Wild Animals Programme Lead, Wild Pigs at Department of Conservation, Whangarei

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Are you passionate about supporting teams to achieve positive conservation outcomes?
• Full time, permanent role with flexibility to be based from any of our Kauri Lands/Northern North Island offices!
• This is your opportunity to contribute to the meaningful mahi of National Operations!

Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata

If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive

At the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) we express our spirit of service and serve Aotearoa through our purpose, Papatūānuku Thrives. Our organisational strategy, Te Kaupapa a Te Papa Atawhai, puts nature and people at the heart of everything we do. It is anchored by te reo Māori and te ao Māori, recognising that Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our whānau, hapū and iwi are central to all our mahi.

He angitūtanga | About the role

This is a truly unique opportunity to lead the mahi in our National Programmes Unit and contribute to programme delivery targeting threats to conservation, specifically protection of Kauri throughout the Northland region.

Kauri dieback disease, caused by the soil borne pathogen Phytophthora agathadicida (PA), is threatening Kauri with extinction. Protection of kauri is a national priority with a coordinated, cross agency, landscape scale kauri protection programme currently being rolled out. The purpose of the programme is to protect Aotearoa NZ's most iconic trees through, amongst other controls, sustained management of the vectors which can transport the pathogen, such as pigs and other animals.

In this role, you will be responsible for designing and operationalising a programme that will address landscape scale pig management in kauri lands with a view to achieve the goals of the National Pest Management Plan for kauri protection. The purpose of the role is to deliver a pig management framework for kauri lands using an adaptive management approach. This will be achieved through building connections with relevant communities, individuals and agencies across kauri lands in conjunction with sharing knowledge on lessons learned from regions where management has been successful.

DOC and Te Tiriti partners are part of a multi-agency response, led by MPI, which aims to prevent the spread of PA and protect kauri forests for future generations. DOC is responsible for protecting kauri on the land we manage which includes many of Aotearoa NZ's most significant kauri forests.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

If you are great with people, have a good understanding of the department and how we work, can use your initiative, like having a varied and challenging suite of work to get on with, and like to have fun along the way, then this is probably the job for you, and it would be great to see your application. We will be looking for:

• In-depth knowledge and experience of conservation management including natural and historic management, and community and visitor aspirations.
• Experience in working with or leading Wild Animal Management programmes.
• The ability to engage and partner with Te Tiriti partners, community groups and businesses to deliver pest management programmes.
• Demonstrated experience prioritising, allocating and monitoring resource usage and finding improved ways to use resources.
• Demonstrated excellent at planning and organising work and resources over a programme of work to meet timeframes.
• Excellent people skills and a strong drive to achieve results through collaboration.
• Knowledge of the legislation affecting DOC and government processes.
• A current drivers' licence and the ability to travel regularly for the role.

Mō mātou | About us

Te Papa Atawhai is committed to fostering a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve, and to creating an inclusive workplace culture. Our Te Kaupapa behaviours of whakatīnanatia (we deliver), atawhaitia a Papatūānuku (we love nature), whakawhānaungatanga (we build relationships) and whakaauaha (we innovate) guide what we need to do for Papatūānuku to Thrive.

Ko ngā hua | What we offer

We take pride in enabling our kaimahi to bring their unique perspectives to mahi, in pursuit of our collective aspirations. Our commitment to well-being and professional development includes:

• Flexible working options where applicable.
• DOC perks: Free accommodation in our backcountry huts and campsites, visitor centres product discounts, outdoor apparel, and gear discounts.
• Opportunity to develop and grow your skills within the group and wider organisation.
• Te Pukenga Atawhai – Cultural Capability Development Programme.

Tono ināianei | Apply now

Submit a tailored CV and cover letter via our careers site highlighting your relevant skills, experience, and alignment to our Kaupapa.

The salary range for this position is $85,757 to $109,578 with the starting salary of the successful applicant being based on their relevant skills and experience.

Applications close at 5 pm on Wednesday, 29 March 2023.

For further enquiries contact Lilly Witcomb lwitcomb@doc.govt.nz.

Job Reference: DOC/1702278

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