Resilience and Climate Action Advisor

Queenstown Lakes District Council – Queenstown, South Island Live, work and play in Aotearoa New Zealand’s most spectacular setting. No two days at Queenstown Lakes District Council are the same. Every day we provide services, facilities and programmes essential to the health and wellbeing of our people and environment, while stepping up to the challenges and opportunities that come with being New Zealand’s fastest growing territorial authority. We’re proud to be QLDC. Our people are motivated by a shared purpose driven by care, connection and community. All our roles are at the heart of a dynamic and diverse set of communities where you will be making a genuine difference every day. Join us. We are looking for a Resilience and Climate Action Advisor to join our team in a fixed-term role for twelve months covering maternity leave. This role is based in our Queenstown offices. What you’ll be doing / He aha te mahi This role is responsible for leading the implementation and ongoing delivery of QLDC’s Climate and Biodiversity Plan (CBP), helping drive meaningful action on climate adaptation, mitigation, biodiversity restoration, and community resilience across the district. Working closely with the Resilience and Climate Action Manager, Climate Reference Group, elected members, iwi partners, community organisations, and regional stakeholders, you will coordinate key programmes of work, monitor progress, and provide expert advice on climate-related opportunities and challenges. You will play a critical role in fostering organisational change, building climate capability across Council, and ensuring climate and biodiversity considerations are embedded into planning, policy, and decision-making. This is a varied and influential position requiring strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, project management, and climate change expertise. The role will involve: Help lead the delivery of the three- yearly Climate and Biodiversity Plan (CBP), including coordinating programmes, projects, contractors, budgets, and measures of success. Provide leadership and change management to support climate action, biodiversity outcomes, and organisational cultural change across QLDC. Monitor, evaluate, and report on CBP progress, providing regular updates and robust advice to the Executive Leadership Team, elected members, and governance committees. Act as a subject matter expert on climate action, sustainability, resilience, and biodiversity restoration, providing advice and briefings on emerging policy, scientific, and technological developments. Build and maintain strong relationships with iwi partners, Otago Regional Council, community organisations, central and local government networks, and other key stakeholders. Support the Climate Reference Group through meeting coordination, agenda development, information sharing, and member succession planning. Contribute to climate adaptation and resilience initiatives, including supporting regional climate risk assessment, adaptation planning, and natural hazard projects. Work collaboratively across Council to ensure climate and biodiversity priorities are reflected in policy, planning, community engagement, submissions, and long-term strategic decision-making. What you’ll bring to the role / Ko wai to Pukeka A passion for climate and biodiversity action is a must. You’ll have worked in a position with a similar focus, whether that’s with local government, a central government agency, or a climate action/sustainability/conservation orientated organisation. Strong communication skills and the ability to disseminate high level information to a range of parties is required. You’ll have experience working with community groups, social service agencies, government agencies and other stakeholder partners. A connection to our community and established local connections will be highly beneficial. To best succeed in this role, you’ll have: Degree‑level qualification in an environmental, climate‑related, or similar discipline, with project management and/or change management qualifications highly regarded. At least five years’ experience in an advisory, project management, or change management role, ideally within a sustainability or climate‑action environment. Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of audiences and stakeholders. Proven ability to develop and maintain effective relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, balancing organisational and community needs. Highly motivated, achievement‑oriented, and innovative, with a passion for delivering meaningful climate and sustainability outcomes Applications close: Friday 7th August 2026 Please note we will review and process applications as they come through; we encourage your early application. #J-18808-Ljbffr