People & Capability Lead

• Permanent opportunity with a strong focus on strategic partnering, leadership support, and organisational capability

• Diverse role combining strategic thinking with operational delivery

• Petone location with flexible working arrangements

This position has a remuneration midpoint of $137,763 (including KiwiSaver), with the starting salary dependent on skills, knowledge, and experience.

The opportunity

Tiaki Wai is looking for an experienced and influential People & Capability Lead to partner with leaders across the organisation, providing strategic and operational people solutions that enable organisational performance and support the achievement of business objectives.

Reporting to the Head of People & Capability, you'll be a trusted advisor who works closely with Chief Officers, leaders, and employees to navigate complex people matters, build leadership capability, and deliver initiatives that strengthen organisational performance and employee experience.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a growing organisation where you can influence workforce strategy, lead key people initiatives, and support a high-performing culture that delivers outcomes for our communities

Day to day you will:

• Build trusted partnerships with leaders, providing strategic and operational people advice aligned to business priorities.

• Coach and support leaders across the employee lifecycle, including performance, conduct, wellbeing, workforce planning, conflict resolution, and organisational change.

• Lead and advise on complex employment relations matters, including investigations, performance management, restructures, personal grievances, and collective employment matters.

• Partner with leaders to identify workforce opportunities, capability gaps, succession priorities, and future workforce needs.

• Support the planning and delivery of organisational change initiatives, ensuring positive outcomes for employees and the organisation.

• Lead or contribute to organisation-wide People & Capability programmes, including workforce planning, policy development, remuneration, employee engagement, performance review processes, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Monitor people-related risks and ensure compliance with employment legislation, organisational policy, and best practice.

• Build constructive relationships with unions and key stakeholders to support positive employee and organisational outcomes.

About you

You'll be an experienced People & Capability professional who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery. You build credibility quickly, influence through trusted relationships, and enjoy helping leaders navigate complex challenges while achieving positive business outcomes.

To be successful in this role you will bring:

• 5+ years as a Senior HR partner or Lead providing advice and partnership across a range of generalist and specialised People & Capability disciplines.

• Extensive knowledge of New Zealand employment legislation and employment relations practice.

• Experience supporting organisational design, workforce planning, and change initiatives.

• Strong capability in coaching and influencing leaders at all levels.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement, facilitation, communication, and relationship-building skills.

• The ability to analyse workforce information and translate insights into practical solutions.

• A commitment to continuous improvement and delivering great outcomes for people and the organisation.

• A base level understanding of Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti ō Waitangi principles (desired)

• A tertiary qualification in Human Resources or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.

Benefits

At Tiaki Wai, our purpose extends beyond delivering great water services for the region; we foster a thriving community, support a diverse workforce, and offer supportive development opportunities. We genuinely care about your safety and wellbeing.

Our benefits include:

• Flexible working arrangements including up to 2 days working from home

• Comprehensive wellbeing programme, including one paid wellbeing day annually

• Formal and informal professional development opportunities

• 5 weeks annual leave accrual will be available following 2 years of continual service

• Potential opportunity to continue professional chartered membership such as HRNZ

For a full list of our employee benefits click here.

About us

Tiaki Wai is a council-owned organisation responsible for managing the delivery of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services across Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Wellington.

We manage public-owned extensive water infrastructure and oversee the delivery of safe and reliable services for our communities. We focus on long-term investment, asset management, maintenance, and delivering major infrastructure projects that support public health, environmental protection, and regional growth.

Water is a precious taonga. At Tiaki Wai, we put care into every drop and are guided by our values of Integrity, Care, and Leadership. We work directly with water consumers and in partnership with councils and mana whenua to deliver better water outcomes for current and future generations.

Applications close: Sunday 23rd August 2026

How to apply

To view a copy of the position description: click here.

To apply for the role, click on the ‘apply’ button or visit the Tiaki Wai Careers site, if you are a Tiaki Wai employee please apply using your work email.

For further information, email: [email protected]

You must also be legally entitled to work long-term in New Zealand or eligible to obtain a working visa.