Senior Stakeholder Engagement Advisor

Tiaki Wai Limited; Lower Hutt; Hybrid; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work from home

Wellbeing programme

Professional development

Five weeks annual leave

Job summary

Tiaki Wai Limited is seeking a Senior Stakeholder Engagement Advisor to lead engagement planning and community outreach for capital water projects around Petone and the wider Wellington region.

You will build strong relationships with residents, businesses and groups, drive engagement strategies, coordinate events, provide trusted guidance to project leaders and maintain a community-first lens across our water infrastructure programme.

Qualifications

• Solid experience in community engagement with a strong customer focus.
• Experience delivering engagement for large-scale projects and programmes.
• Ability to build relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders and audiences.
• An ability to understand different perspectives and adapt your approach when required.
• Full clean driver’s licence and willingness to travel across the wider Wellington region.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of stakeholder and community engagement strategies for Tiaki Wai's capital projects.
• Work with a diverse range of stakeholders to deliver on-the-ground engagement activities.
• Ensure a community-centric lens is provided on all Tiaki Wai capital projects.
• Lead the organisation and management of community events and meetings.
• Provide strong engagement advice and support to project leaders.
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy while collaborating with the team.

Skills

Community engagement

Stakeholder management

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

• Lead the delivery of external engagement for key water projects in Wellington
• Meaningful role with community and customer engagement focus
• Petone office, regular travel within Wellington region

This is a full-time permanent position of 40 hours per week.

The opportunity

As Senior Stakeholder Engagement Advisor, you will lead engagement planning and outreach with residents, businesses, community groups and other important stakeholders to support our capital projects, from stormwater upgrades to major drinking and wastewater builds.

You will play an important role in building strong relationships and delivering meaningful engagement initiatives with our key stakeholders, partners and communities. Bringing a proactive mindset and can-do attitude, you will:

• lead the development and delivery of stakeholder and community engagement strategies for Tiaki Wai's capital projects
• work with a diverse range of stakeholders to deliver on-the-ground engagement activities
• ensure a community centric lens is provided on all Tiaki Wai capital projects
• lead the organisation and management of community events and meetings
• provide strong engagement advice and support to leaders
• enjoy a high level of self-direction/autonomy/confidence giving advice to project leads, within a supportive and collaborative team environment.

About you

To be successful in this role you will bring:

• solid experience in community engagement with a strong customer focus
• experience in delivering engagement for large scale projects and programmes of work
• highly developed interpersonal skills with an ability to build effective relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders and audiences
• an ability to understand different perspectives and adapt your approach when required
• ability to plan strategically and identify operational and organisational risks
• proven ability to interpret complex information and translate into straight forward and easy to understand messaging
• a full clean driver's licence as some travel across the wider Wellington region is needed.

Although a background in water services or infrastructure would be preferable, you'll quickly develop this knowledge on the job.

At Tiaki Wai, our purpose extends beyond delivering great water services for the region; we foster a thriving community, support a diverse workforce, and offer supportive development opportunities. We genuinely care about your safety and wellbeing.

Our benefits include:

• flexible working arrangements including up to 2 days working from home
• comprehensive wellbeing programme, including one paid wellbeing day annually
• formal and informal professional development opportunities
• 5 weeks annual leave accrual will be available following 2 years of continual service.

About us

Tiaki Wai is a council-owned organisation responsible for managing the delivery of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services across Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Wellington.

We manage public-owned extensive water infrastructure and oversee the delivery of safe and reliable services for our communities. We focus on long-term investment, asset management, maintenance, and delivering major infrastructure projects that support public health, environmental protection, and regional growth.

Water is a precious taonga. At Tiaki Wai, we put care into every drop and are guided by our values of Integrity, Care, and Leadership. We work directly with water consumers and in partnership with councils and mana whenua to deliver better water outcomes for current and future generations.

Applicants for safety sensitive roles will be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing prior to commencing employment with Tiaki Wai. You must also be legally entitled to work long-term in New Zealand or eligible to obtain a working visa.