Rural and regional governance opportunities
Discover director, trustee, board and governance roles across rural and regional New Zealand. Our job board connects you with opportunities, making it easier to find your next impactful role.
Key: 🏛️ Local Government · 🌿 Environmental ·
⚙️ Infrastructure · 🚜 Primary Sector ·
🤝 NFP/Community · 🩺 Health ·
🏔️ Iwi/Māori · 📚 Education · 💰 Finance
North Island
Waikato
🌿🤝 Treasurer, Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum.
The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum blends native planting with outdoor art on a reclaimed Waikato quarry, and needs a treasurer to keep its finances sound.
Manawatū
🤝 Volunteer Chair, Abbeyfield Palmerston North.
Abbeyfield Palmerston North runs an affordable shared home for older people, where residents live independently with company and support close by. The Chair leads the Executive Committee on planning, finances and risk, and helps bring new people into the Society. Previous chairing experience isn't required. A three-year commitment is preferred.
Voluntary. Closing date not stated.
💰🤝 Board members, Moneywise Manawatū — Palmerston North. Voluntary
Moneywise Manawatū is a free, confidential financial-mentoring service helping local whānau get on top of debt and budgeting, governed by a board that meets six times a year.
About, Apply by emailing the chair
🤝 Board Member, Badminton Manawatū.
Badminton Manawatū is the regional sports organisation for the sport across the central region, delivering events and programmes to thousands, and is seeking a board member to help govern its future, with a focus on revenue growth and a sustainable model.
Whanganui
🏛️ 🤝 Founding Trustees (four positions), Whanganui Housing Trust — Whanganui.
Whanganui District Council is setting up an independent housing trust to increase affordable housing in the district, where about 90 homes are built each year against an estimated 2,000 needed over the next decade. The founding trustees will set the trust's governance framework, strategy, financial and risk settings, and its partnerships with mana whenua, developers, community housing providers and government.
Four of the seven seats are being filled now: one Community Trustee, who must live in Whanganui and be active in the community, and three Independent Trustees. The council is looking for governance experience in a complex or capital-intensive environment, financial and risk judgement, commercial acumen including developer partnerships, and an authentic commitment to partnership with mana whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Property, tenancy, legal, policy and affordable housing experience are also welcome.
Three-year term, busiest in the first year. Appointments depend on the council formally establishing the trust, which is expected in December.
Remuneration to be set under the trust deed. Closes 13 November.
Hawke's Bay
🤝📚 Board Member, Disability Training Services Hawke's Bay Trust — Napier.
Disability Training Services is a Napier community organisation that helps disabled people build skills, make their own choices and take part in community life. Its Board meets monthly and is responsible for governance and performance. Board experience is desirable but not essential, and training is provided. Skills in finance, human resources or strategic planning would be especially welcome.
Open until filled.
Taranaki
🏛️⚙️ Independent Chairperson, Water Services Committee, Stratford District Council — Stratford.
Stratford District Council is setting up an in-house business unit for its drinking water, wastewater and stormwater, and is seeking an independent chairperson to lead the committee overseeing it. The committee brings together elected members and mana whenua representatives, and oversees performance, compliance, risk and long-term sustainability. Experience in water, infrastructure or utilities would be an advantage, along with an understanding of local government and Te Tiriti. A connection to Stratford or the wider Taranaki region is highly regarded.
Closes 12 noon, Friday 23 October.
🌿🤝 Trustee, Percy Thomson Trust — Stratford.
The Percy Thomson Trust looks after three of Stratford's community treasures: the Percy Thomson Gallery, Arboretum and Herbarium. Stratford District Council is seeking a trustee to help guide the Trust's strategic direction, for an appointment of up to three years. Governance experience or professional skills are welcome in areas such as finance, law, business, marketing, IT, community development, or arts, heritage and environmental management. The Trust meets monthly on Thursday afternoons.
Voluntary. Closes 12 noon, Friday 6 November.
Tairāwhiti
🏔️ Independent Directors (two positions), Tāmanuhiri Tūtū Poroporo Trust — Gisborne.
Tāmanuhiri Tūtū Poroporo Trust is the post-settlement governance entity for Ngāi Tāmanuhiri. Alongside its trustees elected by iwi members, it is seeking two independent directors to bring additional governance capability.
Paid. Closes 30 October.
Bay of Plenty
🤝🩺 Board Member, Brain Injured Children Trust — Tauranga.
The Brain Injured Children Trust is a small charity supporting tamariki with brain injuries and their whānau across New Zealand, helping them access therapies, equipment, information and emotional support. It is seeking a board member, and no previous governance experience is needed. Skills in health, disability, education, law, finance, fundraising, communications or community leadership are all welcome, as is lived experience, and a lawyer or retired lawyer would be a bonus. The board meets up to six times a year, online or in Tauranga, and someone based in Tauranga or the wider Bay of Plenty is preferred.
Closes 22 October.
💰🤝 Board member, Bay Financial Mentors — Tauranga. Paid.
Bay Financial Mentors has spent five decades helping people across the Western Bay of Plenty through financial hardship, as part of the national FinCap network.
🩺🤝 Board member and Chair, Grief Support Services — Tauranga.
Grief Support Services provides professional grief and loss counselling across the Western Bay of Plenty, so no one has to grieve alone.
Northland
🌿🤝 Trustee, Quarry Arts Centre (Northland Craft Trust) — Whangārei.
The Northland Craft Trust runs Whangārei's Quarry Arts Centre, a grassroots creative hub, and is seeking trustees with skills in strategy, governance, arts or financial management.
Kāpiti
🤝 Trustee (x2), Birthright Kāpiti — Paraparaumu.
Birthright Kāpiti supports one-parent and vulnerable families on the Kāpiti Coast, and has two trustee seats coming up.
The Mainland: South Island
Otago
⚙️🏛️ Director, Whitestone Contracting Ltd — Ōamaru, Waitaki.
Whitestone Contracting is the infrastructure contracting company owned by Waitaki District Council. The council is seeking a director with strong business and governance skills, ideally in finance, infrastructure, health and safety or law, and experience in the Waitaki infrastructure sector would help. Applications are considered confidentially by a panel including the mayor, deputy mayor and chief executive, and the full council makes the appointment.
Paid. Closes 5pm, Friday 23 October.
🏛️ Director, Tourism Waitaki Ltd — Ōamaru, Waitaki.
Tourism Waitaki is the council-owned company that promotes the Waitaki District as a visitor destination. Waitaki District Council is seeking a director with strong business and governance skills, ideally in finance, tourism, health and safety or law, and experience in the Waitaki tourism sector would help. Applications are considered confidentially by a panel including the mayor, deputy mayor and chief executive, and the full council makes the appointment.
Paid. Closes 5pm, Friday 6 November.
🤝 Independent Chairperson, Otago Central Rail Trail Business Network — Central Otago.
The Otago Central Rail Trail Business Network represents 48 accommodation, hospitality, cycling and tourism businesses along New Zealand's original Great Ride, from Clyde to Middlemarch. It is seeking an independent Chairperson to lead its volunteer board through a new strategic plan, stronger member engagement and closer work with Tourism Central Otago and Enterprise Dunedin. Governance and chairing experience are essential; you don't need to be a trail operator or work in tourism. Most meetings are online, with one or two a year in Central Otago, and Business South provides the secretariat.
Voluntary. Closes 26 October.
More information and apply by email or call 021 522 361
Download the position description here: ocrtbn_chairperson_role_description_final_261008-2.pdf
🩺🤝 Board Member, Presbyterian Support Otago — Otago-wide.
Presbyterian Support Otago is one of the region's largest social-services charities, supporting families, older people and children right across Otago.
🩺🤝 Trustee, Otago Mental Health Support Trust — Dunedin.
Otago Mental Health Support Trust is a peer-governed service in Ōtepoti, where lived experience of mental distress sits at the heart of the board.
💰🤝 Board Member, SuperGrans SuperSkills — Dunedin.
SuperGrans Dunedin pairs experienced mentors with people learning everyday budgeting, cooking and household skills, building confidence one household at a time.
Canterbury
🩺🤝 Board Member, Presbyterian Support South Canterbury — Timaru.
Presbyterian Support South Canterbury is the region's largest social services and aged care provider, running residential and home care, Family Works support for families, a food bank, budgeting advice and refugee settlement services. In 2025 it became the first voluntary welfare organisation to win the Supreme Award at the South Canterbury business excellence awards. The board is seeking a member with financial expertise at governance level, though people looking to develop their governance skills are also welcome. The role involves a monthly board meeting, one committee and two strategy days a year.
Voluntary. Open until filled.
📚🤝 Two Board Members, R13 Youth Development Trust — Rangiora.
R13 Youth Development Trust works alongside rangatahi and their whānau in North Canterbury, removing barriers so young people can reach their potential.
Closes 12 noon, 23 October.
About, apply by emailing the chair
Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough
🤝 Independent Board Director, Tasman Rugby Union — Nelson and Marlborough.
Tasman Rugby Union governs rugby across Te Tauihu, from grassroots clubs and schools through to the Tasman Mako and its Farah Palmer Cup programme. It is seeking an independent director with strengths in areas such as commercial strategy, finance and risk, high-performance sport, marketing, or community relationships. Previous board experience is welcome but not essential.
Closes 5pm, Friday 23 October.
🤝 Trustee, Whakatū Refuge — Nelson.
Whakatū Refuge is Nelson's women's refuge, providing safe housing and support for women and children escaping family violence.
National and remote
🏔️ 🚜 🌿 Directors (two), Wharerata Forest Limited — Tairāwhiti (open New Zealand wide).
Tāmanuhiri Tūtū Poroporo Trust, a 50% shareholder in Wharerata Forest Limited, is seeking expressions of interest for two director positions. Wharerata is an important intergenerational asset for Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, and the trust wants people with strong governance and commercial judgement who are committed to its long-term stewardship. Experience in finance and investment, forestry or land-based assets, environmental sustainability, strategic relationships and Māori economic development is particularly welcome. Ngāi Tāmanuhiri uri are strongly encouraged to apply, and the opportunity is open to suitably qualified applicants more broadly. The board meets quarterly, with a three-year term. Apply with a CV and a short expression of interest. Email the trust for an information pack.
Paid. Closes 30 October, 5pm.
More information and apply email or call 06 863 3560.
🏔️ 🚜 💰 Independent Directors (two), Ngāi Tāmanuhiri Asset Holding Company — Tairāwhiti (open New Zealand wide).
Tāmanuhiri Tūtū Poroporo Trust is seeking two independent directors for its asset holding company, which receives, holds and manages the iwi's settlement fisheries quota and income shares, and may hold other assets. Directors provide commercial governance and intergenerational stewardship in line with the trust's 25-year strategy. The board is looking for strength in commercial governance, finance, investment and asset management, fisheries or Māori commercial assets, business development, and risk and compliance. Ngāi Tāmanuhiri whānau are strongly encouraged to apply, and the search is also open to suitably qualified people from outside the iwi. The board meets quarterly, with a three-year term. Apply with a CV and a short expression of interest. Email the trust for an information pack.
Paid. Closes 30 October, 5pm.
More information and apply email or call 06 863 3560.
🚜🌿 Independent Director, Overseer — National.
Overseer has modelled farm systems for over 30 years, giving farmers science-backed tools to balance environmental stewardship with farm profitability. The Board is seeking an independent director who is well connected across the primary sector, particularly pastoral farming, ideally with commercial experience in agritech and an understanding of science, AI or modelling. Proven governance experience and strong commercial and political judgement are expected, and there is potential to become Chair in time.
Closes 1 November.
🚜 Grower Member Board Directors (three positions), Foundation for Arable Research — National.
The Foundation for Arable Research is the levy-funded research body for New Zealand's grain, seed and arable growers. It is seeking three grower member Directors for terms starting 1 January 2027: one to replace a retiring director, one new position, and one seat whose current holder is standing again. Nominations must be endorsed by at least two current levy-paying members, and the Members' Council makes the final selection. Member election, eligibility applies.
Nominations close 12pm, 23 October.
🚜 Independent Trustee, New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Trust — National.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Trust runs the national awards that recognise and develop the next generation of dairy farmers and farming leaders. An Independent Trustee is retiring at the Trust's annual general meeting this month, and the Trust is seeking expressions of interest from people with strong governance experience, strategic thinking and a passion for the dairy industry and its future leaders.
Closing date not stated.
🤝 Elected Members, National Executive Committee (two positions), Disabled Persons Assembly — National.
Disabled Persons Assembly is a national organisation run by and for disabled people, advocating for their rights and for policy and law change. It is calling for nominations for two elected members of its National Executive Committee, with skills in governance, risk, finance, law or systemic advocacy particularly encouraged. Nominees must have been members for at least six months. Voting runs 3 November to 1 December, with results announced at the annual general meeting on 5 December. Member election, eligibility applies.
Nominations close 5pm, Tuesday 27 October.
🩺💰🤝 Trustee or Chair, Lymph Info Trust - Remote
Lymph Info Trust is a small charity improving the lives of people with lymphatic disorders through education and awareness, and needs a trustee ready to lead.