about us
At Roading & Building Recruitment, we offer a level of service and understanding unmatched in the industry, only possible from people who have been in those shoes (or steel caps!) themselves.
OUR TEAM
Roading and Building (RB) Recruitment was born after finding a distinct gap of knowledge in what is required of specific roles in civil and construction. We are on the ground working in Civil every day – we understand your needs. We know the intricacies and requirements of each role and the right people for the job.
We are a team of experienced and committed recruitment experts with a nationwide reach. Our consultants have decades of on the ground experience in civil, construction, truck driving and more with the licences and knowledge to really understand the industries we recruit for.
With offices in Christchurch, Auckland, Dunedin, Palmerston North and Queenstown, RB Recruitment can provide you with recruitment solutions throughout New Zealand.
BEN sexton
Managing Director
A South Island boy through and through, Ben moved to Christchurch to launch RB Recruitment in 2021. With over 12 years in Sales and Recruitment, and a number of years specifically on the ground in Civil, Ben has a wealth of knowledge and experience behind him to match the right people to the right job for you.
Having to hang the footy boots up due to a motorbike crash, he now enjoys spending his spare time snowboarding, mountain biking and hacking his way around a golf course (no really, he hacks badly!).
REWI ERICKSON
Branch Manager – Christchurch Branch
Returning to his Christchurch roots after a stint on the Sunshine Coast, Re brings his family, community passion and plenty of energy. Born and raised locally, he’s a strong advocate for Christchurch and leads our team with a positive, people-focused approach. With broad recruitment experience, Re excels at building connections and meaningful relationships, whether meeting onsite or through thoughtful outreach.
When he’s not leading the Christchurch team, Rewi enjoys family time, DIY projects, and taking part in charitable sports events like the Clash for Construction boxing fundraiser for MATES in Construction.
CLIFF COOPER
Branch Manager – Southern Branch
Cliff brings over a decade of recruitment experience in a variety of roles and industries - from civil and construction to engineering and aviation, and everything in between! Managing the Southern region for RB Recruitment, Cliff is Dunedin based and splits his time between our Dunedin and Queenstown offices, servicing Southland, Central and the entire Otago region from here.
Outside of work, you’ll find Cliff zooming around the local ice rink and bringing his ability to help people grow and improve to the ice as well as the office! An avid ice hockey fan, he has been playing for 30 years and coaching for nearly 25., from juniors through to seniors including Rep level.
PAUL SEXTON
Senior Recruitment Consultant - Auckland & Palmy
Heading up our North Island activity is Paul, our true blue-collar Southern lad. With deep industry knowledge, he began in Civil as a labourer before moving into geotechnical drilling, earning a strong list of qualifications and progressing to Project Manager. After nearly a decade on some of NZ’s most technical cliff-side projects, he’s now in the recruitment hot seat, expertly matching skills to jobs and understanding the people and projects that keep NZ moving.
In his downtime, Paul enjoys exploring Auckland’s beaches, catching gigs or festivals, and spending a sunny afternoon at a classic Kiwi pub spinning yarns with the locals.
EMMA WHEATLAND
HR Specialist & Executive Recruitment
Originally from the UK, Emma brings military discipline and people-focused leadership to her HR and recruitment career. Since transitioning from the forces, she has built six years of experience across HR, talent acquisition and workforce development. With a Bachelor of Law, she supports RBR clients nationwide with permanent, technical and executive recruitment, while also contributing to strategic work in performance architecture, policy and governance, workforce planning and wider people and capability initiatives.
Outside of work, Emma enjoys family time, volunteering with native species (including Kiwi!), supporting the SPCA, and attempting the occasional mountain descent on a board or bike.
Jamie Tomars
Senior Recruitment Consultant - Christchurch
Hailing from the Far North, Jamie brings over a decade of recruitment experience to the RB team. With nationwide networks across Construction, Manufacturing and Logistics, he has strong industry knowledge and experience in bulk recruitment and assessment centres. Jamie prides himself on working closely with clients to achieve great outcomes while prioritising job satisfaction for his team.
Outside of work, Jamie splits his time between Rugby League, Basketball, and making memories with his daughter and partner at the playground, beach or in the water.
Luke Downey
Recruitment Consultant - Christchurch, Blenheim and Nelson
A Christchurch man born and bred, Luke brings with him over 20 years’ experience in civil construction. It’s safe to say he knows his way around a work site having previously been site foreman and civil operations manager, as well as having over a decade of truck driving under his belt - Luke loves trucks! After a 13 year stint in Australia, Luke has come home to bring up his children close to his Canterbury roots and put his diverse skillset to good use.
Family is everything to Luke, so when he’s not on site or at the office he can be found spending time with his friends and loved ones or tending to his veggie garden at home by the beach.
Samya harris
Marketing & Communications Manager
Samya joins us from the UK with a background in marketing and communications. Her previous roles have ranged from tech to FMCG and have been based from London to Sydney to Auckland while she travelled the world after University. Samya keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes while trying to keep the boys under control in the office!
Aotearoa has been her home for four years now, and she loves getting out to the mountains to explore all the beauty NZ has to offer. This year she’s taken up surfing and skiing, although insists it’s very much an ‘all the gear and no idea’ situation!
Sandra Dang
Payroll & Accounts Administrator
Born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau, Sandra handles payroll and accounts across the entire business while supporting our Auckland office. After studying business accounting, Sandra worked in the accounts and payroll department for a youth disability charity. She is now ready to put her skills and experience to work, and excited for the challenge a diverse role in a growing recruitment agency will bring!
Always one to keep active and try new outdoor pursuits, Sandra loves to snowboard in the winter and enjoys hiking and snorkelling around Aotearoa’s gorgeous beaches in the warmer months.
Ollie dog - in loving memory
Head of Morale
In 2023 we sadly said goodbye to Ollie the English Springer/Fox Terrier Cross. Ollie loved coming in to our Christchurch office everyday, and was always on hand to offer a morale boost to the team. He spent his days greeting guests with a friendly woof, playing with his ball and just being a good boy.
His biggest achievement would be running the length of New Zealand in aid of the Otago Hospice with his human in 2016. Not many pups can say they’ve done that!
