People & Capability Business Partner (Fixed Term)

At Napier City Council, we're passionate about creating a thriving city for our community and it all starts with our people. We're looking for an experienced People & Capability Business Partner to join our high-performing, collaborative team in a fixed-term capacity and partner with leaders to deliver exceptional people outcomes across the organisation.

This is more than a traditional HR role. As a trusted advisor to senior and executive leaders, you'll influence strategic workforce decisions, strengthen leadership capability, and help shape the future of how we attract, develop, and retain great people. You'll work across a diverse portfolio, balancing strategic thinking with practical solutions that drive performance, engagement, and organisational success.

Joining a well-established and highly respected People & Capability team, you'll have the opportunity to make a real impact. From workforce planning and organisational change to complex employment matters and culture initiatives, you'll play a key role in helping our leaders navigate challenges, build capability, and create positive employee experiences. If you thrive on building strong relationships, solving complex people challenges, and contributing to meaningful organisational outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

Te Āheinga - The Opportunity

• Partner directly with senior and executive leaders, influencing strategic workforce and organisational decisions.
• Help shape the future workforce by aligning people strategies with Council's long-term goals and priorities.
• Lead and support complex people matters, providing trusted advice that balances risk, compliance, and positive outcomes.
• Work alongside an exceptional People & Capability team known for collaboration, innovation, and delivering results.
• Drive leadership capability, high-performance culture initiatives, and organisational effectiveness across diverse portfolios.
• Use workforce insights and data to identify trends, inform decisions, and deliver future-focused people solutions.

He kōrero mōhou - About You

• An experienced People & Capability professional who thrives in a true business partnering environment.
• Skilled at building trusted relationships and influencing leaders to achieve positive people and business outcomes.
• Comfortable navigating complexity, balancing strategic thinking with practical, people-centred solutions.
• Strong knowledge of employment relations, workforce planning, organisational development, and change management.
• A confident communicator who can coach, challenge, and support leaders through both opportunities and challenges.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and motivated by making a meaningful impact for people, teams, and the wider organisation.

Ngā painga mōhou - What we Offer

• Employee Assistance Program (OCP)
• Quarterly values awards + Social club
• Free flu vaccinations (annual)
• Ka Awatea Cultural Wānanga + NCC Kapa Haka
• Te Reo Māori language classes
• Flexible work arrangements

This is a fixed term til 30 June 2027, working 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. You will be based in Napier.

The annual salary package for this role is $115,239 - $128,796 (including KiwiSaver), with the final offer depending on your skills and experience.

We will be interviewing applications as we receive them and may close the role when we have found the right person.

He kōrero mō Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri - About NCC

At Napier City Council, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and work to make our hiring process fair and accessible. If you need any support or adjustments during your application or interview, let us know—we’re happy to help!

Our success is grounded in strong partnerships with Mana Whenua and Iwi, supported by our Māori Partnerships team, Te Waka Rangapū, which builds cultural capability through education and training.

Before you join, you’ll need to complete pre-employment checks (including criminal background checks, with some roles requiring health screening and drug & alcohol testing). As an NCC employee, you may also be called on to support Civil Defence emergencies when our community needs us most.

Please visit Napier City Council Careers website to see full job description