson will work alongside the Establishment Chief Executive and the Joint Shareholder Committee (JSC) to shape the vision, strategic direction and governance of the new entity, ensuring robust oversight, strong stakeholder engagement, effective risk management and high-quality decision making from day one. The organisation is expected to be incorporated by October 2026 and operational from July 2027.
About You
You will be an experienced Chair or senior governance leader with a proven track record in complex, regulated or commercially demanding environments. You will bring:
- Demonstrated commercial governance experience and expertise
- Strategic thinking and sound judgement, with the ability to operate across both short-term establishment priorities and long-term outcomes
- Experience establishing new entities or leading organisations through major transition or transformation, ideally with multiple shareholders
- Financial literacy sufficient to oversee budgets, business cases, and significant capital investment in an asset-intensive organisation
- Strong stakeholder and relationship management skills, including with iwi/Māori, regulators, and public shareholders
- An understanding of, or genuine commitment to, Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and meaningful engagement with Papatipu Rūnaka and Mana Whenua
- Familiarity with local government, water services, or comparable regulated infrastructure sectors
- Some affinity with the South Canterbury / Mackenzie region, whether through professional connection, family ties, or a willingness to be present in the communities served
This is a legacy role. You will be instrumental in building an organisation that will deliver safe, reliable water services to communities for generations. You will work with committed partners, have a clear mandate and an opportunity to make your mark.