Senior Advisor | Kaitohutohu Matua, Whakamana

New Zealand Government; Wellington; On-site; NZD 105,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare allowances

Medical insurance discounts

Flexible working options

In-house te reo Māori training

Kaimahi development and career options

Enhanced parental leave provisions

Job summary

Te Puni Kōkiri seeks a Kaitohutohu Matua | Senior Advisor to lead and contribute to a priority workstream, delivering timely, accurate advice on complex Māori Crown relations issues to senior officials and Ministers.

You will support Cabinet and legislative processes, help shape outcomes across the Treaty and Māori Crown relations sector, and build strong relationships with post-settlement entities while navigating sensitive environments with care. Applications close 19 October 2026.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience negotiating Treaty settlements and brokering post-settlement resolutions is advantageous.
• Knowledge of the Crown's He Korowai Whakamana framework is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Legal experience is advantageous but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the development of timely, accurate advice on complex issues related to Māori Crown relations workstreams.
• Provide high-quality advice to senior officials and Ministers and support Cabinet and legislative processes.
• Help shape outcomes across the Treaty and Māori Crown relations sector and build strong relationships with post-settlement entities.
• Navigate sensitive, politically nuanced environments with confidence and care.

Skills

Written communications

Verbal communications

Treaty settlements experience

Legal experience (advantageous)

Job description

The Opportunity

• Lead and contribute to a priority workstream
• Provide high-quality advice to senior leaders and Ministers
• Full Time, Permanent opportunity based in Te Tari Matua, Pōneke | National Office, Wellington

Our Whakamana – Post settlement team is looking for a Kaitohutohu Matua | Senior Advisor. Te Whiwhinga Mahi – The Opportunity The Senior Advisor, Whakamana will support the achievement of team objectives by leading and contributing to the development of timely, accurate advice on a variety of complex issues related to Māori Crown relations workstreams. In this role, you'll provide high-quality advice to senior officials and Ministers, support Cabinet and legislative processes, and help shape impactful outcomes across the Treaty and Māori Crown relations sector. You will build and maintain strong relationships with post-settlement government entities and stakeholders, navigating sensitive and politically nuanced environments with confidence and care. Your ability to deliver timely, high-quality work, respond to ministerial correspondence, and identify key issues will be essential to your success. The likely appointment range is $105,100 - $116,777, based on skills and experience. The full grade for this role is $105,100 - $140,132 with a mid-point of $116,777.

Ko wai koe – About you

• You will join a close-knit team where you will have an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and experience by wearing multiple hats
• Experience in the negotiations of Treaty settlements and brokering the resolution of post-settlement issues that arise between the Crown and post-settlement governance entities is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Knowledge of the Crown's He Korowai Whakamana framework for achieving Crown accountability for Treaty settlements is advantageous but not mandatory.
• You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Having legal experience is advantageous but not mandatory.

What you will get in return

Te Puni Kōkiri is a diverse and rewarding working environment full of passionate kaimahi focused on creating solutions that will help our communities. We are guided by our values of Te Wero, Manaakitanga, He Toa Takitini and Ture Tangata. There is more to life than just work and we encourage our kaimahi to maintain the right balance between mahi and their personal lives. Your whānau is just as important as you, so we're committed to providing incentives and opportunities that help our kaimahi and their whānau to thrive, including:

• A range of allowances including childcare, optical, hauora / wellbeing and te reo Māori proficiency
• Medical insurance discounts
• Flexible working options
• In house te reo Māori training
• Kaimahi development and career options, including study assistance
• Enhanced parental leave provisions

Our Story

Te Puni Kōkiri | Ministry of Māori Development We are committed to our vision of 'Thriving Whānau' - when whānau are thriving, so do their communities, hapū, iwi and all of Aotearoa. Te Puni Kōkiri leads policy advice to the Government on Māori development, and Iwi and Māori relations with the Crown. Our people are at the heart of the work we do – using our approaches to improve outcomes to, for and with Māori, and to drive our efforts to build an Aotearoa where whānau can all stand, thrive and belong.

We invite applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We believe that diversity fuels innovation and enriches our collective strength. Your unique perspectives, skills, and heritage contribute to our mission of advancing Māori aspirations and well-being.

Application details

Applications close on Monday, 19 October 2026 at 11.55pm.

We welcome applications in te reo Māori, English, or both.

Email [e-mail] with any pātai. We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing [e-mail].