Civic & International Relations Graduate

Christchurch City Council; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 76,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Christchurch City Council is seeking a Civic & International Relations Graduate to support the team across civic leadership, international engagement and key partnerships. You will contribute from day one, learning from experienced professionals while growing into advisory roles.

The role offers exposure to local and international work, with structured learning, development opportunities and a pathway to future roles within public service and international relations.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification completed within last three years in a related field.
• Interest in international relations or stakeholder management.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse people.
• NZ driver’s licence.
• Experience via internships or volunteering preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support planning and delivery of civic and ceremonial events.
• Assist with international visits, meetings, exchanges and stakeholder engagements.
• Conduct research and prepare briefing material, reports and presentations.
• Coordinate logistics, invitations, guest management and event administration.
• Support relationships with diplomatic reps and government agencies.
• Draft correspondence and respond to enquiries.
• Maintain records, databases and schedules.

Skills

Strong written and verbal comms

Organisational skills

Relationship building

Microsoft Office

NZ driver’s licence

Education

Tertiary qualification completed within last three years in international relations or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Civic & International Relations Graduate

About the team | Ko te rōpū nei

The Civic & International Relations team plays an important role in supporting Christchurch's civic leadership, international engagement and key partnerships. From civic ceremonies and official functions to international visits and relationship management, the team helps connect Christchurch with communities, organisations and partners both locally and and around the world.

To support the long-term sustainability of the team, we've created a new Civic & International Relations Graduate position. This role strengthens our succession planning, creates a development pathway for future talent, and supports the transfer of specialist knowledge, relationships and institutional experience. It's an exciting opportunity to learn from experienced professionals while contributing to meaningful work that showcases Christchurch on the local, national and international stage.

About the role | Ko te mahi nei

This is more than a typical graduate position. You'll be involved in meaningful work from day one while building the knowledge and experience needed to progress into future advisory roles.

• Supporting the planning and delivery of civic and ceremonial events
• Assisting with international visits, meetings, exchanges and stakeholder engagements
• Conducting research and preparing briefing material, reports and presentations
• Coordinating logistics, invitations, guest management and event administration
• Supporting relationships with diplomatic representatives, government agencies, community organisations and international stakeholders
• Drafting correspondence and responding to enquiries
• Maintaining records, databases and activity schedules

Participating in structured learning and development opportunities while progressively taking on greater responsibility

We're looking for someone who is curious, motivated and eager to build a career in public service, international relations or stakeholder engagement.

To be successful, you'll bring:

• A tertiary qualification completed within the last three years in international relations, political science, foreign languages, communications, public policy or a related field
• A demonstrated interest in international relations, local government, civic engagement or stakeholder management
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• The ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of people
• Confidence managing competing priorities and coordinating activities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
• A full New Zealand drivers’ licence

Experience gained through internships, volunteering, community involvement, student leadership or academic projects will be highly regarded, as will event coordination experience, language skills and cultural awareness.

What's in it for you? He aha ngā hua ki a koe?

This is a rare opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in an area of work that combines local government, civic leadership, international engagement and event delivery. You'll learn directly from experienced professionals while contributing to projects that help connect Christchurch with communities and partners locally and around the world.

Want to be involved in shaping your City? Here at the Council we know our strength comes from our people, working together as one team to create results. When you join us, you're getting involved first hand, and contributing to crafting the Christchurch community. You will also benefit from:

• Access to training programmes, workshops, and development opportunities
• Flexible working arrangements - adjustable start and finish times, option to purchase extra leave.
• Collaboration - exposure to wider areas of the organisation
• Benefits - a variety of benefits for Council staff from health schemes to retail discounts.

We understand that recruitment processes can be challenging. If you require any accessibility support to apply for this role, please reach out to us at [e-mail]

• Hours of work - Full-time Monday to Friday, however there will be occasional weekend and some evening work as the business requires
• Position - Permanent
• Location- This position is primarily based at Te Hononga, Christchurch City Council Civic Offices - 53 Hereford Street
• Salary - The salary band for this position goes from $76,433 to $84,926 per annum based on a 40 hour week. Starting salaries will be based on knowledge, skills and experience the successful candidate brings to the role, and relativities both, within the immediate team and in the broader organisation for the same or similar roles.
• Closing Date - Sunday 15 th November

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the close date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad before the advertised close date.

Where it's possible to love what you do.