Biodiversity - Programme Lead

Company Description

Meridian is the largest producer of renewable electricity in Aotearoa, and we strive to deliver clean energy for a fairer and healthier world. We only generate electricity from 100% renewable resources – wind, water, and sun, because we believe that’s the best way forward for our planet and our communities. We’re doing what we can to help Aotearoa reduce their carbon emissions and support others in our generation communities to do the same. We also retail electricity to more than 365,000 homes, businesses, and farms across New Zealand through our Meridian and Powershop brands.

Job Description

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract that will bring Meridian's ‘nature positive’ commitment to life. In this role you will use your scientific and relationship expertise to gather Meridian’s biodiversity data and provide leadership and advice that shapes our biodiversity programme.

You’ll lead our biodiversity kaupapa, connect with teams to enhance established activities, and innovate and implement new initiatives that increase Meridian's biodiversity impact.

As well as working closely with Meridian staff, you will consider how we can connect our activities to iwi, customers, and communities and roll your sleeves up to help make this happen. Importantly, you will help biodiversity best practice become embedded in our operations and part of how we do things at Meridian.

There is advanced work underway to establish a comprehensive baseline of biodiversity and nature-based impacts and dependencies across Meridian operations.

Please note, this role can be based in any location, however, you will be required to spend some focus time in our Christchurch office.

What you’ll bring

You will have a background in Biodiversity or relevant science-based skills, and an in-depth understanding of the Resource Management Act (RMA) and relevant nature-related aspects of sustainability frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, guidance from the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD etc).

You’ll be confident in your areas of expertise and draw on this to develop and articulate solutions, and be a real people-person with the ability to build relationships quickly, and understand the value of bringing people along with you. Your cultural capability will help you meaningfully network and work with Iwi, and be open to understanding how Iwi see the natural world. As an outcomes and action orientated person, you will help us with ideas and applying new innovative approaches.

Other key experience includes:

• A background in ecology and/or science
• Experience working in the biodiversity domain
• Analytical skills to learn and apply standards/frameworks and establish measurement systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, capable of engaging with experts and making the complex simple for non-experts

• Commercial awareness to ensure that plans work alongside Meridian’s strategy and goals
• Ability to listen/adapt and be open minded
• Outcomes and action orientated mindset
• Disciplined with the ability to deliver in a short time-period

Why Meridian?

At Meridian, we value all people. We embrace different ways of thinking, living, and working, because we believe diversity benefits us all. It makes our capabilities even stronger. We encourage all our people to feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work and we’re proud to have a diverse and inclusive workplace. So, no matter who you are, you’ll find it a great place to work.

We value and live by three ‘How to Be’s’: ‘be gutsy’, working together by ‘being in the waka’ and doing the right thing by ‘being a good human’. We work hard and value the importance of connection and fun, whether this be through daily quizzes, morning teas, birthday, and cultural celebrations both in person and virtually!

Sustainability sits firmly in our DNA both socially and environmentally. We proudly support KidsCan and the Kākāpō Recovery and work side-by-side with our generation communities to empower and support projects where needed. There are many opportunities to volunteer to any of our partnerships throughout the year.

What we can offer you!

We value work/life balance so our WFH and flexible work options (where possible) make things easier for you and your whānau. We also offer:

• an attractive and competitive salary package that’s reviewed annually, performance-incentive plus discounts from a number of partnerships
• enhanced leave provisions: three company paid days (over the holiday period), enhanced parental leave and options to buy up to 12 days additional leave
• enhanced KiwiSaver contributions
• excellent learning and development opportunities, we want you to be the best version of yourself and will help you get there!
• award winning wellbeing programme that provides support whenever and wherever you need it
• employee discounts off your power with Meridian, every bit counts

All in all, we’re an awesome place to work. If this sounds like you and you want to bring your energy and use your power to make a difference (pun intended), then apply today and tell us why!

To view the full Position Description please click here Click Here – we’re not necessarily looking for someone who ticks all the boxes (an elusive unicorn), so if you think you have what it takes but don't meet every requirement in the PD, we strongly encourage you to apply!

If you have any general enquiries please contact [email protected] and one of our team will get back to you. We're committed to becoming more accessible and providing support if needed, please get in touch via email or phone if there are any parts of our process you would like assistance with (process found here meridianenergy.co.nz/careers), we’re more than happy to help.

Advertising closes on 29th May 2024 (please note this is subject to change).