Chief Executive

Orana Wildlife Park is one of New Zealand’s leading wildlife sanctuaries with a core purpose to provide world-class animal welfare and advocacy through awe-inspiring visitor experiences, which provoke meaningful change to safeguard and enrich our taonga species, communities and habitats.

Through the expert execution of its exciting, future-focused strategy, Orana Park will be a destination of choice, a sanctuary known for world leading innovation and contribution to ensuring resilient eco-systems for our communities and wildlife.

As the Park’s guardians look ahead, we are seeking a talented and visionary Chief Executive to lead Orana Wildlife Park to realise its potential and truly become a global wildlife sanctuary icon.

Reporting to the Trust Board and leading a passionate and committed team, the overall accountability of the Chief Executive is to give life to the purpose of the Trust and to lead the achievement Orana’s future focused strategies. In doing this, the Chief Executive will – amongst other things:

• Lead a high-performing and collaborative Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in accordance with the values of Orana, empowering and coaching the SLT to lead achievement of organisational objectives.
• Champion a culture that holds its people at its heart, keeping them safe and healthy, engaged and empowered to achieve.
• Manage key and critical stakeholder relationships, ensuring these relationships support the strategic objectives of Orana.
• Lead and oversee the achievement of all regulatory, risk management and compliance requirements including requirements from Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA).
• Challenge the thinking on how the organisation operates to ensure each function and the organisation as a whole optimises opportunities and operates effectively.
• Lead the consideration and development of new initiatives and opportunities that will enhance productivity, performance and achievement of strategic objectives.

The role of Chief Executive at Orana Wildlife Park is not just a job; it’s a chance to lead this Christchurch and Canterbury based icon with a rich history into its exciting, envisioned future. This role offers the unique blend of strategic leadership, community engagement, and environmental stewardship. Sound like you?

To be successful as the Chief Executive, you will bring a profound passion for wildlife, conservation, and education, coupled with strong commercial leadership skills, energy and drive. As a purpose-driven leader, you will be described as engaging and energetic, inspiring and guiding teams with clarity and purpose. Your leadership style will embody both strategic vision and empathy, ensuring that the Park’s mission continues to thrive and evolve while achieving its ambitious goals.

You will have a proven track record of successful transformational leadership, ideally with exposure to animal welfare or conservation. This combination of practical expertise and visionary thinking will empower you to drive Orana Wildlife Park’s future focused strategies forward, strengthen its community and educational impact, and enhance the experience of all who visit.

Are you ready to take on this impactful role with real purpose, leading Orana into an exciting future?

To discover more about Orana Wildlife Park, visit https://www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz/

For a confidential discussion about the role; contact Lisa Edwards on 021 240 4410