Principal Communications Advisor

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment; Wellington; On-site; NZD 118,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

MBIE's Communications and Government Services branch is seeking a Principal Communications Advisor in the Internal and Corporate Communications team in Wellington Central. This role will provide strategic direction, expert advice and lead complex communications programmes, partnering with senior leaders to drive engagement, change and clear messaging.

You will shape MBIE's internal communications environment, lead strategic storytelling, and coach staff to build capability across the

Qualifications

• Significant senior-level communications experience in a large and complex organisation.
• Issues and media management experience.
• Expertise in internal communications, employee engagement and organisational change.
• Outstanding writing, editing and strategic thinking skills.
• Trusted adviser to senior leaders and executives.
• Experience coaching and developing others.
• Strong understanding of channels, emerging technologies and best-practice communication approaches.
• The ability to translate complexity into clear, engaging and meaningful communications that drive understanding and action.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic internal communications across a large and complex organisation
• Partner with senior leaders to strengthen engagement and communication capability
• Shape how MBIE connects, informs and engages its people
• Mentor communications professionals and champion best practice

Skills

Senior leadership comms

Media management

Internal comms

Employee engagement

Organisational change

Writing & editing

Executive advisory

Coaching leaders

Strategic thinking

Channels & tech

Job description

Wellington Central

• Lead strategic internal communications across a large and complex organisation
• Partner with senior leaders to strengthen engagement and communication capability
• Shape how MBIE connects, informs and engages its people
• Mentor communications professionals and champion best practice

About the Role - Tēnei tūranga:

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

2 Year Fixed-term or Secondment

Wellington Central

Salary range: $118,390 - $143,639 + KiwiSaver + Wellbeing Benefits

• Lead strategic internal communications across a large and complex organisation
• Partner with senior leaders to strengthen engagement and communication capability
• Shape how MBIE connects, informs and engages its people
• Mentor communications professionals and champion best practice

About the Role - Tēnei tūranga:

This is an exciting opportunity to join MBIE's Communications and Government Services branch as a Principal Communications Advisor in the Internal and Corporate Communications team.

As an experienced communications leader, you will provide strategic direction, expert advice and technical leadership across a diverse portfolio of work. You will partner with senior leaders and stakeholders to develop communications approaches that support organisational priorities, strengthen employee engagement and enable successful organisational change. You will be able to provide expert advice on media engagement, helping MBIE to strategically navigate complex issues in a fast-changing operating environment.

You will play a key role in shaping MBIE's internal communications environment, ensuring our channels, messaging and communication practices help create a connected, informed and engaged workforce. You'll lead complex communications programmes, champion strategic storytelling, and provide coaching and mentoring to build communications capability across the organisation.

Working collaboratively with communications professionals across MBIE, you'll help drive a coordinated and consistent approach to communications while supporting leaders to communicate with clarity, authenticity and impact. This is an opportunity to influence organisational outcomes at a strategic level while helping shape the future of communications practice at MBIE

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana -

Skills And Experience Required

• Significant senior-level communications experience in a large and complex organisation.
• Issues and media management experience
• Demonstrated expertise in internal communications, employee engagement and organisational change.
• Outstanding writing, editing and strategic thinking skills.
• A track record of providing trusted advice to senior leaders and executives.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing others.
• Strong understanding of communication channels, emerging technologies and best-practice communication approaches.
• The ability to translate complexity into clear, engaging and meaningful communications that drive understanding and action.

About MBIE - Ētahi kōrero mō MBIE:

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.

We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable.

People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Mahi Tahi – Better Together
• Māia – Bold and brave
• Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future
• Pono Me Te Tika – Own It

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'.

MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities.

E mōhio ana a Hīkina Whakatutuki i puea ake te kōtuinga I waenganui i a ngāi Māori me te Karauna i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, kei te whai ia ki te whakaū ake i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mā te whai kiko o ngā kōtuinga ahunga roa o ngā iwi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, ka tutuki tēnei. He āhuatanga nui tēnei e āhei ai ngā mahi whanaketanga ā-ohanga, ā-pāpori hoki ki a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui. E whai tonu ana mātou ki te kōtui atu ki ngā iwi mō te rapu huarahi hou ki te whakaara i ngā kaupapa kua roa nei e tāmi ana i a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui, ā, e whai ana hoki ki te tautohu i ngā āheinga kōkiritanga mā ngā iwi, me te tautoko i ngā iwi kia whai mana ake ai ēnei āheinga.

Applications close on 20 September 2026