Head of Customer Experience

• Shape the future of customer experience at Nelson City Council

• Lead cultural change through strategy and collaboration

• Vibrant location competitive salary generous leave healthcare

At Nelson City Council were on a journey to transform how we serve our community. Were building a customer-first culture thats inclusive responsive and grounded in trust. This new role is your opportunity to lead that transformation.

About this role Kō tēnei tūranga mahi

As Head of Customer Experience youll lead the development and embedding of Councils customer experience strategy a cornerstone of our cultural change. This isnt just about improving service delivery; its about shaping how people feel about their interactions with Council and how our teams work together to deliver public value.

Youll design and implement a strategy that reflects our values and empowers people across Council to contribute to its development. By involving staff in shaping the strategy youll foster ownership and alignment ensuring it becomes a lived experience across the organisation.

This role goes beyond traditional customer-facing teams. Youll work closely with regulatory and consents functions for example areas where customer experience is just as critical to embed a unified customer-centred approach. Your influence will span the organisation breaking down silos and driving collaboration.

This role reports to the Executive Director People & Customer Experience and is part of the Senior Leadership Team. Together youll shape the future of Councils service culture and performance.

Key Focus Areas

• Lead the development of a high-performing customer-focused culture across Council.
• Embed customer experience into all areas of Council not just traditional frontline services.
• Champion digital transformation and data-driven service design.
• Foster cross-departmental collaboration to deliver seamless customer journeys.
• Empower staff to contribute to and own the customer strategy.
• Advocate for the voice of the customer in decision-making and service improvement.
• Lead our frontline Customer Service Centre ensuring it delivers efficient accessible and responsive service that reflects the needs of our community.

About you Ko ngā pūmanawa ōu

Youre a strategic thinker and collaborative leader with a passion for customer experience and cultural change. You bring experience in service design transformation and stakeholder engagement and you know how to turn strategy into action.

Youll thrive in a complex environment balancing customer expectations with employee wellbeing and driving innovation that delivers real outcomes for the people of Nelson.

You will also bring:

• Tertiary qualification in business public administration customer experience or a related field with certifications or training in service design digital transformation or leadership development (desirable).
• Deep understanding of customer experience principles service design and customer journey mapping.
• Broad understanding of digital transformation CRM systems and self-service technologies.
• Familiarity with performance measurement data analytics and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proven leadership experience in customer experience or service delivery ideally within complex or multi-stakeholder environments.
• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional initiatives that improve customer outcomes.
• Track record of managing high-performing teams and building capability across diverse functions.

You also bring the leadership behaviours that matter here:

• You connect your teams work to Councils purpose direction and community outcomes.
• You champion a customer- and community-focused culture ensuring services are accessible inclusive and responsive.
• You lead with a focus on value outcomes and accountability making the best use of public resources.
• You collaborate across the organisation and build strong respectful relationships with iwi and key stakeholders.
• You coach develop and grow others while role-modelling integrity and performance.
• You lead change with calm and purpose embedding innovation and continuous improvement across your areas of influence.

What we offer Ko ngā painga mōu

At Nelson City Council we believe that taking care of Nelson starts with taking care of our people. Were working to make a positive difference in the lives of our communities. We value integrity service and collaboration and were committed to being a high-performing future-focused organisation.

We offer:

• A permanent full-time senior leadership role
• Competitive remuneration and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Professional development and wellbeing support
• A collaborative future-focused work environment

This is your opportunity to step into a strategic leadership role where your expertise will make a lasting impact across Whakatū Nelson.

Click here for a copy of the position description.

Applications close Rā whakakapi: 5pm Tuesday 11 November 2025

For further enquiries Ina he pātai anō whakapā mai: Contact Abby Kuyk People & Capability Business Partner at

At Nelson City Council we are committed to fostering a diverse equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels safe valued and has a true sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds including those from diverse ethnicities and cultures LGBTQ communities neurodivergent individuals and people with disabilities. If you require any assistance with your application please dont hesitate to get in touch.

Required Experience:

Director