Engagement Manager
Rotorua Lakes Council
2 days ago
Full-time
On-site
Rotorua, NZ
$112,404 - $132,240 NZD yearly
Rotorua Lakes Council is looking for an Engagement Manager to shape how the council connects with communities, iwi, stakeholders and partners across the Rotorua district. This role sits in the Communications and Engagement leadership team and comes with the chance to establish and grow a new dedicated engagement function. It’s a permanent, full-time position that anchors the council’s work in the Civic Centre, Rotorua, onsite at 40 hours per week. If you enjoy bringing people together, balancing diverse perspectives and helping communities contribute to council projects and decisions, this could be a fit for you.
Based at the Civic Centre in the heart of Rotorua, the role offers a steady on-site schedule and the opportunity to influence how engagement is planned and run across the organisation. Rotorua is highlighted as a fantastic place to live and work, with a strong mix of outdoor experiences and cultural offerings, and the council emphasises partnership with Te Arawa and other iwi as part of its bicultural identity. If you want to help shape conversations that matter to Rotorua residents, this position presents a clear path to do so.
Steering Rotorua’s community conversations
You’ll lead and develop a high-performing Engagement Team, building capability and a positive culture that supports quality engagement. You’ll provide strategic oversight of engagement and consultation activities across the organisation, ensuring they’re coordinated and aligned with council priorities. You’ll oversee the Engagement Framework to make sure engagement activities are fit-for-purpose and follow the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation. You’ll also supervise statutory consultation processes, guaranteeing they comply with relevant legislation and council requirements. In addition, you’ll manage team workloads and resources to deliver services effectively and keep projects on track, while continuously monitoring and evaluating engagement efforts to identify opportunities for improvement and organisational learning.
Must-have capabilities
A genuine respect for tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Senior leadership experience in a large, complex or politically sensitive environment
A proven track record leading engagement, consultation or stakeholder-relations programmes in a complex setting
Strong knowledge of engagement principles, IAP2 frameworks and best-practice consultation
A demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with iwi and hapū
Knowledge of tikanga Māori with the ability to apply culturally appropriate engagement approaches
An understanding of the Local Government Act, statutory consultation requirements and the legislative framework that guides community participation
Nice-to-have capabilities
Nice-to-haves are not listed in the posting
Pay, benefits and practical details
The role offers a yearly salary between 112,404.00 NZD and 132,240.00 NZD, depending on experience. It is a permanent full-time position (40 hours per week) based at the Civic Centre in central Rotorua, and the work arrangement is onsite. A link to view the position description is provided in the posting.
Advice for applicants
Lead with your most relevant leadership experience in engagement, especially in large or politically sensitive settings, at the top of your resume so a recruiter sees it first. In your examples, show how you’ve guided engagement programmes through established frameworks, demonstrated compliance with statutory requirements, and delivered measurable community outcomes. When you prepare for interviews, be ready to talk about working with iwi and hapū, applying tikanga Māori in practical engagement contexts, and how you’d help stand up a new engagement function within a council. A good question to ask is how the council will measure the success of the new engagement function and how it fits with the Engagement Framework and council priorities.
Based at the Civic Centre in the heart of Rotorua, the role offers a steady on-site schedule and the opportunity to influence how engagement is planned and run across the organisation. Rotorua is highlighted as a fantastic place to live and work, with a strong mix of outdoor experiences and cultural offerings, and the council emphasises partnership with Te Arawa and other iwi as part of its bicultural identity. If you want to help shape conversations that matter to Rotorua residents, this position presents a clear path to do so.
Steering Rotorua’s community conversations
You’ll lead and develop a high-performing Engagement Team, building capability and a positive culture that supports quality engagement. You’ll provide strategic oversight of engagement and consultation activities across the organisation, ensuring they’re coordinated and aligned with council priorities. You’ll oversee the Engagement Framework to make sure engagement activities are fit-for-purpose and follow the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation. You’ll also supervise statutory consultation processes, guaranteeing they comply with relevant legislation and council requirements. In addition, you’ll manage team workloads and resources to deliver services effectively and keep projects on track, while continuously monitoring and evaluating engagement efforts to identify opportunities for improvement and organisational learning.
Must-have capabilities
A genuine respect for tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Senior leadership experience in a large, complex or politically sensitive environment
A proven track record leading engagement, consultation or stakeholder-relations programmes in a complex setting
Strong knowledge of engagement principles, IAP2 frameworks and best-practice consultation
A demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with iwi and hapū
Knowledge of tikanga Māori with the ability to apply culturally appropriate engagement approaches
An understanding of the Local Government Act, statutory consultation requirements and the legislative framework that guides community participation
Nice-to-have capabilities
Nice-to-haves are not listed in the posting
Pay, benefits and practical details
The role offers a yearly salary between 112,404.00 NZD and 132,240.00 NZD, depending on experience. It is a permanent full-time position (40 hours per week) based at the Civic Centre in central Rotorua, and the work arrangement is onsite. A link to view the position description is provided in the posting.
Advice for applicants
Lead with your most relevant leadership experience in engagement, especially in large or politically sensitive settings, at the top of your resume so a recruiter sees it first. In your examples, show how you’ve guided engagement programmes through established frameworks, demonstrated compliance with statutory requirements, and delivered measurable community outcomes. When you prepare for interviews, be ready to talk about working with iwi and hapū, applying tikanga Māori in practical engagement contexts, and how you’d help stand up a new engagement function within a council. A good question to ask is how the council will measure the success of the new engagement function and how it fits with the Engagement Framework and council priorities.