Principal Advisor- Strategic Engagement and Communication | Wellington

Job Description

This role is a fixed term position in response to increased demand within our high priority work programmes. We are surging in people and resources in response to these priorities.

Mō te tūranga mahi | About the role   

Fixed term opportunity to 11th December 2026

Join the team delivering an industrial‑scale, once‑in‑a‑generation transformation of Aotearoa's planning and environmental management system. 

You'll be the Chief Engagement and Communications Officer's  right hand running content operations, insight‑led engagement, and delivery discipline across a complex, multi‑stakeholder landscape. 

In this role, you will:

• Own the "single source of truth” for programme messaging, working closely with MfE's External Affairs team, stewarding the message bank, editorial and collateral across all channels to lift consistency and trust.

• Drive disciplined delivery, set standards, cadences and SLAs for enablement teams; escalate issues early to keep quality high and timelines on track.

• Be the sector intelligence lead, maintain stakeholder maps and dashboards; synthesise council, iwi/Māori, industry and public feedback to inform priorities and risk management.

• In time, design and run behaviour‑change campaigns that help users adopt the new system, partnering with policy, digital and data to embed engagement into product roll‑outs (e‑planning/e‑consents).

• Embed te Tiriti partnership, co‑design engagement with Tūmatakōkiri to reflect Māori rights and interests and te ao Māori perspectives in all content and channels.

• Assure leaders and governance, publish clear metrics and reports on progress, risks, adoption and readiness for Te Pūrengi, the SRO and Ministers. 

• Operate confidently in a matrixed, all‑of‑government environment with a multi‑year horizon, bringing coherence to a complex programme while building enduring public trust. 

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience   

To be successful in this role you will require:

• Senior comms/engagement experience in complex transformation and multi‑stakeholder settings, with strong digital, media and change comms capability.

• Skill translating complex policy/technical content into clear public messaging, tailored for councils, iwi/Māori, sector partners, media and the public.

• Practical knowledge of te Tiriti o Waitangi and experience working with Treaty partners. 

Whānuitanga Utu ā-Tau | Salary range  

Salary range for this role is $142,185 to $172,853 pa.  Appointment within this range will be based on skills and experience.  

Ngā hua ka puta i te mahi ki MfE | Benefits of working at MfE  

• a flexible working approach to embrace a healthy work-life blend 
• agile ways of working, allowing you variety and challenges across the organisation as we work as ‘One MfE' 
• active employee networks including Māori Rōpū, Asian Network, Neurodivergent and Disability Networks, Women's Network, Tagata Moana (Pacific Peoples' Network), and Rainbow Network 
• opportunities for development and education.           

Check out other benefits of joining us and hear what our people say about Working at MfE | Ministry for the Environment.  

Tono ināianei | Apply now  

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submit your CV and cover letter.  Note: your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key skills required for this role.     

If you require further information about this position please contact Sally Morison at vacancy@mfe.govt.nz.  The position description is available via our careers centre www.mfe.govt.nz/jobs.  

The location for this role is flexible which means you can work anywhere in New Zealand and there is an option to work from home.  As a flexible friendly employer, we are happy to discuss solutions that may work for you and the business.  We value and care about enabling our people to work in a way that means they can work at their best.   

We are committed to providing equal opportunities and actively strive to be a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture.  We actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.  We are proud to be a Rainbow Tick and Gender Tick certified organisation and are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.   

We want to ensure any accessibility needs you may have are well supported, so the recruitment process is fair and equitable for all.  Therefore, please let us know if there are any adjustments or support we can offer to make the recruitment process more accessible to you.  Please contact us at vacancy@mfe.govt.nz if you would like to discuss any accessibility needs you may have.  

You must have the right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.  

Note: for internal permanent kaimahi who are applying for a secondment, you must speak with your Manager before submitting your application.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:   Sunday 11th January 2026 @ 5pm

Interviews will be held the week beginning 19th January 2026