Add expected salary to your profile for insightsWith 11% of the total land area of New Zealand, including Fiordland National Park and Stewart Island, The Southland District Council has the largest land area to manage of any territorial authority. Council not only encompasses the management and improvement of physical assets such as roads, bridges, water supply, cemeteries and parks but also the Southland communities' social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing.Our 200+ staff are diverse in their backgrounds, skillset and location, spread across three Invercargill offices (Forth Street, 20 and 42 Don Street) and seven area offices situated at Riverton, Otautau, Te Anau, Winton, Oban, Lumsden and Wyndham. Council owns about 1250 hectares of reserves, including 34 sportsfields, 36 playgrounds, 38 tennis/netball courts, three skateboard facilities and several walking tracks.Southland District Council offers scope for a rewarding and interesting career in local government under excellent working conditions, in a part of the country which is ideally suited to family life and the pursuit of a wide variety of activities.About the roleThe Parks and Recreation Lead is responsible for the strategy, development and implementation of parks and recreation policies, including reserve management plans, to support Council's vision for Southland's recreation areas.Responsibilities will include:Develop and review strategies, policies, and plans for parks assets, programs, and partnerships.Work with Council, community boards, local reserve groups, and the public to manage, develop, and maintain parks and reserves, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and Council policies.Provide well-researched and reasoned advice on reserves and open spaces management to internal staff and key stakeholders, serving as an internal expert.Oversee the programming of activities, forecast expenditure, develop budgets, monitor service delivery performance, and manage external consultants for parks and recreation projects.Our ideal candidate will:Have extensive experience in parks and reserves, facility or contract management.Have the ability to interpret, analyze, and apply new information, forecast trends and draw robust conclusions.Have a proven track record of developing and maintaining relationships across a broad range of sectors at a senior level, extensive networks and credibility with stakeholders, and the ability to assimilate and communicate technical information effectively.Demonstrated ability to achieve targets, broad general management skills including budget management, understanding of risk management principles.Be comfortable communicating at all levels of Council and in the community, with excellent presentation and report writing skills.Be a highly motivated, achievement-oriented, and innovative professional.What's in it for you?This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a background in parks and reserves to work in the largest territorial authority by land area. This role offers plenty of variety and the opportunity to shape our communities' recreational experiences.We recognise that staff are our most valuable asset. We believe in supporting them in their training and development, having competitive remuneration packages which are benchmarked against market rates, and an environment which enables personal growth. We're also a flexible workplace that believes in work/life balance.If you're up for the challenge then please follow the link to download a job description and apply online today.
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