Chief Executive, Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai
The opportunity
The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai protects public health and the environment by holding New Zealand's water services to account. It regulates drinking water supplies, sets environmental performance standards for public wastewater networks, and reports publicly on how drinking water, wastewater and stormwater networks are performing. Its vision – safe water every day for everyone – is easy to say and hard to deliver: it means lifting the performance of a sector that every community in the country relies on.
The Authority was established after the Havelock North inquiry showed why New Zealand needed a dedicated water regulator. Its next Chief Executive will lead it through its most demanding period yet. Councils are changing how they deliver water services. The first national wastewater standards are now in force, and more are in development. Communities are paying for major infrastructure investment, and they'll expect their regulator to be firm where public health is at stake and proportionate everywhere else.
The role
Reporting to the Board, the Chief Executive leads around 120 staff and an operating budget of approximately $25 million. You'll give the Board free and frank advice. You'll also lead the Authority in delivering its statutory functions under the Water Services Authority—Taumata Arowai Act 2020 and the Water Services Act 2021.
What you'll lead
Compliance, monitoring and enforcement that protects public health and earns the trust of suppliers and the public
Regulation that's risk-based and proportionate to the scale and risk of each supplier, from large water organisations to small rural schemes
Clear, consistent standards that give councils and water organisations the certainty to plan and invest
Partnerships with iwi, hapū and Māori, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and working alongside the Authority's Māori Advisory Group
Trusted relationships across Government, Parliament, fellow regulators and the sector, while keeping regulatory decisions independent
An organisation and Executive Leadership Team built for the decade ahead
What good looks like
Two years from now, success will mean:
Drinking water suppliers are clear on what's expected of them, and the Authority acts decisively wherever public health is at risk.
Councils and water organisations find the Authority's standards and decisions clear, consistent and proportionate, even when they're challenging.
The wastewater standards are being applied consistently through consenting, and network performance reporting is giving the public a true picture.
Ministers, Parliament, water services providers and the public are confident that the Authority's decisions are fair, independent and grounded in evidence.
A stable, capable Executive Leadership Team leads an organisation that good people want to join.
What you'll bring
Experience as a Chief Executive or senior executive of a complex organisation, ideally a regulator, infrastructure provider or public sector agency
A track record of leading an organisation through significant policy or regulatory change
A sound grasp of risk-based, outcomes-focused regulation, and either knowledge of the water sector or the ability to get up to speed quickly
The political judgement to work confidently with Ministers and the machinery of government while protecting the Authority's independence
The ability to explain complex, sometimes unwelcome decisions clearly to Parliament, the media and the public
A genuine understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the ability to build enduring relationships with iwi, hapū and Māori
The leadership to build an engaged, high-performing culture
How to apply
Kerridge & Partners is assisting with this appointment. To express interest, contact Nicole See at nicole.see@kerridgepartners.com or on +64 9 969 9900. Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 16 October 2026.