Strategic Communications & Engagement Lead

Selwyn District Council; Rolleston; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great work-life balance with flexiblty

Career coaching and development

Life insurance

Wellbeing and volunteer leave

Three additional paid leave days per v

Two weeks paid Partners Leave

Sick leave from day one

Discounts with local and national基商家

Job summary

Selwyn District Council invites applications for a Senior Communications and Engagement Advisor to partner with the infrastructure and property portfolios, shaping proactive communications for major capital projects and community facilities.

You will advise on sensitive issues, plan engagement activities, and coordinate multi-channel delivery with internal clients. A background in public sector comms and qualifications in communications or journalism are preferred.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in senior communications or related roles.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic communications advice on sensitive or high-profile issues.
• Strong planning, prioritisation and project coordination skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt tone and content for different audiences.
• A sound understanding of media relations, issues management and reputational risk.
• A collaborative approach, with a willingness to share knowledge and support others to do their best work.
• Experience working with infrastructure projects is desirable and local government or public sector experience would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the infrastructure and property portfolios, building a strong understanding of their priorities, risks and audiences as they deliver capital projects and maintain Selwyn's community facilities.
• Provide strategic communications advice on complex, sensitive and high-profile issues.
• Develop communications and engagement plans for significant projects, campaigns and consultations.
• Work with internal clients early to scope needs, agree realistic approaches and feed into team-wide forward planning.
• Coordinate delivery across digital, media, publications and campaign channels with marketing and design colleagues.
• Support proactive and reactive media work, including releases, key messages and spokesperson briefings.
• Actively contributing to planning, evaluation and continuous improvement across the team.
• Contribute to Council's emergency and adverse event communications, and to peer review and mentoring that lifts capability across the team.

Skills

Senior communications

Strategic communications

Planning & coordination

Written & verbal communication

Media relations

Issues management

Reputational risk

Collaborative approach

Public sector experience

Infrastructure projects experience

Education

Communications/public relations/journalism qualification

Job description

Selwyn District Council invites applications for a Senior Communications and Engagement Advisor to partner with the infrastructure and property portfolios, shaping proactive communications for major capital projects and community facilities.

You will advise on sensitive issues, plan engagement activities, and coordinate multi-channel delivery with internal clients. A background in public sector comms and qualifications in communications or journalism are preferred.