Napier City councillor Rob Lutter will resign next week, after being approached to lead a national charitable foundation.
Mr Lutter, a fourth-term councillor, recently accepted a position as chief executive of @Heart, a charity which supports New Zealand children and families affected by congenital heart disease. He will resign on May 22.
"It's a cause which is close to me. My son Zac was born 17 years ago with multiple heart defects and he has since undergone 15 heart operations, four of which were open heart surgery," Mr Lutter said.
He said it was a tough decision to leave the council but the job was an opportunity he could not turn down.
"It will be hard to leave Napier City Council. It has been an honour to represent the people during the past nine years but I don't want to be a part-time councillor. I don't think it would be fair to the people of Napier.