Principal Water Specialist

Job Description

Monitoring Team Lead – Empower your team to deliver great results

At Mott MacDonald New Zealand, we’re driven by a shared purpose: to improve society through innovation, integrity, and excellence. Our network insights team plays a vital role in safeguarding Aotearoa’s water infrastructure by installing and managing water and wastewater network monitoring equipment with a particular focus on wastewater flow and level. Due to significant growth in workload we are looking for a Monitoring Team Lead to help lead this team into its next chapter of growth and impact.

This is more than a technical role — it’s a leadership opportunity to guide a high-performing crew, mentor emerging talent, and ensure the safe, efficient, and high-quality delivery of water and wastewater monitoring programs that support major infrastructure upgrades and environmental stewardship.

Why this role matters
As a Monitoring Team Lead, you’ll be at the helm of a team that delivers critical data and insights to engineers, scientists, and decision-makers. Your leadership will foster a culture of safety, collaboration, and excellence, ensuring our field operations are not only effective but also empowering and inclusive.

What you’ll do

• Lead and manage a growing team of Water Technicians and field crew across multiple projects to install, calibrate, maintain and remove network monitoring equipment in water and wastewater networks with a focus on wastewater flow and level monitoring.
• Oversee team outputs, ensuring quality, consistency, and timely delivery of monitoring data
• Champion health and safety, especially in confined spaces and high-risk environments, with a strong focus on wellbeing and compliance
• Mentor and support new joiners, fostering technical growth and career development
• Coordinate field operations, including scheduling, logistics, and resource planning
• Review and interpret data trends, providing strategic insights to internal and external stakeholders
• Collaborate with engineers, scientists, and clients to deliver impactful project outcomes

What’s in it for you
This principal-level role offers significant opportunities for leadership, influence, and professional growth:

• A platform to shape team culture and operational excellence
• Advanced training in hydrology, instrumentation, and hydraulic data analysis
• Exposure to strategic project management and client engagement
• A pathway to senior leadership within Mott MacDonald’s global network
• The chance to make a tangible difference in communities across New Zealand

You’ll be supported with comprehensive training, safety equipment, vaccinations, and ongoing career development. We’re committed to helping you grow your impact—professionally and personally.

About you
We’re looking for someone who:

• Has experience in water/wastewater network monitoring, instrumentation, or a related field
• Demonstrates strong leadership and crew management capabilities
• Is deeply committed to health and safety, with experience in high-risk environments
• Is confident mentoring others and fostering team development
• Has strong analytical skills and proficiency in data reporting tools
• Holds a Full NZ driver’s licence and is legally entitled to work in New Zealand

A background in hydrology, instrumentation, plumbing, drainlaying, building, or contracting is valuable. Experience leading technical or field-based teams is essential.

Our culture
At Mott MacDonald, we value diversity, collaboration, and wellbeing. We’re committed to inclusive hiring and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. If this role resonates with you—even if you don’t meet every requirement—we encourage you to apply.

We offer:

• Competitive salary and enhanced KiwiSaver contributions
• Discretionary Group and Personal Performance Bonuses for eligible employees
• Flexible working arrangements and wellbeing support
• A purpose-driven team environment
• Opportunities to work on high-impact projects
• A global consultancy with a local heart

Let’s shape a better future together.
If you’re ready to lead with purpose, inspire others, and contribute to projects that matter, we’d love to hear from you.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We embrace agility, flexibility and trust.