Council chief executive Sarah Gardner yesterday confirmed a proposal had been sent to staff for consultation.
It would involve the disestablishment of eight jobs and the creation of nine new jobs.
The reorganisation proposal was about ensuring the council was ``best structured and positioned to serve the people of Otago''.
Vacancies at the director level provided an opportunity to consider how the the organisation was structured, she said.
Mrs Gardner would not say yesterday whether the restructuring would disestablish any director positions. Three directors at the council left late last year. No permanent replacements had been found.
The restructuring would help the ORC's focus on its priorities: water, climate change, biodiversity and urban development.
"Otago faces some critical challenges that will require us more than ever to have the right structure, focus and approach if we are to meet them.
"The proposed new structure realigns the staff of the ORC to provide for better integration, greater synergy and improved alignment between our teams so we can make greater progress.''
Obtaining staff input would take several weeks, she said.
