Senior Engagement Advisor
Wellington City Council
Kia mahi ngātahi mō Pōneke mō tōna āpōpō - Working together for Wellington's future!
Are you an experienced engagement professional who thrives on connecting communities with complex projects? Do you know how to build trust, navigate diverse stakeholder environments, and help decision makers understand what matters most to communities?
We're looking for three Senior Engagement Advisors to join our team and play a key role in delivering engagement across some of Pōneke's most significant projects. Two of the positions are fixed term; one to Friday, 25 February 2028 to cover parental leave and the other to Friday, 12 May 2028 to cover an internal secondment. The third position is a permanent vacancy. Please highlight in your cover letter which role(s) you are interested in.
If you're a current kaimahi in central government, we are supportive of you applying for the fixed term opportunities as a secondment from your current agency.
Reporting into Mandy Bohte, Manager Community Engagement, you will be well supported to come in and take charge of the key work, while also being well supported as needed. Mandy describes her leadership style as one that will offer clear, transparent communication and is all about collaboration. You will be respected for the expertise you bring and encouraged to share your knowledge with the wider team to uplift capability.
Āu ake mahi - What you'll do
As a Senior Engagement Advisor, you will work alongside project teams, senior leaders, mātāwaka māori, community groups, elected members, and stakeholders to ensure Wellingtonians have a genuine voice in the decisions that impact their city.
While each day will look different for you, key responsibilities will include:
- Developing and delivering engagement strategies for projects
- Delivering digital and face-to-face engagement activities, gathering community feedback, and bringing community and stakeholder perspectives into Council decision-making
- Designing engagement activities that are inclusive, accessible, and culturally responsive
- Building trusted relationships with advisory groups, stakeholders, communities and partners
- Monitoring engagement outcomes and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement
Ngā tohu me ngā wheako - Qualifications and experience
We're looking for a confident, relationship-focused professional who can influence at all levels and bring people together around complex issues - if you're someone who is passionate about working with the Pōneke community for greater outcomes, we want to hear from you!
You'll ideally have:
- Experience leading engagement for complex, projects, plans and strategic priorities at a senior level
- Experience engaging with community groups both face-to-face and digitally
- Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to navigate competing perspectives
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
Nōu te rourou - What's in it for you
Working for the Council offers you a range of benefits including five weeks annual leave, flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, Council staff discounts and a range of learning and development programmes and opportunities.
View our Employee Value Proposition Video to see what our employees say about working at WCC.
Diversity
We want your application to enable you to portray the real you. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the advert through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.
We welcome applications from all people and like our workforce to reflect the diverse communities we serve.
Accessibility support
We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have, are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support, we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing: recruitment@wcc.govt.nz
Closing details
Applications close Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
All applications must be submitted online and must have the right to work in New Zealand - we will not accept emailed applications.
Please note, we anticipate interviews will be held the week beginning Monday, 9 November 2026.
All employees must undergo a Criminal Conviction Check, the results of which will be held on your employee file if employed.
If you have questions, please contact Mandy Bohte, Manager Community Engagement, Mandy.Bohte@wcc.govt.nz
