Parks Community Programme Lead

Porirua City is a happening place. Porirua is a diverse, well-connected city and has a lot to offer, with awesome cultural and recreational opportunities. The future is bright – we need skilled people like you to join our team and help shape our growing and developing city.

Porirua City Council is looking for a Parks Community Programme Lead to champion community engagement across our parks, reserves and harbour – helping build a city where people feel connected to nature, empowered to protect it, and supported to make lasting environmental change.

About the role

You’ll combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery — leading programmes, supporting your Education Advisor, collaborating with Accord Partners, coordinating activations and events, and ensuring we’re tracking and celebrating the real impact our communities are making.

This is more than a job. It’s an opportunity to help shape the future of Porirua Harbour (Te Awarua-o-Porirua) and strengthen the partnerships that care for it.

In this role you will:

• Lead and grow our community engagement and volunteer programmes
• Connect people of all ages and backgrounds to nature across our parks and harbour
• Champion behaviour change initiatives that support the Porirua Harbour Accord
• Foster community-led conservation, restoration and environmental stewardship
• Build strong partnerships that reflect Porirua’s rich cultural diversity

About you

You’re a natural connector who brings energy, professionalism and heart to your work. You’re just as comfortable presenting to partners as you are rolling up your sleeves at a community planting day.

You’ll need to show us that you bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification (communications, environmental science, community development, education or similar)
• Experience in community engagement, participation projects or conservation partnerships
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset
• A genuine passion for caring for nature
• A current, full NZ driver’s licence

Bonus points if you have local government experience, facilitation expertise, and experience delivering measurable environmental outcomes or GIS skills.

What you need to do now

If you’re ready to lead with purpose, build powerful partnerships, and connect people to nature in meaningful ways — we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Daniela Biaggio on 021 762 146 for more information.

Porirua City embraces and values diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage applications by people from all backgrounds and are a member of Diversity Works. If you have any support or access requirements during our recruitment process, please let us know when you apply, and we’ll do our best to get you sorted.

You will need to apply via our careers centre: www.poriruacity.govt.nz/careers.

To find out more about working for Porirua City Watch this video

Applications close on Thursday 26 March 2026.