- Inaugural CE – build and lead a new public utility from the ground up
- A legacy-defining opportunity serving future communities
- High profile role founded on trust-based relationships
- Based in Queenstown | Competitive remuneration package
About The Organisation:
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has established a wholly owned Water Services Council-Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) to plan, fund and deliver drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services for the Queenstown Lakes district. The new WSCCO Board is now seeking a Chief Executive to build and lead the organisation from inception.
This is a rare opportunity to lead the establishment of a future-ready, financially sustainable water services organisation serving one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most distinctive communities in a world-renowned environment - where reliable and sustainable water services are central to supporting the district’s, wellbeing, growth, and tourism brand.
About the Role:
Critically, this is an establishment and performance role, not a maintenance role. Reporting to the Board, the Chief Executive will build the WSCCO from the ground up: recruiting and leading an executive team, managing a complex staff and asset transition, standing up the operating model and systems, protecting service continuity and then lead the organisation into steady‑state performance.
Beyond establishment, this becomes a significant ongoing strategic leadership role, with the rare opportunity to shape both the founding culture and long-term character of a high performing organisation. The role is highly visible in a tight‑knit, fast‑growing district where water services are under intense community and media scrutiny.
The Ideal Candidate
You will be an experienced Chief Executive known as a builder and change leader, someone who has stood up a new entity, led large-scale transformation, or navigated a significant operational transition. Ideally you will have a proven track record leading whole-of-organisation performance in complex, regulated or infrastructure-intensive, commercial environments. Strong on financial acumen, you will be financially literate across capital programmes, regulated pricing and long-term investment planning. A background in utilities, public health, transport, local government or comparable multi-stakeholder settings is relevant and a good understanding of regulatory environments is key.
Skilled at shaping culture from scratch and guiding people through uncertainty with fairness and transparency, you will be quick to earn trust across a diverse range of stakeholders including council, mana whenua, regulators, media, staff and community.
Politically astute, you will be comfortable as the public face of the organisation, strong on relationships and bringing people with you.
Importantly, you are committed to making Queenstown Lakes a better place and will be based there to do it.