Principal Ranger | Tūtei Mātāmua – Fixed Term

• Lead a dedicated team in protecting the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park and enhancing its marine health. 

• Fixed Term Opportunity - till end March 2027

• Auckland, Warkworth or Whitianga based | Salary range - $93,656 - $118,510

Our vision: Nature is thriving in Aotearoa | Te Oranga o te Ao Tūroa

Mō te tūranga | About the role

The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) works to protect and restore the natural spaces and species of Aotearoa. This role offers a unique opportunity to help safeguard the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park — Aotearoa’s first marine park and the only national park of the sea. Covering 1.4 million hectares, the Gulf is an internationally significant marine environment and a vital seabird and whale habitat, located alongside our most populous city.

You’ll contribute to the landmark Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act, part of the wider Revitalising the Gulf programme and the first legislation of its kind in Aotearoa.

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Principal Ranger leads a distributed team of 10 marine protection rangers and additional contract and casual staff, including highly specialised skippers and divers. You’ll provide exceptional leadership, patience, and organisational skills as the team builds and maintains these complex operational capabilities.

The position will be focussed on:

• Supervising and developing a newly forming high-performing team, ensuring their safety, wellbeing, and professional growth

• Identifying, monitoring and managing risk in a critical risk environment of diving, compliance and vessel operations.

• Managing the maintenance and operation of 3 vessels including ‘Kaiarahi’ (~5.7m), ‘Kaitiaki Motu’ ~6m and ‘Tangihua’ ~4m with a new 9.5m build underway.

• Creating and implementing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals to provide direction and accountability, fostering a sense of accomplishment within the team

• focusing development plans, recognising that team members will be at varying levels of expertise

• Managing competing priorities, demands and identify solutions for critical pressures

• implement the planning, phasing, and tracking of work programmes on a monthly and 3 monthly basis.

• Prioritising health and safety in all aspects of team operations

• Recruiting and onboarding staff and building a positive and collaborative team environment.

• Being part of the District Leadership Team and contributing to decisions around resources and priorities

This role involves travel, so you must be flexible to travel and work away from home for several days at a time as needed.  Staff are located in Whitianga, Bayswater, Warkworth and Auckland.

Click here for the Role Description

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

If you have some of the following, we are keen to hear from you:

• Knowledge of commercial vessel operations, workplace diving activities and/or Maritime New Zealand processes would be beneficial, helping you provide informed support to staff and operational leaders.

• A skilled and experienced people leader who is skilled at empowering, motivating, and creating a positive team culture

• Excellent problem-solving skills with a can-do-solutions focussed mindset.

• comfortable in operational field delivery, preferably on water

• A strong and proactive communicator and collaborator, you build strong internal and external relationships with ease

• project and contract management experience

• ability to work alongside whānau, hapū, iwi collaboratively and effectively, as well as the community, businesses, and others.

• Experience with distributed teams and a commitment to health and safety, and experience of risk management.

He aha ngā pāinga mōu? | What’s in it for you?

DOC is committed to a culture where everyone can participate, thrive, and grow. We’re driven by our values and behaviours, and are working towards being an organisation that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive by default.

We also support flexible working arrangements for our kaimahi across Aotearoa, with options considered based on the role and in discussion with your leader.

Want to know more?

Tonoa inaiānei | Apply now

Apply online with your CV and cover letter outlining your relevant experience and motivation. We’re unable to accept emailed applications or provide feedback to applicants not shortlisted.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, let us know and we’ll try to accommodate.

Salary: $93,656 - $118,510, depending on skills and experience.

Eligibility: You must hold a valid NZ work visa that covers the duration of employment.

Rā whakakapi | Applications close at 11:59 pm on Monday 10th August. This advert may close early, so please apply promptly

Me he pātai anō, whakapā mai | For further enquiries, please contact Leeza Young, Senior Recruitment Advisor, [email protected]