About Waikato Waters
Waikato Waters is a brand-new, publicly owned water utility bringing together water and wastewater services across the Waikato region, built from the ground up to deliver for communities today and for generations to come. Everything we do is guided by our kaupapa - Te Mana o Te Wai, Te Mana o Te Tangata - healthy water, healthy people. Our vision is simple - local voices, local delivery, local care, done well for the Waikato.
Tribe Technology is proud to partner with Waikato Waters on this strategic appointment.
Te tūranga | The Role
This is a rare opportunity to step into a genuine “build” role. You will be shaping the technology function, capability, and culture for a newly formed utility with long-term community impact.
As Head of Technology & Systems, you’ll lead Waikato Waters’ technology environment end-to-end: ensuring systems, data, and services are secure, reliable, fit-for-purpose, and commercially sound. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you’ll set the technology roadmap and target architecture, lead digital transformation, manage cyber and technology risk, and build a trusted, high-performing internal team.
You’ll work across core platforms including ERP, Finance systems, payroll, GIS, and cloud-based environments, while also overseeing IT support/service delivery and managing a network of external technology partners and vendors.
This role brings accountability for an annual technology budget and will suit a senior leader who can operate with ambiguity, make pragmatic decisions, and deliver outcomes in a fast evolving, “start-up within a public utility” environment.
Flexibility is available, however presence in Hamilton and time in the office will matter as you help shape the team and ways of working (it doesn’t need to be every day).
Ō mahi | What You’ll Do
- Own and deliver the IT strategy, roadmap, and target architecture, aligned to organisational priorities and future growth
- Lead a pragmatic, high-value digital transformation agenda (balancing speed, governance, and operational resilience)
- Provide governance and leadership across the IT programme/project portfolio. You will ensure technology projects are correctly prioritised, delivered, reported on and work with key stakeholders to ensure post implementation adoption is high.
- Strengthen technology risk management and cyber security, ensuring controls and practices are fit for a critical utility environment
- Oversee IT operations and service delivery, ensuring systems and support are reliable, secure, and responsive
- Lead and manage external vendors/MSPs, setting expectations, performance measures, and commercial outcomes
- Establish and lift data governance and data quality, improving trust, accessibility, and insight-driven decision-making
- Drive organisational digital literacy and confidence, partnering with leaders to embed change and lift adoption
- Manage the technology budget, optimising spends and ensuring investment delivers measurable value
- Lead, develop, and inspire your leadership team across IT Operations, Business
Ō pūkenga | What You’ll Bring
- Significant experience in a senior technology leadership role (Head of IT / Technology / Systems / Digital)
- Background in water, utilities, infrastructure, power, telco or other regulated/operational environments (strongly preferred)
- Strong capability across IT strategy, architecture, service delivery, cyber security, and technology risk
- Proven success managing vendor ecosystems/MSP models with commercial discipline and high standards for delivery
- Confidence leading through ambiguity and change. You have proven experience in making sound calls, set direction, and bring others with you
- Experience owning meaningful budgets and ensuring commercially smart outcomes
- A practical approach to data governance and data quality, with the ability to lift reporting and decision-making maturity
- Leadership presence and credibility: able to engage executives, influence outcomes, and build trust quickly
- Values alignment with Waikato Waters’ leadership expectations:
- Kia tika | Responsibility – ownership for outcomes
- Kia pono | Integrity – transparent, evidence-based advice
- Kia tau | Respect – listening, collaboration, and upholding mana
Why Join Waikato Waters?
Waikato Waters is being built once, and you’d be part of that. He waka eke noa, we are all in this together. The work is real, the impact is visible, and the team we’re assembling is genuinely exceptional. We offer competitive remuneration, health insurance, and hybrid working where the role allows. To learn more about Waikato Waters visit:
Home | Waikato Water Done Well
Next Steps?
To keep things simple, we ask that all applications are submitted through this advert. We’ll review applications as they come in and be in touch.
For any questions give Imtiaz Mohammed (027 231 8437)
or Steve Cotton (0274 443 894) a call and quote Job ID 17501: for a confidential chat.
To apply for this vacancy, you MUST be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and therefore hold a valid visa.
At the appropriate stage we will request your references, we ask that you do not include them on your CV when applying.
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