Senior Communications and Engagement Advisor

Our Communications and Engagement group engages with communities, rūnanga, stakeholders, and media on a range of issues Waitaha cares about.

We support our organisation’s “on-the-ground” mahi to raise awareness of the role the regional council, and the community can play.

We’re responsible for producing communications material for a range of audiences through various communications channels, including digital and work with spokespeople and subject matter experts to handle media enquiries on a range of issues, including incident response and civil defence.

This role will focus on the production and implementation of communications and engagement campaigns across the region, with a particular focus on South Canterbury, covering many interesting topics and issues.

The work is interesting, challenging and rewarding, for a can do and confident personality, where no two days are the same.

This is a 12-month fixed-term parental leave cover from 6th November 2024- 4th November 2025.

Whilst this role is ideally based in our Timaru office, we can offer location flexibility.

Mōu │ About You

Ideally, you’ll have skills and experience in any combination of the following:

A background in communications and engagement, writing, journalism, broadcasting or marketing
Ability to interpret and translate complex or technical information into everyday language
Confidence in working with media and handling media enquiries
A community focus, with the ability to see things from the community’s perspective
Experience working with on-the-ground teams to deliver good outcomes for the community across water, land, science, and biodiversity portfolios
Understanding of Te Ao Māori and te reo Māori and experience in iwi engagement, or a willingness to learn
Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha | Working at Environment Canterbury

Our values underpin everything we do. We understand and embrace a diverse workforce; this diversity will enable us to better serve our people, our community, and our greatest taonga, the environment. We value everyone’s contribution, diverse thinking, and skills.

We're on a journey to become a treaty partner of excellence, including incorporating te ao Māori into our work. We offer supportive opportunities to develop capability in this area and encourage our people to use kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori in our daily work. We welcome you with an open heart & mind, wherever you are on your personal te ao Māori journey.

For a confidential chat about this role, please contact Kate Doran –0275617158