Manager Field Surveying

• A career‑shaping opportunity to lead a large, high‑impact team
• Lead a team that keeps Auckland safe, resilient, and future‑ready
• Auckland CBD location with flexible work arrangements

He angitūtanga: The opportunity

Auckland Council’s Building Consents department has an exciting opportunity for a Manager Field Surveying to lead our region‑wide Field Surveying function within one of the largest Building Consent Authorities in Aotearoa. Leading a unit of more than 260 people, this role offers a rare chance to lead at scale and shape the future of Auckland’s built environment.

As a key member of the Building Consents senior leadership team, you’ll provide strategic and operational direction to a large, highly skilled workforce responsible for delivering building inspections, code compliance certificates, building warrants of fitness, and certificates of acceptance. These services play a vital role in supporting safe, resilient, and thriving communities across Tāmaki Makaurau. Your leadership will ensure strong alignment with council priorities, regulatory obligations, and consistently high compliance standards.

You’ll play a pivotal role in strengthening trusted relationships with industry partners, professional bodies, central government, and local government colleagues, while championing continuous improvement and best practice service delivery.

 This is a unique opportunity to influence system‑wide improvements, shape industry practice, and contribute to strategic initiatives that support Auckland’s growth and resilience.

Day‑to‑day you can expect to:

• Lead, coach, and develop a high‑performing, region‑wide field surveying team, providing inclusive, values‑based leadership and ensuring consistent, customer‑focused service delivery.
• Manage operational performance, workloads, workflows, and service levels, ensuring the team has the capability and capacity to meet current and future demand.
• Contribute to strategic planning and business delivery, working closely with the General Manager: Building Consents to shape departmental direction and priorities.
• Maintain readiness for rapid building impact and damage assessments, including leading response roles during civil defence emergencies.
• Drive continuous improvement and service innovation, enhancing customer experience, operational efficiency, and regulatory service delivery.
• Ensure BCA accreditation is maintained through strong quality assurance, risk management, compliance practices, and robust operational systems.
• Build and sustain trusted relationships with industry partners, government agencies, council stakeholders, and cross‑sector forums to support system‑wide improvement.
• Manage budgets and financial performance, identifying efficiencies, ensuring financial discipline, and supporting sustainable service delivery.

Please click HERE for a copy of the Position Description

He kōrero mōu: About you

You’ll bring proven senior leadership experience within complex, regulated environments, with a strong understanding of building construction, building control, and local government operations. You’re an empowering, people‑focused leader who thrives in dynamic environments and brings others with you through change. You value collaboration, continuous improvement, and accountability, and you’re motivated by public service and delivering outcomes that matter for communities.

You may currently be leading a BCA team in Aotearoa and looking for the next major step in your leadership career. This role offers the opportunity to operate at a scale and level of influence that represents a significant progression for experienced leaders ready to take on greater scope and responsibility.

You’ll be confident in making operationally critical decisions, skilled at navigating legislative frameworks, and adept at balancing strategic thinking with day‑to‑day operational delivery. With a collaborative approach, strong communication skills and excellent stakeholder management capability, you build credibility and trust across a wide range of internal and external partners. Your resilience, relationship building strengths, and ability to see the organisation as an integrated whole will be key to your success.

We will be looking for specific experience with:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience leading large teams in political, highly complex, or regulated environments, with strong personal resilience and the ability to maintain energy and positivity under pressure.
• Extensive experience in all aspects of building construction, building control, and comprehensive subject matter knowledge of the Building Act 2004, Building Code, and relevant building standards.
• Proven ability to manage complex processes, projects, and significant budgets, ensuring delivery on time, to scope, and within budget, with disciplined financial oversight and early risk mitigation.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology to improve operations, including assessing external systems and collaborating with ICT to integrate and optimise tools within current platforms.
• Skilled in developing, reviewing, and implementing policy, legislative change, and business improvement initiatives, including driving change management across large teams.
• Experience in designing and delivering technical and professional training programmes aligned with business, compliance, and organisational objectives.
• Highly developed interpersonal, relationship, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility and trust across internal and external partners.
• Strong strategic and operational thinking, able to view the organisation as an integrated whole, apply process-‑oriented approaches, and solve problems effectively.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer 

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. Our work spans everything from residential builds to major commercial and infrastructure projects, offering exceptional variety, professional challenge, and the opportunity to influence the future of building compliance in Aotearoa.

You’ll be part of a collaborative, values‑driven leadership team committed to continuous improvement, professional growth, and delivering outcomes that make a real difference for Aucklanders.

We welcome applications from experienced BCA leaders across Aotearoa

Help us make a difference to Tāmaki Makaurau.  Me Tono Ināianei!: Apply Now!

Applications close: 1st March 2026

This role has a remuneration range of $180,000 – $210,000 (based on skills and experience) 

Our employer Kiwisaver contribution is additional to base salary offered.

We offer a range of employee benefits and proudly support flexible working options where possible.  View a snapshot of some of our employee benefits HERE.

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.
  
 

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