Senior Advisor, Engagement

Help shape the future of education in New Zealand

Help shape the future of Education

We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people around Aotearoa, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for our students in our education system.

About this role | Mo tenei turanga

You will provide external and internal engagement support across School Property with specific account management / portfolio responsibilities centred on the South Island.

Engagement support may include developing communication plans, media statements, website and intranet content, leadership communications, reputation management, social media and proactive media content; reviewing other stakeholder engagement materials; and developing practice and processes. You will also take a supporting role to update schools on infrastructure projects, and work with schools to keep their community and other key stakeholders updated.

This role will report to the Team Leader, Engagement and must be able to confidently contribute to driving the engagement and communications work programme forward.

For more details about the role, you can view the job description here.

About you | Mohou ake

We are looking for an experienced Senior Engagement Advisor with significant corporate communications experience in providing internal and external engagement advice and implementation support. You will be an expert at managing stakeholder risks, issues and opportunities, with excellent communication skills and experience to ensure risks are mitigated and good news opportunities are utilised.

You will also offer:

• Exceptional writing skills, driven to produce work of a high standard, and with energy to deliver high volumes of work for extended periods of time.
• Proven experience in working across a broad range of engagement activities and channels.
• The ability to provide best practice engagement advice and support using a variety of methods and approaches to support delivery.
• Strong interpersonal skills will help you partner with the business, ensuring early engagement and the ability to provide proactive engagement support.
• The ability to deal effectively with pressure and multiple deadlines through good time management and prioritisation.
• The ability and willingness to adhere to the Public Service Standards of Integrity and Conduct.

If you'd like to bring your skills to a challenging but rewarding role within an organisation that's continuously reaching goals and striving for a better future for New Zealand, we'd love to hear from you. The role is based in the Ministry's Christchurch office.

About our group and team | Matau ropu ake

The School Property group manages one of the largest property portfolios in Aotearoa New Zealand, composed of over 2,100 primary and secondary state schools and over 8,000 hectares of land with a carrying value of $33.5 billion. Our team is responsible for the portfolio, including school engagement, asset management, capital works delivery, investment planning and portfolio management.

We have a responsibility to invest in property solutions that demonstrate value for money while still delivering the right outcome for our schools and kura. Demand for new or improved school property across the country is high, and the way we meet these needs is to do so more efficiently. We have set financial and timeliness targets for our programme, and we're looking to improve our planning and delivery, as well as working proactively and collaboratively with schools and the construction sector. This will ensure that our property projects deliver value and are part of an affordable and deliverable programme of works.

As part of the response to the Government's decisions following the independent Ministerial Inquiry into School Property, the School Property group is now led by a Chief Executive for School Property, who reports directly to the Minister for Education. We have put in place an improvement programme which responds to the Government's school property review recommendations.

Are you ready to make a difference? | Kua rite koe mo tenei mahi?

If this opportunity interests you, please submit your cover letter and resume by using the `apply' button. In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, or anything else you'd like to share. We're keen to understand your motivations, strengths, transferable skills, and the diverse perspectives you will bring to the role.

For further information, please contact Saskia Van Ryn, Team Leader, Engagement Delivery at saskia.vanryn@education.govt.nz

Applications close Midnight - Monday 3 June 2025.

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.