Principal Advisor - Executive Performance

Rotorua Lakes Council; Rotorua; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Rotorua Lakes Council is seeking an experienced Principal Adviser on a fixed-term basis for 18 months to support the Executive Leadership Team. The role focuses on strategic decision-making, improving processes, and delivering high-quality advice, reports, and papers that inform council decisions.

You will work across the organisation, championing innovative, smarter ways of working with digital tools and AI, coaching others, and building capability in decision frameworks and templates.

Qualifications

• Experience preparing advice and briefing materials for senior decision-makers in a complex, possibly political environment.
• Evidence of clear written and verbal communication tailored for executives.
• Ability to translate complex information into concise, actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Shape strategic decision-making across the organisation and improve business processes.
• Elevate the quality of advice, reports, presentations and Council papers.
• Partner with senior leaders to identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive advisory

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Digital tools

Microsoft 365

AI awareness

Tools

Microsoft 365

AI-enabled tools

Job description

Your next adventure: Rotorua Lakes Council beckons!

Are you seeking an adventure that combines professional growth with community enrichment? Look no further than Te Kaunihera o ngā Roto o Rotorua | Rotorua Lakes Council. With a team of over 400 staff, we're the driving force behind iconic projects that define the Rotorua landscape - from the Sir Howard Morrison Centre to the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment.

Immerse yourself in the unique blend of nature and culture that Rotorua offers, with lakeside tranquility, world-class mountain biking, and captivating geothermal wonders. Our commitment to biculturalism through collaboration with Te Arawa, our local iwi, is hugely important as is your appreciation for Māori values, te reo, and tikanga Māori. Join us and embark on a journey where your passion meets purpose.

Whakarongo ki te Tūī e karanga mai ana, Tihei Mauriora e! Hear the call of the Tūī, Behold there is life!

Are you a strategic thinker who can turn complex information into clear, compelling advice while embracing emerging technologies and innovative ways of working? Rotorua Lakes Council is seeking an experienced Principal Adviser to join us on a fixed-term basis for 18 months, providing high-quality, future-focused support to our Executive Leadership Team.

This is a unique opportunity to work across the organisation, shaping strategic decision-making, improving business processes, and lifting the quality of advice, reports, presentations and Council papers. You'll partner with senior leaders to tackle complex challenges, identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement, and help connect today's decisions with tomorrow's community outcomes.

A key focus of the role is helping Council explore smarter ways of working through digital tools, automation and emerging AI technologies. You'll identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve reporting and analysis, reduce duplication, and support leaders to use technology effectively and responsibly. You'll also help build organisational capability by coaching others, improving templates and decision-making frameworks, and championing practical innovations that enhance productivity and service delivery.

We're looking for a highly skilled communicator with experience preparing advice and briefing material for senior decision-makers in a complex environment. You'll bring excellent analytical thinking, strong political and organisational awareness, outstanding writing and presentation skills, and a passion for continuous improvement. Confidence using Microsoft 365, AI-enabled productivity tools, and digital technologies is essential, along with the ability to build trusted relationships and influence at all levels.

In return, you'll join an organisation committed to serving its community, embracing innovation, and fostering a culture where people, purpose and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do.

If you're excited about combining strategic thinking, executive-level advisory work, and the opportunities that digital innovation and AI can bring to local government, we'd love to hear from you. This is a rare opportunity to make a meaningful impact through a fixed-term 18-month role that will help shape the future of Rotorua Lakes Council and the community it serves.

Te Kaunihera o nga Roto o Rotorua (Rotorua Lakes Council) is committed to working in partnership with Te Arawa, our local iwi. We aspire to being a bicultural organisation and we value staff who speak te reo Maori, have an appreciation of Maori values, and a working knowledge of tikanga Maori.