Fast Track Team Lead Opportunities

• Influence nationally significant infrastructure and development decisions across Aotearoa

• $110,033 to $145,000 plus DOC benefits, flexible working and professional development opportunities

• Wellington preferred, with other locations considered for the right candidate

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

He angitūtanga | About the role

DOC plays a critical role in New Zealand's Fast-track approvals system, ensuring conservation interests and environmental outcomes are considered alongside nationally and regionally significant development projects.

These opportunities sit within the Biodiversity, Heritage and Visitors Group and contribute to DOC's evolving conservation regulatory system and wider Regulatory Modernisation Programme.

We are seeking experienced leaders for roles within the Fast-track team. These roles support the delivery of high-quality advice on Fast-track applications, but with distinct areas of focus.

Fast-track Programme Lead

The Fast-track Programme Lead provides strategic leadership, technical oversight and continuous improvement across DOC's Fast-track work programme. In this role you will lead nationally significant and complex application work, provide strategic advice to senior leaders and Ministers, and drive consistency, capability and system improvement across the programme.

The position will be focussed on:

• Providing technical leadership to deliver high-quality, nationally consistent advice to expert panels

• Leading triage of Fast-track referral and substantive applications

• Overseeing complex and high-profile projects, including risk management, reporting and escalation activities

• Tracking trends, risks and panel decisions to support organisational and Ministerial decision-making

• Building and maintaining influential relationships across government, iwi, applicants and other stakeholders

• Leading continuous improvement of systems, processes, frameworks and tools

• Coaching and supporting the wider team to build capability and performance
  Overseeing responses to Official Information Act requests

• Working to promote Māori engagement and ensure Treaty considerations are reflected in advice and decision-making

Click here for the position description: Fast Track Programme Lead

Fast-track Team Lead

The Fast-track Team Lead focuses on people leadership, operational delivery and workflow coordination within a fast-paced regulatory environment. This role will see you lead a team responsible for managing Fast-track application work, ensuring statutory timeframes are met and advice is accurate, timely and well-coordinated.

The position will be focussed on:

• Leading work allocation, monitoring delivery and managing team capacity to achieve quality outcomes and statutory timeframes

• Managing competing priorities and adapting delivery plans in response to changing demands

• Coordinating input from technical experts and stakeholders across DOC

• Managing risks and issues to support effective and timely decision-making

• Supporting procurement and oversight of contractors and consultants where required

• Monitoring progress and reporting delivery insights to decision-makers

• Supporting onboarding and establishing consistent processes, systems and expectations

• Working to promote Māori engagement throughout Fast-track processes

Click here for the position description: Fast Track Team Lead

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

We are looking for people who can navigate complexity, build strong relationships and support high-quality regulatory decision-making in a fast-paced environment.

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

• Experience leading teams, programmes, projects or complex pieces of work

• Strong analytical thinking, sound judgement and problem-solving skills

• Experience working in complex, high-risk or time-sensitive environments

• Excellent communication skills, including preparing high-quality advice and reports

• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management capability

• Experience managing competing priorities and delivering outcomes through others

• Understanding of regulatory, consenting, environmental, planning or policy frameworks

• Understanding or willingness to learn Māori tikanga and understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how it relates to your work

Additional experience that would be valuable

For the Fast-track Programme Lead:

• Experience providing strategic advice to senior leaders, Ministers or governance groups

• Experience leading continuous improvement, framework development, systems improvement or policy development

• Experience overseeing high-profile, sensitive or nationally significant work programmes

For the Fast-track Team Lead:

• Proven people leadership experience with responsibility for delivery and performance

• Strong project, workflow or operational management capability

• Experience coordinating work across multiple stakeholders and specialist teams

Desirable:

• Experience in Fast-track, consenting, environmental planning, resource management or regulatory decision-making environments

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? 

Tono ināianei | Apply now

Whether your strengths lie in strategic programme leadership or leading people and delivery, these opportunities will play an important role in shaping how DOC contributes to New Zealand's Fast-track system while helping protect our unique natural heritage.

Apply online with a CV and cover letter that highlights your relevant skills, experience and motivation for joining Te Papa Atawhai. Please indicate whether you are applying for the Fast-track Programme Lead, Fast-track Team Lead, or would like to be considered for both opportunities.

We value the wide range of skills, strengths and knowledge that people bring, no matter where they were gained.

Please note, due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept direct or emailed applications and provide feedback to those not shortlisted.

If you require any accommodations or adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please do let us know.

The salary range for these positions is $110,033 to $145,000, with the starting salary based on the successful applicant's relevant skills and experience.

Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory. This includes holding a valid work visa that covers the whole period of employment.

Rā katinga | Applications close at 11:59 pm on Friday 4 September 2026

Me he pātai anō | For further enquiries, contact Annie Colebrook at [email protected]