Student Engagement Coordinator

University of Otago; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Otago is seeking a creative, thoughtful and people-focused Student Engagement Coordinator for the Locals Collegiate Community. You will plan events, manage initiatives and build connections with first-year students to help them belong and thrive at Otago.

You’ll develop social media campaigns, provide pastoral support and collaborate with campus partners, contributing to Orientation and year-round activities in Ōtepoti Dunedin.

Qualifications

• University degree-level qualification or higher.
• Experience in event organisation, social media engagement, or pastoral/peer support.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Clear communication and professional boundaries.
• Understanding of tikanga Māori and Te Reo Māori in workplace campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver a varied programme of events and activities.
• Manage events and initiatives through their full lifecycle.
• Develop engaging social media content for platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
• Build relationships with first-year students to foster belonging.
• Provide day-to-day pastoral support and be a visible presence at Locals HQ.
• Collaborate across the University and wider Dunedin community, contributing to Orientation and training.

Skills

Event planning

Social media

Pastoral support

Community-building

Te Reo Māori

Education

University degree

Job description

The University of OtagoTe Whare Wānanga o Otāgo The University of Otago is New Zealand’s first university and one of its finest. It is a leader across all fields of academic endeavour – the humanities, sciences, health sciences and...

Are you passionate about creating connection, building community and helping students make the most of their university experience?

We are looking for a creative, thoughtful and people-focused Student Engagement Coordinator to join our team.

Who we are | Ko wai mātou

The Locals Collegiate Community is a Student Service that supports first-year University of Otago students who are not living in a residential college. Through events, pastoral support and opportunities to connect, we help students build friendships, access support and find their place at Otago.

At Locals, our focus is on creating a community where students feel welcomed, connected, supported and that they belong. We want to understand our students, learn from what we deliver and make thoughtful decisions about where we invest our time and energy.

We are a small, collaborative team. While you’ll have clear areas of responsibility, our work does not happen in silos. We keep each other informed, share ideas, solve problems together and contribute across different areas when needed.

The role | Te mahi

This new role is an investment in the quality of the Locals student experience, giving our team greater capacity to work thoughtfully and intentionally and continually improve how we connect with and support students.

You’ll help shape student engagement from idea to evaluation, identifying opportunities, developing creative ideas, working through the practical details, promoting activities to students, delivering them alongside the team, and evaluating what we can learn and improve for next time.

Reporting to the Manager, Locals Collegiate Community, you will:

• Plan and deliver a varied programme of purposeful events and activities.
• Manage events and initiatives through their full lifecycle.
• Develop engaging social media content and campaigns across platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
• Build relationships with first-year students, helping them develop connections and a sense of belonging.
• Be a visible and approachable presence at Locals HQ, providing day-to-day pastoral support.
• Build positive working relationships across the University and wider Dunedin community, and contribute to Orientation, training and other key activities throughout the academic year.

This is a hands-on and varied role, balancing planned work with the changing needs of a student-facing environment.

We’re looking for someone who brings creativity, curiosity and a continuous-improvement mindset to student engagement.

There is no single personality or working style we are looking for. What matters is your ability to build meaningful connections with students, contribute effectively to our team and turn ideas into purposeful student experiences.

You will have:

• A university degree-level tertiary qualification.
• Experience in one or more of event organisation, social media engagement, or pastoral or peer support.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to communicate clearly.
• An understanding of the issues and challenges that can affect tertiary students.
• Good judgement and the ability to respond appropriately in challenging situations.
• An understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Experience in student leadership, mentoring or community-building.
• An understanding of tikanga Māori.
• The ability to use Te Reo Māori in the workplace and within campaigns.

Accessibility and inclusion

We want our recruitment process to be accessible and inclusive.

If you require an adjustment or accommodation at any stage of the application process, please let us know. We are happy to discuss what would enable you to participate fully and demonstrate your strengths.

This is a full-time (37.5 hours per week), fixed term position for 12 months based in Ōtepoti, Dunedin. Flexibility in working hours is required, for agreed evening or weekend events throughout the year.

The appointment range for this role is $69,931 to $74,609 per annum. Top of the range is $80,285.

You must have the right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this position.

For further information, or to discuss the role in confidence please contact Maya Pitcon, Manager, Locals Collegiate Community via the email below to organise a time to kōrero.

Applications may be considered as they are received. The University reserves the right to close this vacancy at any time.

Additional Information