General Manager Customer and Community

GM Customer and Community – Build Trust

• Nurture customer relationships – fresh thinking, clear communication
• Bring together dependable billing and a responsive service culture
• Join a collaborative executive team with shared responsibility for success

Central South Island Water | Help shape what comes next

Central South Island Water has been established to deliver drinking water and wastewater services across the Timaru and Mackenzie districts, alongside stormwater services for both councils. Preparing to commence operations on 1 July 2027, the organisation has a clear ambition: reliable services, decisions grounded in evidence and a genuine focus on customers and the communities it serves.

The new role of GM Customer and Community is an opportunity to shape how this organisation connects with its customers from the outset - building the services, communications and relationships that will earn trust over time. Sound like you?

About the opportunity | Establish, Build, Shape

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will join three other new General Managers who will collectively build and lead Central South Island Water. Your contribution will extend across the organisation, helping the executive team make sound decisions, navigate competing priorities and deliver shared outcomes.

You will lead a portfolio that brings together billing and revenue collection, customer service, communications and community engagement. Getting billing right from day one will be an immediate priority, alongside ensuring customers understand their charges, know where to get help and receive clear, timely information.

You will also shape the organisation’s public voice and relationships across both districts, including engagement with iwi and mana whenua. Working closely with fellow executives, you will bring customer insights into service, investment and collective pricing decisions, helping the organisation understand community expectations and explain its choices clearly.

Your priorities will include:

• Establishing accurate, timely billing, effective revenue collection and dependable customer support.
• Leading clear communications and meaningful engagement about charges, services, works and investment.
• Building a capable team with clear expectations and a culture of service, performance and accountability.
• Using customer data and feedback to improve processes and inform organisational decisions.

About you | Fresh thinking, New ideas

You are a customer-focused leader who combines strong communication and relationship skills with the discipline to oversee billing and service performance. You can see the bigger picture while staying close enough to delivery to ask the right questions and ensure things work.

Your background could be in utilities, telecommunications, customer operations or another service environment. We welcome transferable capability and fresh thinking from beyond water and local government.

You will bring:

• Leadership experience across customer services, communications, engagement or a comparable portfolio.
• Experience overseeing billing, revenue collection or customer account processes, with an appreciation of controls and data quality.
• The ability to explain complex issues clearly and build confidence through sensitive conversations and public communications.
• A record of developing people, setting clear expectations and improving service performance.
• Confidence contributing to executive decisions and building relationships with diverse communities; experience engaging with iwi and mana whenua would be valuable.

You will be comfortable with ambiguity, willing to challenge established approaches and committed to working as one executive team. Above all, you will connect dependable delivery with clear communication and genuine care for the people using your services.

Help establish an organisation, build its culture and earn the confidence of its communities.

How to apply

For a copy of the position description and to apply, visit the Decipher Group website on https://deciphergroup.co.nz/job-opportunities/general-manager-customer-and-community/

To discover more about Central South Island Water and the partner Councils visit www.timaru.govt.nz and www.mckenzie.govt.nz

To make a time for a confidential discussion about the role, contact Deb Vaughan at Decipher Group by text to 022 850 0188 or email deb@deciphergroup.co.nz.

Applications close: Friday 6 November 2026.