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Careers

With an enviable climate, laid-back lifestyle, and friendly community environment, the Buller district is a great place to live, work, and enjoy.

Buller has so much to offer. You will be surrounded by national parks, beautiful beaches, and an abundance of outdoor activities. The added bonus of never worrying about traffic or parking, leaves plenty of opportunity to get out and explore, creating exceptional work-life balance.

We are a small Council that is big on people. We work hard to have the right people working with us, and are committed to building their capabilities.

If you are looking for a career where you can make a real difference to your community, we would love to hear from you.

Current vacancies

Governance Secretary

Join Our Team at Buller District Council!

Are you an enthusiastic and self-driven individual with a passion to be the lead of our governance team? Buller District Council has an exciting opportunity for you to step into a pivotal role that offers flexibility and growth.

Key Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for providing and leading Council and Elected Members with specialist advice on best-practice governance and democratic processes and ensure that all Council, Committee, and Community Board meetings are scheduled and run in-accordance with legislative requirements including those in the Buller District Council (BDC) Standing Orders and Code of Conduct.

You will provide professional and efficient governance and secretarial support through management of all governance functions, will seek future-focussed solutions to any Governance related issues and will develop strong, positive working relationships with all staff, elected members and stakeholders.

What We Are Looking For:

A consummate professional with a strong understanding of best-practice governance and democratic processes, who has experience in scheduling and running Council, Committee, and Community Board meetings in accordance with legislative requirements. Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities and competing priorities. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the capacity to work collaboratively with various stakeholders.

Why Join Buller District Council:

This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking organisation and make a meaningful impact. Join our supportive, friendly teams - we work hard towards achieving our goals and contribute to the success of Buller District Council.

Your Impact:

Reporting to Manager Customer Experience, you will lead the effective delivery of governance duties. This critical role involves collaboration with Elected Members, Chairs, and the Senior Leadership Team, ensuring the smooth running of all governance meetings. Your meticulous attention to detail will be showcased through the preparation of draft report papers, agenda collation, and accurate meeting minute-taking.

Who You Are:

Leading by example and as a seasoned Secretary, you bring excellent solution-focused administration and organisational skills to the table. Your strong communication and problem-solving abilities make you comfortable navigating ambiguity. With a proactive nature, you anticipate and address obstacles, always staying one step ahead. You possess an eye for detail, intermediate to advanced Microsoft Suite skills, and technical proficiency in online meeting requirements. You have exceptional time management skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure even with competing priorities and deadlines.

This is a full-time, permanent role. Flexible working hours and some evening work is required for this role.

Applications are to be marked 'Confidential' and addressed to Human Resources, Buller District Council, P O Box 21, Westport 7866 or emailed to bdc.hr@bdc.govt.nz All applications are required to be accompanied by the Application From, a Covering Letter and a copy of your current Curriculum Vitae.

Applications close 5pm Monday, 8th April 2024

Group Manager Corporate Services                                

  • A small Council that is big on people.
  • Live and work in one of NZ’s most adventurous and pristine regions.
  • Advance your career whilst enjoying a quality work-life balance.

About The Role: 

With an enviable climate, laid-back lifestyle, and friendly community environment, the Buller district is a great place to live, work, and enjoy. Buller has so much to offer. You will be surrounded by national parks, beautiful beaches, and an abundance of outdoor activities. Stretching from Punakaiki in the south to Karamea in the north, and inland as far as Springs Junction, the district is home to a population of just over 9,500, and the 8,574 square km’s boasts two national parks, one forest park, and two heritage areas.

Reporting to a newly appointed Chief Executive, the Group Manager Corporate Services leads a competent and dedicated team of 15 and is responsible for implementing corporate and financial strategies in a financially prudent and customer focussed manner. As a key member of the senior team, you will drive sound commercial and strategic practices for the Council’s operations and council-controlled organisations.

This role represents an excellent opportunity for someone to step up and make their mark, taking your teams to the next level through providing pragmatic and strong leadership. You will:

  • Lead the planning and delivery of Westport’s long term and annual statutory plans, managing portfolio risk to achieve a community that is “fit for the future”.
  • Have a lead role in establishing Buller’s water entity within the new national framework of “Local Water Done Well”.
  • Act as principal advisor to Elected Members on all commercial and corporate services, legislation, policy and work programmes.
  • Work with some of the most passionate and committed people in local government.

About the Person:

Candidates of interest will be commercially and financially astute with senior management experience within a local government or related environment.  You will have a CA or equivalent qualification, with an excellent track record of leading and developing teams successfully. You will:

  • Be known as having a calm, personable, collaborative and down to earth style.
  • Be experienced with the legal requirements and statutory obligations of local government, particularly with the Long-Term Planning process (LTP’s)
  • Have knowledge of political structures and experience with corporate governance
  • Be comfortable presenting to Councillors and other key stakeholders.
  • Be empathetic, focussed on building relationships between teams within the wider Council.
  • Ideally have some experience leading teams in information management and technology
  • Have good resilience levels and experience leading change successfully.

A unique job opportunity awaits in a well-led and forward focused District Council, offering all the lifestyle benefits of living and working in this beautiful region. Our client is also prepared to consider candidates aspiring to step up to this executive level role.

About the Organisation:

The Buller District Council is the territorial authority for the northern West Coast. Council’s goal is to promote the well-being of its local communities. It has a wide range of responsibilities under the Local Government Act.

Council’s mission is to serve the residents of the Buller district, conscious of their needs, by providing facilities and services and creating an appropriate environment for progress and development; while preserving the distinctive natural environment, as well as the cultural and historical environments.

The Council consists of 11 elected members, the Mayor and 10 Councillors and an Iwi Representative from Ngāti Waewae. Council's role is to provide local leadership and facilitate the delivery of services and activities that promote community well-being throughout the Buller District.

Council provides leadership relating to issues that affect the community, through the management of the environment and promotion of the district’s needs and aspirations. It ensures that the district’s infrastructural assets and associated resources are utilised and managed in a responsible way for the benefit of residents and ratepayers both today and in the future.

Council wants to make sure its region grows and develops in a way that keeps its values safe for future generations.

Our Vision, Our Future

Council’s Vision is for the Buller District Council to grow, and for the district to become a thriving community where families enjoy a great quality of life and the distinctive natural, cultural and historical environments are treasured.

Mission Statement

To serve the residents of the Buller district, conscious of their needs, by providing facilities and services and creating an environment for progress and development while reserving the distinctive natural environment, as well as the cultural and historical environments.

How to Apply: 

Candidates can apply, in strict confidence, online at www.sheffield.co.nz

To apply by email, please attach your cover letter and CV and send to cvchc@sheffield.co.nz quoting 8662aa.  Applications close on 15th March 2024.  Emails will be electronically acknowledged, and further correspondence may be by email. 

For more information please phone Louise Green on +64 353 4367.

Buller District Council is looking for a Customer Service Officer to join
our Reefton team.

Key duties are to provide an excellent standard of customer service, administration support, a daily clean of the facilities and coordinate support to other teams based at our Reefton Visitor and Service Centre

This is a permanent part-time role, 20 hours minimum per week as rostered, Monday to Sunday, and will include weekend work.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to talk to you!

Applications are to be marked 'Confidential' and addressed to Human Resources, Buller District Council, P O Box 21, Westport 7866 or emailed to bdc.hr@bdc.govt.nz

All applications are required to be accompanied by the Application From, a Covering Letter and a copy of your current Curriculum Vitae.

Applications close 5pm Monday, 8th April 2024

The opportunity:

We are seeking to recruit a Human Resources Assistant to join our team.

This is a fantastic part time, permanent role (30 hours per week) which offers an excellent opportunity to work within a talented, forward-thinking team. Advance your career whilst enjoying a quality work-life balance, working in one of NZ’s most pristine regions with nature, hiking & sandy beaches on your doorstep.

What you’ll be doing:

The successful candidate will hold responsibility for a variety of important duties including, but not limited to:

  • Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence, including emails, letters, and phone calls.
  • Maintain an organised filing system for HR documents, ensuring easy retrieval when needed.
  • Schedule meetings, interviews, and appointments for the HR Manager, coordinating calendars and resources as necessary.
  • Assist in posting job vacancies on appropriate platforms and Bamboo HR, ensuring accurate and engaging job descriptions.
  • Screen resumes and applications, forwarding qualified candidates to hiring managers for review.
  • Coordinate the onboarding process for new hires, including preparing paperwork, scheduling orientation sessions, and ensuring a smooth transition into their roles.
  • Input and update employee data in the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) ensuring accuracy and compliance with data protection regulations.
  • Assist in generating reports and analysing HR data to support decision-making processes.
  • Collaborate with team members to organise employee engagement initiatives, such as team-building activities and recognition programs.
  • Maintain confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive employee information and HR matters.
  • Promoting wellness initiates within the organisation
  • Assisting with the wellness committee set up and ongoing administrative needs
  • Understanding the needs of the organisation and how we can make a difference to our teams
  • Support the implementation of HR policies and procedures, communicating changes effectively to employees as needed.
  • Participate in HR audits and investigations as required.

What’s on offer:

  • Permanent part-time position (30 hours per week).
  • Attractive salary, in line with your experience.
  • A positive workplace culture.
  • Ongoing career development.
  • An excellent work-life balance.

What we’re looking for:

Our ideal candidate will be a proactive and organised individual who can efficiently handle administrative tasks, assist in recruitment processes, manage employee records, and contribute to fostering a positive workplace environment.

 With a focus on our people, this role will interact with all departments across the organisation and have a variety of tasks to complete in a timely and efficient manner.

To be considered for this position, you should have the following:

  • The right to live and work in New Zealand.
  • A Degree or Diploma in HR or a related field and 2-3 years’ experience in an HR role, ideally with demonstrated HR support experience.
  • Understanding of the onboarding process for new hires, including preparing paperwork, scheduling orientation sessions, and ensuring a smooth transition into their roles.
  • Appreciation of the political and sensitive nature of Local Government.
  • Demonstrates a high degree of confidentiality in interpersonal interaction.
  • A high degree of professionalism in working with staff and senior leaders.
  • An understanding of Occupational Safety and Health law and accompanying processes and
  • A high level of computer literacy.
  • Excellent time management skills.
  • Excellent listening, interpersonal & presentation skills.
  • Exceptional written & oral communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise reports.
  • Honesty, integrity & reliability.
  • Resilience and the ability to cope under pressure.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to talk to you!

Applications are to be marked 'Confidential' and addressed to Human Resources, Buller District Council, P O Box 21, Westport 7866 or emailed to bdc.hr@bdc.govt.nz  All applications are required to be accompanied by the Application Form, a Covering Letter and a copy of your current Curriculum Vitae.

Applications close 5pm Friday, 19th April 2024

The opportunity

We are seeking to recruit a Technical Support Officer to join our Infrastructure Team, supporting our Roading and Transport delivery portfolios.

This is a fantastic full time, permanent role (40 hours per week) which offers an excellent opportunity to work within a talented, innovative team. Advance your career whilst enjoying a quality work-life balance, working in one of New Zealand’s most pristine regions with nature, hiking and sandy beaches on your doorstep.

What’s on offer

• Permanent full-time position (40 hours per week).
• Attractive salary, in line with your experience.
• A positive workplace culture.
• Ongoing career development.
• An excellent work-life balance.

What you’ll be doing

The successful candidate will hold responsibility for a variety of important duties including, but not limited to:

• Providing technical and administration support to the Roading and Transport Delivery Coordinators and Managers.
• Supporting the planning and implementation of projects.
• Working with our Roading network managers across the full spectrum of roading asset delivery, network maintenance, investment planning innovation, and structure and field-based road inspections.
• Administering projects for the Roading and Transport Delivery Coordinators and Manager as required.
• Assisting Coordinators with documenting processes and procedures to improve efficiency across the department.

What we’re looking for

Our ideal candidate will have experience of providing high quality support to a Projects or Infrastructure Department, ideally in a roading related field delivery role that knows the technical elements of road network maintenance. Personally, you will be a positive, collaborative team player whose values are aligned to those of Buller District Council.

To be considered for this position you should have the following skills and experience:

• Sound administrative experience in Infrastructure Strategy/Planning, Finance, Engineering, Construction or related field.
• Knowledge of roading assets, NZTA/TNZ specifications compliance and project delivery systems.
• Procurement experience in the tendering and administration of roading construction contracts.
• Basic knowledge of local government policies and procedures.
• High level computer literacy.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office suite, document management and publishing software.
• Appreciation of the political and sensitive nature of Local Government.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to talk to you!

Applications are to be marked 'Confidential' and addressed to Human Resources, Buller District Council, P O Box 21, Westport 7866 or emailed to bdc.hr@bdc.govt.nz

All applications are required to be accompanied by the Application Form, a Covering Letter and a copy of your current Curriculum Vitae.

Applications close 5pm Tuesday, 9th April 2024