Environmental Planning and Delivery Team Leader

* Lead a specialist environmental planning team in Wellington or Christchurch * Bring RMA, consenting or infrastructure delivery experience to critical grid work * Lift team throughput, risk-based decision-making and environmental performance At Transpower, our core purpose is to empower the energy future for New Zealand – a future that delivers a net-zero carbon economy and a reliable and secure electricity system.
We plan, build, and maintain the National Grid - the network consists of over 12000 kilometres of transmission lines and more than 170 substations, which transport electricity where it is generated to the local distribution companies and major industrial users.
About the team
Within our Environment Group, our three teams work together to support responsible infrastructure delivery across Aotearoa. Together, we help minimise impacts on land, water, ecology and archaeology while enabling the safe and efficient delivery of essential grid infrastructure.
This role leads a team that works nationally, and very closely with field delivery, construction and project teams to embed strong planning and consenting practice into day-to-day delivery.
About the opportunity - in Wellington or Christchurch
This role combines technical credibility, people leadership and practical delivery judgement. You’ll bring others with you, improve how workflows through the team, and make pragmatic environmental planning decisions when risk, cost, safety, programme and stakeholder needs are in tension.
You’ll lead environmental advisors supporting maintenance, operational and base capital works across the National Grid. Planning and consenting remain important, but the role goes beyond approvals to identify environmental risks and effects early and translate them into practical delivery solutions.
Working closely with field delivery, project, contractor and operational teams, you’ll ensure environmental requirements are understood, proportionate and embedded in day-to-day decisions.
You’ll balance strong people leadership with practical infrastructure experience, weighing environmental outcomes alongside safety, cost, programme and operational needs. A key focus will be continuing to build a high-performing team, lifting environmental capability, and ensuring environmental considerations are integrated from planning through to completion.
What will you bring?
We’re looking for a collaborative, pragmatic and outcomes-focused people leader who can bring together strong environmental planning or consenting expertise with the ability to optimise systems and processes. You’ll be comfortable making proportionate, risk-based decisions, improving team outputs and translating regulatory requirements into practical delivery outcomes.
To be considered your CV and cover letter will demonstrate: * A tertiary qualification in Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Resource Management or a related discipline. * Strong knowledge of New Zealand planning and consenting frameworks, including the Resource Management Act and the practical implementation of statutory approvals. * Experience applying planning, consenting or environmental requirements in infrastructure, utilities, construction, maintenance, operations, regulatory or another complex delivery environment. * Evidence of risk-based prioritisation, process improvement, triage, throughput uplift or moving a team from compliance-led activity to more outcome-led performance. * People leadership, coaching or technical leadership experience, including setting expectations, building capability, managing workload and maintaining accountability. * Confidence influencing operational, project, field, contractor, council, iwi or internal stakeholders where environmental, regulatory, safety, cost and programme considerations need to be balanced. Experience with any of the following: electricity, linear infrastructure, critical assets, outage-driven delivery, service-provider models, construction/site environmental controls, environmental screening tools, GIS/spatial tools, assurance or data-led decision-making would be an advantage.
Join us at Transpower! Aotearoa is powered by the people who work here. With over 28 nationalities, our people are caring, bring diverse perspectives, knowledge, and deep, varied experience they love to share. We offer a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits; with different ways we support and recognise our people. Learn more about our employee benefits (including insurance) here: https://www.transpower.co.nz/about-us/careers-transpower/staff-benefits Next Steps  To collaborate enterprise-wide and influence how Transpower delivers critical infrastructure work safely, responsibly and sustainably please review the position description (on our careers site) and apply without delay. Role closes Monday 27th July however, applications will be reviewed as they are received. We may contact you before the close date for an initial exploratory conversation to support shortlisting or to arrange an interview.