Community Development Advisor

Job details
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Job type

Permanent

Full-time
 
Location
Christchurch, Canterbury
 
Full job description
Join our team and help make our community thrive!

About the role:

At Selwyn District Council, we're passionate about building a connected, inclusive and vibrant district - and we're looking for someone who shares that passion. If you're a relationship builder, a creative thinker, and a doer who loves working alongside communities to make great things happen, then this could be the role for you!

As our Community Development Advisor, you'll be at the heart of the action - working with people, groups and local businesses to bring projects, events, and strategies to life. Whether it's supporting youth and older people, supporting newcomers, running workshops, working with service providers or delivering inclusive community events - your mahi will make a real difference in people's lives.

You'll be part of our friendly and dedicated Community & Economic Development team, helping deliver our Community Services Strategic Plan and initiatives like the Te Paepae Aging Well in Selwyn Strategy, Piki Amokura Selwyn Youth Strategy, and local placemaking and accessibility projects.

You will also be:

Supporting and empowering local community groups to lead initiatives that build connection and resilience
Coordinating a calendar of engaging events, campaigns and workshops
Promoting and managing funding opportunities for community clubs, groups and businesses
Connecting with key partners, networks and communities of interest
Working across ages, stages and cultures - from rangatahi to kaumatua, newcomers to long-time locals
Collaborating with internal teams to make our district a place where everyone feels they belong
Building the skills and knowledge of local groups one to one and in group settings to enable them to deliver great initiatives
About you:

We're after someone who's practical, people-focused, and passionate about building thriving communities. You'll have experience in community development (or a similar field), and you'll be confident delivering projects on the ground, building relationships, and turning great ideas into action.

You will also have:

A strong customer focus and the ability to engage with people from all walks of life
Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal
Confidence working independently and presenting to groups
Proven ability to build partnerships and collaborate with stakeholders
Sound judgement, adaptability, and a problem-solving mindset
What we can offer:

Career coaching and development
Life insurance
Wellbeing and volunteer leave
Three days paid leave between Christmas and New Year
Two weeks paid Partners Leave
Sick leave from day one
Continued KiwiSaver contributions during savings suspension
Discounts with local and national businesses
About us:

Selwyn is New Zealand's fastest growing district. We have a fantastic quality of life, great communities, and a thriving economy. Our Council works actively with residents to provide the services and facilities that help our communities to thrive and grow.

Our values are important to us and represent the way we work: · Be a good human · Be brave - Think differently · Better together- Make it happen for Selwyn.

We honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and we are committed to working with our Treaty partner to deliver on our obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

We value the safety of our community - this role requires a satisfactory safety check including police vetting and for you to pass a drug and ******* test.

If you'd like to play a part in making Selwyn the best place to live, work and play, join us today!

To apply for this job go to: https://sdcjobs.co.nz/Vacancies & enter ref code: 6782483.

Applications close 27 July 2025