Central Districts Water Director

Central Districts Water is a newly formed Water Services CCO with a significant brief : to steer the decisions that will determine how water is managed, funded and delivered for decades. This is a rare chance to help shape a critical new organisation from the ground up, setting its culture, governance approach, strategic direction and partnership ethos. Formed by Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Rangitīkei councils, the Board will face complex governance calls where strong judgment and strategic clarity will drive better outcomes for communities across the region.

As we form the inaugural Establishment Board, we are seeking expressions of interest for the Board Chair and four Independent Directors.

We are committed to building a capable, collaborative and future-focused Board that reflects the communities we serve. Local connection, knowledge of our rohe and an appreciation of rural perspectives are important to us. The Board will have a strong mix of local directors and other appointments from across the motu.

Central Districts Water Director

“He pukenga wai, he nohonga tāngata; he nohonga tāngata, he putanga kōrero.”

Skills and experience sought across the Establishment Board

Chair requirements

We are seeking a Chair with a depth of governance wisdom and commercial leadership developed in complex environments. The Chair should bring strong capability in fostering whanaungatanga, empathy for local ratepayers and community expectations, and credibility with both local and central government. Experience overseeing significant infrastructure, navigating regulatory frameworks, and a working understanding of the Resource Management Act will be valuable. An inclusive leadership style, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusted relationships with our iwi partners will be essential. The Chair will be based in, or strongly connected to, the Central Districts.

Independent Director requirements

Central Districts Water is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and collaborative boardroom and upholding this throughout its workplace culture and is now looking for its initial set of directors to join the Board. We do not expect any single candidate to meet all criteria, and welcome applications from those who feel they may match one or more of the broad skill areas outlined. All relevant expressions of interest will be reviewed regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, physical appearance / disability, and nationality.

For the Independent Director roles, we are seeking a broad range of skills with particular focus on :

• Senior commercial leadership experience in adjacent or complex sectors, including CEO or executive‑level backgrounds, technology transformation, procurement or major programme delivery.
• Sector knowledge in water services, utilities, infrastructure, engineering, asset management or other asset‑intensive environments.
• Understanding of regulatory environments, including economic regulation, public health and climate implications, compliance settings and central / local government interfaces.
• Understanding of iwi water rights and the application of Te Tiriti o Waitaingi in the Local Water Done Well context, and familiarity with kawa and tikanga within the region.
• Financial and commercial capability, such as CFO, finance executive or Audit and Risk Committee experience, and strong judgement on capital, investment and performance.
• Collaborative decision‑makers who bring sound governance judgement, local connection and an appreciation of rural perspectives.

A collaborative mindset, sound judgement and comfort operating in a highly regulated, multi‑stakeholder environment is also important.

Interested in contributing?

If you believe you may be suited to any of the Establishment Board roles, we encourage you to register your interest. Over the coming weeks, we will be able to share a more detailed brief, including time commitments, and director fees.

Applications must be submitted by 5 : 00pm NZST Friday 19th December 2025.

The links to the vacancies can be found here :

Our target is to have the board appointed and operating from April 2026.

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