Account Lead

• Work closely with clients to provide solutions to their highly complex challenges
• Pivotal role in enabling compliance in Canterbury
• Build in depth trusted relationships with our largest customers

Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha │ About Environment Canterbury

As a regional council, we are responsible for managing natural resources including air, soil, water and land. We work in partnership with mana whenua Ngāi Tahu to protect the health of our environment to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for our region.

The region's evolving environmental and political context means we will continue to be agile and adaptive, as we respond to regulatory and environmental changes.

Our mahi (work) is organised around the delivery of our three core services:

• Environmental Regulation and Protection
• Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards
• Public Transport

Kōrero mō te Tūranga | About the Role

Our compliance service works with resource users to help them to comply.

An account management approach is required to work with our largest customers throughout the region who are operating within complex rules and consents. This newly created role will work with a portfolio of complex regulatory customers to enable them to successfully comply.

Make no mistake – this is a compliance role but with our largest and most complex consent holders and your ability to maintain a relationship while keeping a firm eye on meeting regulations will be the key to your success

This role will integrate operational and functional alignment to drive high performance and outcomes that ensure quality services are delivered to our communities in accordance with our values, strategies, ways of working and Long-Term/Annual Plan commitments.

In this role you'll:

• Provide specialist technical analysis and develop alternative approaches to resolve issues that are complex/high risk.
• Manage day to day communications with our largest customers and be the single point of contact for compliance.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the customer, consent conditions, obligations, background, key contacts and history.
• Work with the consent holder/customer to ensure an understanding of the standards of good regulatory practices.
• Provide technical leadership, to coach and mentor the compliance monitoring and enforcement staff, to grow knowledge and develop skills.

For more information on this role, please refer to the job description at the bottom of the advert.

Mōu │ About You

We're seeking a skilled professional with a wealth of hands-on experience, a strategic mindset, and a passion for environmental stewardship. You'll be a naturally resilient person, capable of guiding, influencing, persuading, forming and maintaining robust working relationships with our largest customers, kaimahi, and stakeholders, including regular connection and collaboration with Nga Runanga.

You'll bring significant experience working in resource management, and an in-depth knowledge of the Resource Management Act and the implementation of resource management plans.

In depth knowledge of Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941, Natural Built Environment Act 2023, and other relevant legislation is essential.

Mātau ā-Wheako | Experience

You'll bring skills and experience in the following:

• A minimum of ten years practical experience in an environmental regulatory implementation role, one related to the work of compliance functions (auditing, quality assurance etc) that relates to the work of a regional council.
• An understanding of irrigation schemes (advantage) and nutrient discharge allowances
• Demonstrated experience in leadership or project management over the scope of operations, planning, resource allocation, and coordination of people and resources.
• Highly effective at operating within political, community focused, democratic, local government or public processes.
• Experience in effective customer and stakeholder engagement and communication with a diverse range of people.

Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha | Working at Environment Canterbury

Our mahi is underpinned by our values:

• Kaitiakitanga (stewardship)
• Pononga (integrity)
• Manaakitanga (people first)
• Whanaungatanga (collaboration)
• Māiatanga (can do)

We understand and embrace a diverse workforce; this diversity will enable us to better serve our people, our community, and our greatest taonga, the environment. We value everyone's contribution, diverse thinking, and skills.

We're on a journey to become a treaty partner of excellence, including incorporating te ao Māori into our work. We offer supportive opportunities to develop capability in this area and encourage our people to use kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori in our daily work. We welcome you with an open heart & mind, wherever you are on your personal te ao Māori journey

Ko ētahi atu kōrero | Additional Information

For a confidential chat about this role, please contact Brian Reeves at or

Applications close on  Wednesday 5 November Applications will be reviewed as we receive them, and interviews may take place before the close date. We reserve the right to close advertising early.

Short-listed candidates will be required to complete an interview process, reference checks, and a criminal check. Further background checking will be required when relevant to the role.

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply.

Me mahi tahi tātou - Together we can

Job Description