Careers at Waikato Regional Council

On this page:

Browse all our job opportunities •
Benefits •
What we offer you •
Application and recruitment process •
Our staff: good people doing great things

Browse all our job opportunities summer student opportunities

Nau mai, haere mai ki ngā umanga ki Te Kaunihera ā Rohe o Waikato
Welcome to careers at Waikato Regional Council

Our people are what makes working here so great.

We have a shared passion for the environment and making the Waikato even better, together, both for the people here today and the generations to come.

We deeply care about our people and are committed to building an organisational culture where we can all be our best. So we’re looking for people who share our values and behaviours:

Kia tika | Responsible
Kia tau | Respectful
Kia toa | Effective.

In our organisation we have many specialists, some who are leaders in their field, so you’re surrounded by people you can learn from. We also invest in training our people, developing their leadership skills and making sure we have a great, flexible working environment.

We offer generous leave entitlements, wellbeing support, and opportunities to develop te ao Māori and te reo Māori capabilities, to name just a few. See below for a more detailed list.

Of course, it helps that our rohe (region) is rich in opportunities for those who love nature – with easy access to east and west coast beaches, hiking and biking trails, as well as rivers and lakes. Our central location puts us close to New Zealand’s largest city, as well as the ski fields. We have a number of offices throughout the mighty Waikato, providing opportunities to work from different locations.

On this page you’ll find helpful information about the application and recruitment process, and you’ll meet some of our staff to give you a flavour of what it’s like working here.

So, check out our current job opportunities today.

Ngā whai painga
What we offer you

- We have a commitment to flexible working to support work-life balance. For many roles, this may include remote working, working from home and flexi-hours. Our modern technology and IT support services help enable this.
- You’ll get a generous five weeks off each year with options to purchase an extra week if you wish.
- Long service leave is available after five years of service.
- Five days’ sick leave is yours as soon as you start employment, with an additional five days accrued after every six months of service.
- Our sick leave donation programme ensures there is a pool of additional sick leave available for people who need it.
- Are you expecting a baby? Two weeks’ paid partner’s parental leave is available.
- We close down for two weeks over the festive season, giving our people time to recharge.
- We support the life cycle of employment, including a transition to retirement programme and retirement planning courses
- We offer great career opportunities. One third of our vacancies are filled via internal promotions. We offer secondment opportunities and career pathways are built in wherever possible.
- We believe everyone is a leader. Our comprehensive leadership development programme is designed to empower staff to be their best.
- Our summer student programme accepts around 30 new tertiary students each year, helping them start their career with us or in local government.
- We have a generous budget to support your learning and development with an extensive range of courses you can book into.
- We will train you to support Aotearoa in emergencies through our national-level civil defence courses.
- We’re dedicated to honouring and embracing iwi partnerships, ensuring that Māori values, knowledge, and aspirations are seamlessly integrated into our strategic priorities and decision making processes.
- A pōwhiri is held to welcome all new staff.
- There are opportunities to grow your capability in areas such as tikanga, te ao Māori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, iwi engagement, and cultural wellbeing, diversity and inclusion. By embracing kaupapa Māori principles and actively engaging with iwi, we aim to create a strong foundation for a sustainable and culturally inclusive Waikato region.
- Our Māori language vision sees Waikato Regional Council as a place where te reo Māori is spoken and heard, so there are opportunities to learn and practice your language skills.
- Our staff waiata group is open to enthusiastic singers.
- We celebrate and recognise Māori culture and events (e.g., Matariki, Māori Language Week).
- Our Māori focus team, Tai-ranga-whenua, is a hub for a Māori support network.
- A number of our offices offer modern facilities for active people. Cycle to work? Charge and lock your e-bike or scooter in secure parking. Go to the gym or jog at lunchtime? We’ve got great shower facilities.
- Get a Bee Card with half-price public transport fares.
- Our new, purpose built, green-star aligned premises in central Hamilton features collaborative work spaces, room to move and a healthy, mobile environment.
- An extensive EV fleet is on hand for work travel throughout the region.
- A pool bicycle is available in our Hamilton office for personal local appointments.
- Our Wellbeing Team, led by staff members, encourages and supports colleagues to make choices about connecting with each other and improving their wellbeing. This includes the very popular ‘My Everyday Wellbeing’ programme with loads of online resources.
- You can convert one day of sick leave into a ‘wellbeing’ day every six months.
- We’ll make a contribution towards the cost of health and vision screening.
- Free, annual flu vaccines are available for those who would like them.
- An Employee assistance programme is accessible to help people deal with stress or pressures from any source of their lives.
- Enjoy access to gym discounts and tennis courts (depends on location).
- Joining our social club is a great way to meet colleagues in an informal setting.
- Our BOOST benefits programme offers a range of discounts at popular retail outlets. We are committed to building a strong and constructive organisational culture.
- We recognise outstanding achievers, celebrate success, enable peer-to-peer recognition through a non-financial reward programme and regularly check in with staff to identify what we can individually and collectively do to create an environment where everyone can be their best.

Download a copy of our PDF with all staff benefits information
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Browse all our job opportunities

Application and recruitment process

When you find the job you’re after online, click the “Apply” button. You’ll be asked to set up a profile and we’ll remember your details for next time.

Our recruitment process is pretty standard – we’ve outlined the process here, so you can see what to expect.

If you have any other questions along the way, contact our HR team on 0800 800 401 or email human.resources@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Submit your online application.
Once applications close, shortlisting is conducted by the Recruiting Manager and HR.
Phone screening. We may give you a call to discuss your application in further detail.

Interviews take place. This is a great chance to find out more about us, and for us to find out all about you!
Reflection and assessment by the recruiting manager and People & Capability advisor. You may be asked to complete psychometric assessments and/or skill based tests.

Reference checks. We'll check in with you first before we phone your referees.
If you're the one we've been looking for, an offer will be made and paperwork sent out to you.
You're hired! We look forward to welcoming you on board!

Our staff: good people doing great things

Aroha Salu
Environmental Monitoring Scientist

Tipene Atama
Resource Officer

Mali Ahipene

Pou Tuhono - Community and Services

When I joined Waikato Regional Council it was obviously progressive in terms of how they work with Māori and the values they place on iwi relationships. This resonated strongly with me and always has. I’ve also seen the culture changing over the years. I think it’s more productive, friendly, warmer.”

Adam Munro

Manager - Integrated Catchment Management

Over the years we realised that our culture is good but there was room for improvement. So, in 2018 the Be Our Best Initiative, Kia eke ki tōna taumata began. For me, that meant taking part in the leadership development programme.

We have a supportive work culture that allows us to be human beings. We have emotions, we are real people with lives outside work. We are allowed to experiment and implement new ways of doing things. Part of being our best includes building our confidence and capability as leaders. I’ve been here for over 20 years and I wouldn’t be working in a place for that long if I didn’t feel supported or agreed with the vision of where the organisation is going.

Ara mahi Careers at Waikato Regional Council