Parks & Community Facilities Graduate

• Help shape Auckland’s future – be a guardian of iconic parks and community facilities while developing strategies that connect people to nature.
• No two days are the same! Get to work both in office and outdoors across Auckland.
• Contribute to projects that will benefit Aucklanders for generations, from ecological conservation to building vibrant community spaces. 

He angitūtanga: The opportunity
The Parks and Community Facilities department is the proud Kaitiaki (guardian) of Auckland’s treasured spaces and community assets. From bustling community parks to sports grounds and regional reserves, as well as all the community facilities, libraries, and recreational centres held within them, this department ensures that public spaces thrive for current and future generations. Working collaboratively across Auckland Council, our passionate kaimahi design and deliver innovative programs, strategies, and services that connect communities to open spaces, and enhance the biodiversity and health of our natural areas. They also play a vital role in planning, building, maintaining, and renewing these assets to create vibrant, sustainable places where Aucklanders can live, play, and connect.

You can expect to be involved in a range of projects, research and programs which will involve working within various teams which may include: 

• Regional Arborists & Ecologists: Manage urban forests and ecological areas, delivering the Ngahere Programme to protect and grow green assets.
• Area Operations: Oversee construction, maintenance, and renewal of parks and community facilities, managing contracts and delivering new projects.
• Te Waka Tai-ranga-whenua: Administer co-governance and co-management entities based on Treaty of Waitangi principles, managing culturally significant sites.
• Volunteering and Programmes: Deliver community-led restoration and ecological programs, promoting connection to nature through volunteer engagement.
• Parks and Places: Provide strategic advice around the future development and provision of parks outcomes across our vast network of open space.
• Regional Parks: Provide conservation, recreation, and partnership services across regional parks, with Park Rangers as the public face of these networks.
   

You will be engaging with diverse communities, decision-makers, and mana whenua and by the end of this programme you will have a holistic understanding of the department, understand the challenges and opportunities of each space, as well as gaining familiarity with the local government working environment.

Start date: 9 February 2026
 

He kōrero mōu: About you
You will be driven and motivated to learn, give back to your community, and care for the environment. With strong collaboration skills, you will easily engage with a diverse range of customers and stakeholders and confidently convey verbal and written information. You will be organised, flexible, a team player, able to work collaboratively and happy to put your hand up and get stuck in, a real go-getter!

We welcome applications from graduates in the following disciplines: 

• Conservation 
• Geography
• Ecology
• Parks Management
• Sports & Recreation 
• Sociology
• Natural Sciences
• OR other relevant degree 
   

To be eligible to apply, you must have the following:

• Eligibility to work in New Zealand for more than 3 years without sponsorship
• Minimum of a relevant Bachelor’s degree completed January 2024 – January 2026
• A valid NZ restricted driver’s license obtained before February 2026 as you will be required to travel around Auckland (access to a personal vehicle is preferred). 

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer
Our 2-year Graduate Programme aims to provide you with the opportunities and support you need to launch your career and develop as a future leader or specialist within Auckland Council.  With over 80 areas of business and the chance to work on large-scale projects, we want to see you achieve your goals while making a real difference in the lives of Aucklanders.
    
At the end of the programme, you’ll also be supported in securing a permanent role within one of our Auckland Council entities.

Auckland Council is the largest local government council across Oceania, serving over 1.7 million people and contributing towards making Tāmaki Makaurau a world-class city.
 

We offer a range of employee benefits and proudly support flexible working options where possible.

To view all the benefits we have to offer at Auckland Council visit our Careers website.   
For more information on our Graduate programme visit our Grads, Interns and Cadets page.

Help us make a difference to Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Me Tono Ināianei!: Apply Now!
We will be reviewing and progressing applications as they are received, so get your application in now! 
Find a copy of the position description here.

If you have any support or access requirements, please advise us when submitting your application so we can assist you.

This role has a starting salary of $65,000 per annum.
Our employer Kiwisaver contribution is additional to base salary offered. 

#workingforauckland 
 

Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.