Elected Member Support Advisor
Wellington City Council
Kia mahi ngātahi mō Pōneke mō tōna āpōpō - Working together for Wellington's future.
The Elected Member Support team plays a vital role in enabling Councillors and Community Board members to perform their governance responsibilities effectively. We help connect elected members with the wider organisation and their communities, ensuring they have the right information, advice, and support at the right time.
As an Elected Member Support Advisor (EMSA), you will build strong working relationships, offer highquality advice, and provide proactive administrative and issues-management support.
The role requires excellent judgement, political awareness and the ability to operate impartially in a fastpaced environment with competing priorities. This is a 12-month, fixed-term opportunity.
Āu ake mahi - What you'll do
In this role, you'll be the primary support person for your assigned elected members, building strong working relationships and understanding their priorities, ward issues and commitments.
You'll coordinate their meetings and events, handle travel and administrative requirements, keep them well informed, and manage and track issues that come through elected members. You'll also respond to constituent queries and manage sensitive or complex matters with sound judgement and discretion.
You will play a key role in supporting community engagement by providing timely information, ensuring elected members are well briefed and working with business units to align timelines. You'll contribute to the effective delivery of engagement activities involving elected members.
Relationship building is central to the role. You'll develop strong connections across the organisation, including with senior leaders, while maintaining political neutrality.
Ngā tohu me ngā wheako - Qualifications and experience
You will have a relevant tertiary qualification in business, commerce, public policy, political science, or equivalent experience. You'll bring at least five years' experience in a support role, ideally within a political or governance setting, and be confident working with elected members or senior decision makers.
You'll have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, the ability to work with complex information, and excellent written and verbal communication. You will be diplomatic, discreet, politically neutral and able to manage competing priorities with confidence and professionalism.
Applicants must hold a clean, full New Zealand driver’s licence.
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
Applications close Sunday, 29 March 2026.
All applications must be submitted online and must have the right to work in New Zealand - we will not accept emailed applications.
Pre-employment checks: All employees must undergo a Criminal Conviction Check.
If you have questions, please contact Hedi Mueller, Team Leader Elected Member Support hedi.mueller@wcc.govt.nz
