Corporate Policy Advisor

Taituarā; Waikato; Hybrid; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working options

Relocation allowance

Five weeks annual leave + sick leave

Job summary

Taituarā is seeking a Corporate Policy Advisor in Waikato to join our Strategy and Policy team. This is not entry-level; you’ll hit the ground running with local government policy experience and help shape plans, policies and bylaws that guide how the Council serves communities.

You’ll work across projects from long-term plan reviews to performance analysis, turning complex legislation into practical guidance and engaging with tangata whenua and key stakeholders.

Qualifications

• At least three years’ relevant experience in local government corporate planning, policy or a similar analytical role.

Responsibilities

• Work with council teams to keep projects on track and moving forward.
• Research local issues and interpret potential impacts for communities and services.
• Develop and review policies, strategies and bylaws guiding council activities.
• Turn legislation and technical reports into practical, understandable guidance for staff and the public.
• Build relationships with tangata whenua, community groups and stakeholders.
• Contribute to Long-term Plan and Annual Plan decisions and measure service performance.
• Produce high-quality planning and policy outputs that make a real difference.

Skills

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Writing and communication

Multi-project management

Job description

Ready to use your local government experience in a role that genuinely influences Council decisions?

We're looking for a Corporate Policy Advisor to join our Strategy and Policy team.

This is not an entry-level policy role. We're looking for someone who already understands how local government works and can hit the ground running from day one.

You’ll help shape the plans, policies and bylaws that guide how the Council serves its communities. One week you might be supporting a Long-term Plan project, the next you could be leading a bylaw review, analysing performance information, preparing community engagement material, or helping turn complex legislation into practical advice.

It’s varied, fast-paced, often challenging work and a chance to be involved in decisions that have a visible impact across the Coromandel.

What you’ll be doing

• Working with people across the Council to keep our projects on track and moving forward.
• Researching local issues and helping the Council understand what they could mean for our communities and services.
• Developing and reviewing policies, strategies and bylaws that guide what our Council does.
• Turning legislation, technical reports and complex information into practical advice that people can understand and use.
• Building positive relationships with tangata whenua, community groups and key stakeholders.
• Helping shape the Council's Long-term Plan and Annual Plan, including decisions about the services we provide and how we measure success.
• Producing high-quality planning and policy work that makes a genuine difference for our communities.
• Preparing clear, engaging information that helps elected members and the public understand issues and make informed decisions.

What we’re looking for

• At least three years’ relevant experience in local government corporate planning, policy or a similar analytical role
• Working knowledge of relevant legislation and planning processes
• Someone who can juggle multiple projects without dropping the important ones
• Clear writing, sound judgement and the confidence to ask good questions
• Strong relationship skills — because nothing in local government gets done alone
• Big-picture thinking with an eye for detail
• Awareness of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the importance of engaging well with Māori
• A genuine interest in improving how services are planned, measured and communicated.

A real advantage would be experience in supporting or leading bylaw reviews and development.

Why join us

• Flexible and hybrid working options
• A supportive, high-trust team
• Real opportunities to grow and take on responsibility
• Work that has visible impact on how services are delivered across the Coromandel
• Relocation allowance
• Five weeks of annual leave + sick leave from the start of employment.

If you've worked in local government planning or policy and you're looking for a role where you can broaden your experience across corporate planning, performance reporting and bylaw development, we'd love to hear from you.

Closing Date: Friday 20th September 2026 at 9.00pm