Senior Advisor Communications

New Zealand Government; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

New Zealand Government is seeking a Senior Advisor Communications to join Te Uepū ā-Motu (TUAM) and Policy & Insights on a fixed-term 12-month basis. This role focuses on turning complex information into clear, engaging content, supporting central communications, and engaging with learners, whānau and educators across Aotearoa.

You will advise leaders, develop communication strategies, and translate technical information into plain language for wide audiences, including bilingual/māori contexts

Qualifications

• Experience delivering strategic communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Ability to translate complex information into plain language for diverse audiences.
• Experience working with senior leaders and subject matter experts to develop communication products.
• Strong planning, prioritisation and project management skills.
• Experience working in kaupapa Māori environments or with kaupapa Māori contexts.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic communications advice to leaders and teams.
• Develop and deliver communication plans, campaigns and engagement activities.
• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across the education sector.
• Create high-quality content for web, intranet, newsletters, presentations, social media and stakeholder communications.
• Support internal communications to connect, inform and engage kaimahi.
• Translate complex policy, evaluation and research information into accessible communications.
• Identify opportunities to tell compelling stories that showcase impact and learning.
• Support organisational change and stakeholder engagement initiatives.

Skills

Strategic communications

Stakeholder engagement

Writing & editing

Project management

Policy & reporting

Bilingual/māori context

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications/related field

Tools

Content creation tools

Job description

Senior Advisor Communications | Te Uepū ā-Motu (TUAM) and Policy & Insights - Fixed Term 12 months

We’re looking for an experienced communications professional to join our team. We provide strategic advice, create clear and accessible content, support stakeholder, media and communications engagement. We need your skills to help turn complex information into trusted, meaningful engagement. We’re looking for someone who is equally comfortable working across strategy, storytelling, stakeholder engagement and content creation, and who is excited by the opportunity to help people understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. This is a varied and rewarding role. You will be supporting central communications, ERO’s Māori-medium review and evaluation business unit, and the performance and implementation business group. You’ll work alongside senior leaders, subject matter experts and stakeholders to turn complex ideas, research, evidence, evaluation findings and organisational priorities into communications that inform, engage and inspire. No two days are the same. One day you might be developing a communications strategy, advising leaders on stakeholder engagement, or translating technical information into plain language. The next, you could be writing a pānui, developing website content, creating a presentation, supporting a consultation process, or helping tell an important story through digital channels. This role would suit someone who enjoys connecting people, ideas and information, and who understands that great communications are ultimately about helping people make sense of what matters.

What you’ll do

• Provide strategic communications advice to leaders and teams.
• Develop and deliver communication plans, campaigns and engagement activities.
• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across the education sector.
• Create high-quality content for a range of channels, including web, intranet, newsletters, presentations, social media and stakeholder communications.
• Support internal communications that help connect, inform and engage kaimahi.
• Translate complex policy, evaluation, research and operational information into accessible, audience-focused communications.
• Identify opportunities to tell compelling stories that showcase impact, insights and learning.
• Support organisational change, programme delivery and stakeholder engagement initiatives.

What we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced communications professional with excellent judgement, strong relationship management skills, and the ability to navigate complex environments with confidence.

• Experience delivering strategic communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• The ability to communicate complex information clearly and effectively.
• Experience working with senior leaders and subject matter experts to develop a wide range of communication products.
• Strong planning, prioritisation and project management skills.
• Experience working in kaupapa Māori environments, or the ability to build trusted relationships and work effectively within kaupapa Māori contexts.
• An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te ao Māori perspectives.

Highly desirable

• An understanding of, or interest in, kaupapa Māori and Māori-medium education, including the diverse settings in which ākonga Māori learn.
• Experience engaging with Māori stakeholders, whānau, iwi, hapū or Māori organisations.
• Confidence working in bilingual and te reo Māori contexts.
• Experience in roles in the education, public service, research, or regulatory sectors.

We’d love to see

• Skills in, or a desire to develop capability in, publication design, visual communications, photography, video production or digital content creation.
• An interest in technical communications and making complex information easy to understand.
• Experience using research, data and insights to tell compelling stories.
• Curiosity about new technologies, communication channels and emerging practice.
• A growth mindset and enthusiasm for continuous learning.

Why you’ll enjoy this role

This is an opportunity to work on issues that matter for learners, whānau, educators and communities across Aotearoa. You’ll be part of a team that values collaboration, creativity and continuous improvement, and you’ll have the chance to shape how important information are communicated both within ERO and across the education sector.