Wellington mayor Andy Foster's chief of staff has resigned and will return to the Department of Conservation, the Herald understands.
Sarah Owen has been in the role for less than a year after starting the position in May.
She was previously the executive manager in former Christchurch mayor Sir Bob Parker's office, starting in that role a month before the February 2011 earthquake.
More recently, she was employed as systems design manager at the Department of Conservation, and as a private secretary in the Beehive working on conservation policy.