For 2026, Kirk Roberts is proud to partner with The Keystone Trust, a New Zealand charity dedicated to supporting pathways into property and construction careers through scholarships, mentoring, internships and industry connections.

The Keystone Trust helps young people access the education, support and industry exposure they need to build successful careers within the construction and property sectors, while creating strong connections between students and industry organisations across New Zealand.

This partnership reflects our commitment to investing in the future of our industry and supporting the next generation of engineering and construction talent. Through this sponsorship, our team will have opportunities to mentor students, support networking initiatives, and host Keystone Trust events within our offices around the country.

The partnership also enables us to build meaningful relationships with emerging talent entering the industry, including students who have completed internships with Kirk Roberts through the Keystone Trust programme.

At Kirk Roberts, we’re passionate about creating futures and supporting initiatives that help strengthen our industry for the long term. We’re proud to support an organisation creating opportunities for future industry leaders and helping shape a stronger future for the property and construction sector in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

As buildings become more complex, traditional fire design methods don’t always provide the flexibility or insight needed to achieve the best outcomes.

At Kirk Roberts, we deliver advanced fire and evacuation modelling using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and Pathfinder, helping optimise building design while improving usability and enabling greater architectural freedom.

Unlike simplified approaches, FDS modelling simulates how fire and smoke develop and move throughout a space over time.

This allows our team to assess key safety factors such as visibility, temperature, and tenability, providing a much clearer picture of building performance.

“For projects where standard fire design methods fall short, advanced modelling gives us the ability to test real scenarios and optimise outcomes. That often means greater design flexibility and avoiding unnecessary cost, while still meeting the required safety standards.”

Herman Fong, Fire Team Leader Auckland.

There’s something happening in Tauranga right now. It’s not just growth, it’s momentum. The kind that creates opportunity for engineers who want to step into something meaningful, shape a region, and be part of a team that’s building with intent.

For Mark Weber, recently appointed Regional Manager at Kirk Roberts, that’s exactly what stood out.

After years working across New Zealand and Australia in project and operational leadership roles, Mark was looking for something different.

“I was looking for a company with a genuine point of difference,” he says. “Kirk Roberts stood out on many levels, from our own land developments to an in-house software team. These capabilities give us the opportunity to help create futures in ways many others can’t.”

With the pace of change in technology and development, that combination of capability and thinking was a key drawcard.

A Region That Requires Innovation

Tauranga continues to grow, but it’s not without its challenges. For Mark, that’s part of the appeal.

“There’s some really strong talent in Tauranga, along with great clients delivering high-quality projects,” he says. “It’s a challenging market, and that demands innovation to succeed. That’s where I believe we can add real value.”

Across the region, increasing complexity is driving smarter thinking, particularly as projects respond to rising costs and land constraints.

The Work: Challenging and Evolving

The Tauranga market is seeing a steady pipeline of commercial work, with projects requiring careful consideration around cost, design, and delivery.

“Rising build costs and land constraints are driving some impressive value engineering outcomes,” Mark says. “It makes the work both challenging and rewarding.”

For experienced engineers, that means exposure to a broad range of projects and the opportunity to be part of practical, solution-focused delivery.

Building the Team

Alongside the work itself, Mark’s focus is firmly on the team.

“We’re focused on building a culture of team and customer care, supported by accountability and a solutions-focused mindset,” he says. “With the right people at our core, we’ll deliver strong results and enjoy what we’re doing.”

It’s an environment designed to support experienced engineers who want to take ownership, contribute to outcomes, and be part of a collaborative team.

Why Consider Tauranga

For those already established in their careers, making a move takes careful consideration. For Mark, the opportunity in Tauranga is about more than just the role.

“This is an opportunity to build a genuinely fulfilling career around what excites you,” he says. “You’re supported by a team that wants to see you grow and succeed.”

And outside of work, Tauranga offers a lifestyle that continues to draw people to the region.

“You won’t regret it. It’s a company with a clear direction, a team that genuinely enjoys what they do, and a location that caters to a wide range of lifestyles.”

Tauranga Photo by Uran Wang on Unsplash

Kirk Roberts is strengthening our presence in the Greater Wellington Region, marking our continued commitment to national multidiscipline growth and supporting clients with high-quality, practical engineering solutions throughout Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt.

Building on previous project delivery in Wellington, this expansion reflects both increasing demand for our services and our commitment to being closer to the clients and communities we deliver solutions to.

We’re delighted to welcome Atharva Pisolkar, who joins Kirk Roberts as a Site Engineer based in Wellington.

Atharva’s appointment enhances our on-the-ground capability and reinforces our focus on consistency, quality assurance and responsive service across structural, geotechnical, civil and environmental inspections.

As we expand, our purpose remains the same, delivering engineering excellence and solutions, finding better ways, and partnering with our clients. We look forward to supporting the next wave of Wellington projects and continuing to build strong, enduring relationships across the region.

Kirk Roberts is proud to announce that Mark Weber has officially stepped into the role of Regional Manager – Tauranga, effective 29 January 2026.

This marks an exciting new chapter for our Tauranga office and reflects our commitment to thoughtful, values-led succession planning.

After more than 12 years of dedicated leadership in the region, Craig Manssen formally stepped aside from the Regional Manager role on 27 February 2026, following a structured handover period to ensure continuity for our clients and team.

A Strong Foundation

Craig’s leadership has been instrumental in establishing Kirk Roberts as a trusted engineering partner across the Bay of Plenty. His steady guidance, technical depth, and commitment to quality have shaped a high-performing team and a respected regional presence.

Importantly, Craig’s journey with KR continues. He remains part of the business in a consulting capacity as a CPEng Principal Engineer, providing technical expertise and support across Tauranga and beyond.

Craig Manssen says:

“Leading Tauranga for the past 12 years has been a privilege. I’m proud of what the team has built and confident in the strength of the foundations in place. Mark brings fresh energy and strong leadership capability, and I’m pleased to continue supporting the team and our clients in this next phase.”