Team Lead - HR Advisory

Te Wananga O Aotearoa; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four extra annual leave days

Wellness programme with free events

Flexible work arrangements and WFH

Free on-site carparking

Job summary

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is seeking a hands-on HR Leader to manage a small HR Partners team, coaching leaders and advising kaimahi. You will ensure accurate delivery, lift capability, and drive system improvements while shaping better ways of working across the organisation.

Based in Glenview, Hamilton, this 12-month fixed-term role offers variety, visibility and the opportunity to lead change initiatives, balancing operations with improvement and stakeholder collaboration in a kaupapa Māori

Qualifications

• Proven success leading teams or coaching peers in an HR advisory environment.
• Strong knowledge of HR legislation, policy and end-to-end people processes.
• Ability to manage HR transactions at pace while maintaining quality and consistency.
• Hands-on experience with complex change initiatives and their impacts on people.

Responsibilities

• Lead and guide a small but crucial team of HR Partners to deliver accurate, consistent work with mana.
• Coach people leaders and build a high-performing, mana-enhancing team culture.
• Improve processes and controls to strengthen efficiency, reduce risk and lift service quality.
• Support the Change Management team on projects and advisory work.
• Collaborate with other HR teams to deliver a great kaimahi experience at scale.

Skills

People leadership

Coaching

HR advisory

Change management

Stakeholder management

HR analytics

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.

• 12-month fixed term (full time, 37.5 hours per week) position covering asecondment.
• Lead a small team of HR Partners who provide supportacross Aotearoa.
• Support change processes and initiatives.
• Based in Glenview, Hamilton.

As a proudlykaupapa Māori tertiary educator, ‘tauira success’ is our mission and ‘whānautransformation through education’ is our vision, guiding our commitment todelivering quality education programmes underpinned by Māori culture andvalues.

Our kaimahienjoy a whānau-friendly workplace and a great range of benefits to support thewellbeing of them and their whānau:

• Four extra annual leave days to celebrateMatariki and the holiday season
• An awesome wellness programme that offers free events and services tosupport your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Flexible work arrangements and work-from-home up to two days per week.
• Free on-site carparking.

Mō tēnei mahi | About this job

A hands-onleadership role, you’ll be right at the centre of how our HR Advisory teamcoach leaders and advise kaimahi across Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. You’ll lead and guide a small but crucial teamof HR Partners, making sure their mahi is delivered accurately, consistentlyand with mana — while also lifting team capability, improving systems andhelping shape better ways of working.

This roleoffers variety, visibility and purpose, and the chance to make a genuine impacton kaimahi experience at scale. Youwon’t just keep things running; you’ll make them better, you’ll contribute toand advise on change projects, and work collaboratively with other HR teams todeliver a great kaimahi experience.

Your key focusareas will include:

• Enabling the team to upskill our people leaders tobuild a high-performing, mana-enhancing team culture;
• Coaching your team to build their own capabilities;and
• Improving processes and controls to strengthenefficiency, reduce risk and lift service quality; and
• Supporting our Change Management team on projectsand advisory work.

You’re apeople-first HR Business Partner or Team Lead who enjoys balancing operationaldelivery with continuous improvement, confidently makes decisions, calm underpressure, and known for developing great relationships across teams. You’re just as comfortable coaching a teammember as you are analysing data, tightening a process or advising leaders onthe best way forward.

Experiencewithin tertiary education, kaupapa Māori organisations or the broader publicsector would be preferred but, more importantly, you’ll bring:

• Proven success in leading teams or coaching peersin an HR advisory environment;
• Strong working knowledge of HR legislation, policyand end-to-end people processes;
• The ability to manage HR transactions at pace whilemaintaining quality and consistency;
• Hands on experience in complex change initiativesand a strong understanding of the processes and impacts related to people;
• Proven experience improving workflows, systems orservice delivery models; and
• Confidence working with diverse stakeholders whilemaintaining confidentiality and trust.

A positiondescription is available on our careers website. For any other queries, please email ****@twoa.ac.nz