Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing
full-time•Rangiora
About this role
<p>Full Time | Permanent | Rangiora Based</p><p><strong>About us</strong></p><p>Waimakariri District is growing, with a population of nearly 69,000 people, underpinned by strong residential and commercial property activity.</p><p>With more residential lots becoming available, we are expecting sustained growth and at Waimakariri District Council we’re focused on supporting building activity through efficient, high quality consenting services.</p><p>To achieve this goal, our small commercial team is dedicated to working closely with our customers to collaborate, while at the same time ensuring that our regulatory obligations are met.</p><p><strong>About the Role</strong></p><p>We are excited to offer two opportunities to join our Building Unit as a Building Consent Officer - one in our residential processing team and one in our commercial team. In these roles, you’ll play a key part in assessing and processing a diverse range of building consent applications. Our residential team works closely with Canterbury’s leading group home builders, as well as bespoke designers on new builds, renovations and alternations. Our commercial team handles an equally varied portfolio, including new commercial developments, fit-outs, alternations, retirement villages, education facilities and more. <span> </span></p><p>In this role, you will:</p><p>• Ensure that applications for building consent result in building work that complies with the New Zealand Building Code.</p><p>• Prepare schedules of specified systems and compliance schedules with accuracy and attention to detail.</p><p>• Provide support to associate teams, collaborating closely with staff across the Building Unit.</p><p>• Liaise with internal teams including administration, inspections, code compliance auditors, and wider Council departments such as planning, infrastructure, and compliance.</p><p>• Work within our Building Consent Authority (BCA) Quality Assurance System, ensuring adherence to accreditation standards and continuous improvement.</p><p><strong>About you</strong></p><p>You’ll bring strong organisational skills, confident communication, and the ability to juggle priorities while delivering a great experience for our customers and stakeholders. A collaborative mindset and a practical, solutions‑focused approach will set you up for success in our busy, supportive team.</p><p>You’ll also have a solid understanding of the Building Act, Building Code, and compliance pathways, including assessing alternative solutions. Experience within a Building Consent Authority and a recognised qualification that meets Regulation 18 are essential.</p><p><em>For our residential role:</em></p><p>• Proven experience in residential building consenting, with established competency under the National Competency Assessment Framework, minimum Residential 1, ideally higher, with 3–5 years’ experience in a residential consenting role.</p><p><em>For our commercial role</em></p><p>• Proven experience in commercial building consenting, with established competency under the National Competency Assessment Framework, minimum Commercial 1, ideally higher, with 3–5 years’ experience in a commercial consenting role.</p><p>• Extensive understanding of commercial building materials and systems, and experience coordinating technical documentation across multiple disciplines.</p><p>• Skilled in compiling Compliance Schedules for complex commercial projects.</p><p><strong>What we offer</strong></p><p>We provide a competitive salary, excellent working conditions, and a genuinely supportive team where your work makes a real impact in our community.</p><p>We’re committed to your professional development and will support you to maintain and grow your technical competency.</p><p>We also offer flexible working arrangements that support a family‑friendly lifestyle and healthy work‑life balance.</p><p>The Waimakariri District offers an exceptional lifestyle from beaches to mountains, with a wide range of recreational opportunities, all just 30 minutes from Christchurch.</p><p><strong>Ready to Apply</strong></p><p>If you have the skills we're after, enjoy being part of a strong team with a great culture, and are passionate about building control<span>, we’d love to hear from you.</span></p><p>For more information or a confidential discussion please contact Aaron Haymes – Manager Building Unit on 0800 965 468 (0800 WMK GOV).</p><p>Please click <a target="_blank" href="https://www.waimakariri.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/180399/Final-Version-Building-Consent-Officer-Position-Description.PDF">here</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.waimakariri.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/180094/FINAL-Water-Safety-and-Compliance-Specialist-Position-Description-Sept-2025.pdf"> </a>to view a copy of the position description. <em>(NB – this link is not compatible with LinkedIn, if required please access via our website: </em><a target="_blank" href="https://careers.waimakariri.govt.nz/#jobs"><em>https://careers.waimakariri.govt.nz/#jobs</em></a><em>)</em></p><p><span>Please submit your application including your CV and a cover letter by 8th February 2026. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, so we encourage you to apply early.</span></p><p><br><br></p><p></p>
What you'll do
- Assess and process a diverse range of building consent applications, ensuring compliance with the New Zealand Building Code. Collaborate with internal teams and support associate teams within the Building Unit.
About Waimakariri District Council
When you get over 300 qualified, friendly and dedicated people together whose main focus is a community stretching over 225,000 hectares, from the Pacific Ocean to the Southern Alps, from the Waimakariri River to Hurunui, you can be sure that some good things are going to happen. That’s how it is with the Waimakariri District Council.
A lot of the work we do is unseen – sometimes literally. Sewerage, water reticulation, community support … it’s not normally the sort of stuff that commands news headlines and lead TV stories. But it does need to be done and, if it goes wrong, it also needs to be fixed. Who fixes the pothole in your street? Who mows the grass in your local park? Who arranges for your rubbish to be collected? Who keeps public swimming pools open and clean? Who puts books in the libraries? Who plans for future community needs? … the Council. We also assume some responsibility for maintaining a considerate, respectable and peaceable community – the regulatory side of Council activities.
What we like best is when people talk to us about their needs, wants and aspirations for themselves and their community, about their issues and problems – that gives us the opportunity to act on them and help to satisfy the needs or resolve the issues.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing do at Waimakariri District Council?
As a Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing at Waimakariri District Council, you will: assess and process a diverse range of building consent applications, ensuring compliance with the New Zealand Building Code. Collaborate with internal teams and support associate teams within the Building Unit..
Is the Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing position at Waimakariri District Council remote?
The Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing position at Waimakariri District Council is based in Rangiora, Canterbury, New Zealand. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.
How do I apply for the Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing position at Waimakariri District Council?
You can apply for the Building Consent Officer – Commercial & Residential Processing position at Waimakariri District Councildirectly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process.