Senior Strategic Advisor to the Chair

Senior Strategic Advisor to the Chair

Environment Canterbury – Senior Strategic Advisor to the Chair role.

About the Role

During this three‑year term our Council and Chair will navigate challenges such as new resource management and local government legislation, funding opportunities and constraints, environmental pressures, regional relationships, Tiriti partnership, and high community expectations. The council’s purpose is to protect our environment, including water, land and air, through regulation and planning, while delivering flood protection, public transport, civil defence and more. As Canterbury’s regional government faces significant changes, this senior role supports the Chair to shape and deliver the council’s strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver strategic and tactical advice and insights to support the Chair during significant change for regional government.
• Support the Chair to grow and maintain strategic external relationships and partnerships, including with Canterbury Mayors, central government and Ngāi Tahu Papatipu Rūnanga.
• Prepare communications and briefing material to support the Chair’s influence at a regional and national scale.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across the organisation to inform your advice.
• Support the Chair with governance and meeting processes and stakeholder engagement.
• Contribute to Treaty partnership excellence.

About You

You’re a politically astute, trusted advisor who thrives on making the complex simple. With at least 5 years’ experience advising senior decision‑makers and building trusted relationships, you bring exceptional communication skills and the ability to manage competing priorities calmly. You hold relationships at all levels across the organisation, look up and out, have a great risk radar, and proactively identify strategic and tactical opportunities. Understanding of te ao Māori and Ngāi Tahutanga is advantageous.

Experience & Qualifications

You’ll have a tertiary qualification in political science, public policy or environmental management (or similar) along with :

Our Values

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 are committed to becoming a treaty partner of excellence and encourage our people to use kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori in daily work.

Additional Information

For a confidential chat about this role, please contact Patrick Lindsay, Principal Strategic Advisor to the Chief Executive, at  .

Applications close on Sunday 16 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, we still encourage you to apply.

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