He kōrero mō mātou | About Watercare
Ki te ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata
When the water is healthy, the land and the people are healthy
Now is an exciting time to join Watercare, we're planning to spend $14 billion over the next 10 years to ensure we can continue to support our growing city in a climate-resilient way. When you average that out, that's an investment of $3.8 million every day!
He whakamārama mō te tūranga mahi | About the roleThis is your opportunity to join our agile Procurement team, working with a group of motivated and passionate people! We are proud of our achievements in procurement and have the awards to prove it.
Our team is responsible for leading category strategies using agile procurement operating models, aiming to reduce the total cost of products and services procured by Watercare. We facilitate cross-functional collaboration, provide the climate and support necessary for teams to operate efficiently, and ensure strategies mitigate risk while delivering benefits.
We’re looking for an equally dedicated and motivated individual to drive commercial negotiations and procurement processes alongside our business units. This position has a strong strategic component where you will create initiatives that deliver value and growth for our clients while reducing overall risk.
In this role you will:
- Build trusted relationships across the business, partnering with stakeholders to understand their needs and deliver effective, value-driven solutions.
- Develop and implement category strategies that balance cost efficiency, service delivery, and sustainability objectives.
- Lead end-to-end sourcing activities – from market engagement and supplier evaluation to negotiation and contract finalisation – ensuring quality outcomes that align with Watercare’s strategic goals.
- Engage and manage supplier relationships to foster innovation, partnership, and improved performance.
- Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, ensuring strong commercial positions and compliance with Watercare’s policies.
- Monitor supplier and contract performance to ensure alignment with frameworks, service standards, and strategic outcomes.
- Collaborate and share insights across teams to identify opportunities, leverage initiatives, and strengthen procurement capability organisation-wide.
To be successful in this role, you’ll have the ability to communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders, adapt to changing conditions, and bring strong interpersonal and business partnering skills. You enjoy building relationships and getting meaningful work done!
Your background will include:
- 8+ years of procurement experience in a medium to large organisation, with proven success in delivering strategic, commercial, and operational outcomes.
- Expertise in category management and contemporary procurement practices, with the ability to balance cost efficiency, service delivery, and sustainability.
- Strong experience in contract drafting, negotiation, and supplier management, ensuring robust commercial arrangements and long-term value.
- A thorough understanding of procurement risk, governance, and sustainability principles, with the ability to translate them into practical, results-focused actions.
- Proficiency in Excel, Power BI, or similar analytical tools, using data to generate insights and support informed decision-making.
- A collaborative mindset and excellent communication skills, enabling you to influence, engage, and build trust with stakeholders across the business.
- Sound analytical ability and business acumen, complemented by an organised and adaptable approach to work in a fast-changing environment.
Ngā hua mōu | What's in it for you
We offer a competitive salary and staff benefits package including:
• Training and development opportunities
• Life and income protection insurance plans
• Generous parental leave
• Employee discounts at a range of large retailers
Me pēhea te tono mai | How to Apply
Come and join our team! If you are looking for an exciting career opportunity with a fantastic team then please apply online today - careers.watercare.co.nz.
Top Skills
What We Do
At Watercare we’re proud to provide a lifeline service to the people of Auckland, while protecting the environment for future generations.
Every day we provide the highest quality drinking water to 1.7 million Aucklanders, and take it away again once it’s been used in the sink or flushed down the loo. Without using chemicals, we treat wastewater to a very high standard and safely return it to the environment.
We also plan for new and upgraded infrastructure far into the future to ensure we can meet the needs of our fast-growing city.
We operate assets worth more than $9 billion – but it’s our people who are our most valuable assets.
Our staff are passionate, motivated and trustworthy people who are the leaders in their fields. They’re not afraid of a challenge and are constantly looking for new ways of improving our processes and the service we offer our customers.
If this sounds like you, please visit our careers centre to see our job vacancies and be notified of future opportunities: https://careers.watercare.co.nz
