Head of Health, Safety and Risk

About Us

Venues Ōtautahi, where Ōtautahi comes together, is the largest venue, event and culinary services management company in New Zealand and attracts, plans, and delivers a broad range of ticketed, business, civic, lifestyle, wedding, education, culinary and community events, including major entertainment and sporting events in the city of Christchurch and manage a diverse and iconic portfolio of community venues. The Company, established over 25 years ago, owns the Christchurch Town Hall and Wolfbrook Arena, and manages the Airforce Museum of New Zealand, Apollo Projects Stadium, Hagley Oval and One New Zealand Stadium, due to open in April 2026. Venues Ōtautahi's purpose is to strategically manage and leverage the venues to deliver positive social, cultural, environmental and economic impact to the region. These iconic city venues play a valued role to the Christchurch way of life and the economic prosperity and social wellbeing of the region. VŌ’s way of doing business is to be aspirational, agile, and kind. We have the best interests of the community at the core of everything we do and at the heart of our culture.

About The Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Head of Health, Safety and Risk leads a small, capable team and holds operational responsibility for health, safety, critical risk and assurance. This is a pivotal role for the business, highly visible, people‑centric, and deeply embedded in both strategic planning and day‑to‑day operations. You’ll build on the strong foundations laid by previous leadership, driving the next phase of cultural development, embedding our critical risk framework, and leveraging technology to enhance safety outcomes across all venues.

About You

You are a seasoned professional who thrives in dynamic environments and brings a thoughtful, people‑first approach to safety leadership. You understand that effective health and safety is not just about compliance it’s about culture, influence and impact. You’re confident navigating complex operational settings and can balance strategic oversight with hands‑on support. You know how to enable great commercial and guest outcomes through smart, practical, and safety‑led decision‑making. You’ll be energised by the unique challenges and opportunities of the events industry, where no two days are the same. From large scale concerts and sporting fixtures to community gatherings and corporate functions, you’ll understand the importance of adaptable, responsive safety leadership in high‑profile, fast‑paced environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Health, Safety and Risk function, ensuring alignment with operational realities and strategic priorities
• Embed and evolve our critical risk framework across the organisation
• Provide clear, data‑informed reporting and assurance to the Executive Team and Board
• Oversee health and safety systems, incident response and investigation
• Deliver a health, safety and risk framework underpinned by the principle of continuous improvement
• Represent Venues Ōtautahi in external forums and regulatory engagements
• Support readiness for the opening of One New Zealand Stadium in 2026

What You’ll Bring

• Previous senior leadership experience in health, safety and risk within complex environments
• Strong understanding of critical risk management and relevant legislation
• Confidence in presenting to senior stakeholders, including boards and executives
• Experience leading teams and building capability
• Excellent communication, influence and stakeholder engagement skills
• A pragmatic, solutions‑focused mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement
• Comfort working in a fast‑paced, event‑driven environment undergoing significant change

How To Apply

For more information, please view the attached position description, or click "apply" to submit your application.

Applications close 16 November 2025

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