Head of Strategic Communications

Halter; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Delicious snacks and drinks

Health insurance

Parental leave

Self-development budget

Wellness leave

Employee stock ownership plan

Job summary

Halter is seeking a Head of Strategic Communications to lead Halter's global communications and engagement strategy. You will work with the Executive team and regional comms leads to tell Halter's story across markets, guiding messaging on complex topics and long-term reputation management.

You will bring 5–10 years in senior communications roles, with a track record in media, government relations, or agricultural industries.

Qualifications

• Significant experience (5–10 years) in senior strategic communications roles.
• Bonus for experience in government relations and/or farming industry.
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic communications across multiple markets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver Halter's global communications and engagement strategy.
• Lead a global team of Strategic Comms managers with mentoring and direction.
• Oversee media relations, issues management, and major announcements.

Skills

Strategic communications

Media relations

Issues management

Public relations

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

About Halter

At Halter, we’re on a mission to enable farmers and graziers to run the most productive and sustainable operations. Our customers are using Halter to break free from the time-intensive constraints of conventional practices. Imagine watching 500 cattle stand up and walk calmly towards their next break? No quad bikes, no dogs, no fences. Just a group of cattle walking at their own pace. People say it looks like magic. Our customers are revolutionizing grazing with Halter. It's changing lives and transforming an industry. People join Halter to do meaningful work. By joining us you’ll be solving challenging problems within a talented team and a culture built for high performance. Our team out-think, out-work and out-care. We’re committed to delivering real change in the world - this isn’t easy, and in truth, we love that it’s hard.

We’re backed to deliver on a mission that matters by Tier 1 investors including Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, BOND, DCVC, Blackbird, Promus Ventures, Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck and Icehouse ventures.

To find out more, visit our LinkedIn & Instagram.

Head of Strategic Communications

Are you ready to apply your skills and expertise to share our story with stakeholders around the world? Halter’s technology is transforming farming. We are enabling farmers to grow and harvest more grass, increase productivity, work less and care for their animals and their environment better than before. We are looking for an exceptional strategic communications leader with the ability to drive and strengthen our reputation across global markets. Thinking differently and challenging norms is what we do and we’re looking for someone to help tell our story around how this technology is changing lives, delivering significant benefits and transforming an industry.

About the role

Halter is one of the world’s fastest growing agritech companies, and the most transformative technology available to dairy and beef farmers. Halter is the fastest growing company in New Zealand, with over 1M cows with Halter on farms throughout NZ, AUS and Northern America. You will set and deliver our global communications and engagement strategy, working closely with the broader strategic relations team, and your own strategic comms team in each market. You’ll help unlock new opportunities and ensure consistent messaging on complex topics to key stakeholders, markets and customers. You bring 5-10 years’ experience in senior communications roles and a background in media or communications. Reporting to the Senior Director, External Relations, this is an opportunity to lead our communications and engagement strategy at home in New Zealand and across our international markets.

What your day could look like

• Communications Strategy Development - Develop and implement comprehensive engagement and communication strategies that align with Halter’s mission, operating principles and growth strategy. Work collaboratively to ensure core messaging is aligned across internal and external communications. You will channel Halter’s natural communication style and tailor this for different markets. Monitoring and analysing emerging industry trends, insights and stakeholder feedback to shape communication priorities and narratives.

• Media Engagement - Your relationships with and knowledge of media in the markets we operate will be paramount and it is expected that you will bring expertise in story development and strategic media pitching. But the true magic will be in how you combine your media knowledge, with a deep understanding of Halter and our brand, to ensure we always show up in an authentic way.

• Issues Management - At times you will need to respond with urgency as events unfold. You are expected to have an ability to think calmly under pressure, to prioritise tasks and to manage communications strategically to support customers and to support Halter’s brand and reputation while working effectively with external stakeholders.

• Public Relations - Champion thought leadership initiatives, positioning Halter as an industry innovator through compelling narratives and engagement across traditional and digital channels. Oversee the planning and delivery of major announcements, strategic campaigns, and critical communications initiatives.

• Collaboration & Leadership - You'll work closely with the Executive team and other leaders to integrate communications strategies into the wider business. You will lead a global team of Strategic Comms managers, setting the direction and providing mentoring and guidance.

• Documentation - In partnership with colleagues and advisors, you will help develop documents and presentations for external stakeholders across a range of topics. For example, you might partner with our advisors on writing a submission from Halter to a government on a particular topic that would be publicly available.

Core requirements

These skills are essential for this role. We expect applicants to demonstrate evidence of these requirements in their CV, cover letter and in interviews.

• Significant experience in developing and delivering strategic communications strategies. You bring at least 5-10 years' experience in senior strategic communications roles, and a bonus if you have experience in government relations and/or the farming industry. You have examples of delivering successful strategic communications campaigns through developing key messaging, telling stories and sharing narratives across a range of channels. You have examples of how you’ve effectively adapted your communication to suit different audiences and styles. You have examples of dealing with complex technical or regulatory topics and delivering effective communications from them. You deeply understand the media landscape and are strategic in your thinking and approach to stakeholders. You are highly organised at building and strengthening networks and relationships.

• Influencer & Communicator - You’re an influential communicator and presenter. You have examples of conveying complex technical topics with clarity and confidence. You’re an exceptional listener. You have high quality written and verbal communication skills. You’re an ambassador by building rapport and trust with people naturally. You have examples of influencing senior stakeholders at a level similar to senior politicians or executives.

• Proactive & Self-Directed - You have a proven track record of working in a highly self-directed, proactive, resourceful way to deliver value. You have high emotional intelligence and self-awareness. You approach challenges with a “can-do” attitude. You are driven to deliver value. Your ambition and growth mindset is matched by your genuine humility.

Our Benefits

• Delicious snacks and drinks are available for your daily flow.

• Healthy body, healthy mind. We're partnered with Southern Cross Health Insurance to support your well-being.

• We offer 6 months of fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers, 4 weeks of fully paid secondary caregiver leave and many other parental benefits that support you and your family.

• Our personal growth is important. Halter offers an annual $1000 self-development budget to be used for anything that fuels personal growth.

• Our time to recharge is valued, we're offered wellness leave and unlimited paid annual leave.

• Importantly, we offer an inclusive and attractive remuneration package made up of salary, benefits and an employee stock ownership plan.

Our Office First Approach

Humans are wired for connection. Being office first is a core pillar of our culture because in-person connections drive your growth, learning, impact, and relationships. Strong relationships make it easier to disagree, give feedback, and do meaningful work together.

We're office first, not office only. Working from the office is our default, but we flex when needed. We have a high-trust culture where everyone is trusted to do what's best for Halter.

Our office vibe is special, the high energy and spectacular people make work enjoyable. Your growth and impact are unlimited here, coming from solving problems, innovating, and constantly learning from each other.

Join our team

Halter is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace — a place where we can each be ourselves and do the best work of our lives. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and under-represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but don’t necessarily tick every requirement on this job description, please still get in touch and apply to Halter. We’d love to chat to see if you’ll be an epic fit!

Why our team loves working at Halter:

• Work that genuinely matters. Every now and again a company comes along that transforms an entire industry and leaves the world in a better place. Our team gets to be part of something truly meaningful, helping farmers improve their livelihoods, spend more time with their families, and build more sustainable operations.

• Spectacular people solving hard problems. Our culture is designed for talented people to do work that changes lives. The team is filled with diverse, kind, and driven people who push each other to do their best work. You'll be thrown into the deep end, tackling complex challenges and building something tangible that solves real problems.

• You'll grow here. Autonomy, mastery, and learning define how we work. You'll have the freedom to work on interesting problems, master new skills, and continuously develop yourself, both through your role and our $1,000 personal growth fund.

• This isn't easy, and we love that it's hard. Working at Halter will be the most rewarding and the most challenging work of your life. We move fast, take bold bets, and work hard to reshape an entire industry. As one team member put it: "Joining Halter is a bit like strapping yourself to a rocket ship, but it's an epic journey to be a part of!"