Communications Manager | Kaiwhakahaere Whakapā
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Charitable Trust
Communications Manager | Kaiwhakahaere Whakapā
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao
Part-time, 20 hours per week | Two-year contract
Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman or Buller
Help tell the story of restoration, partnership and collective action for te taiao.
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao is seeking a skilled and thoughtful Communications Manager | Kaiwhakahaere Whakapā to help grow the visibility, impact and connectedness of our kaupapa across the top of the South Island/Te Tauihu and northern Kawatiri/Buller.
This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of te taiao, iwi partnership, public sector collaboration and strategic communications in an organisation that is changing the way we restore nature in New ZealandYou’ll bring to life the stories, relationships and shared purpose that sit at the heart of Kotahitanga mō te Taiao.
We warmly welcome applicants who bring strong communications capability, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to work with care and credibility within Te Ao Māori.
About us
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao is an Alliance of iwi, councils and government agencies working together across the top of the South Island/Te Tauihu and northern Kawatiri/Buller.
Our vision of the Alliance is:
Our extraordinary natural heritage is flourishing, having been restored over large areas, including where people live. People live, care for, and benefit from the environment in ways that strengthen natural ecology and the communities that live within them.
The Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Charitable Trust supports delivery of this vision through the Alliance Strategy and Strategy Implementation Pathway Plan.
About the role
This role’s number one priority is to implement communications activity that lifts awareness of Kotahitanga mō te Taiao’s impact, increases visibility through partners and projects and supports community buy-in for kaupapa at the grass roots level.
You’ll lead practical communications delivery across key channels, while also helping refresh the communications strategy with a critical eye, incorporating narrative change approaches, strengthening shared narratives, and supporting trusted relationships across a complex network of partners. This includes developing communications approaches that work appropriately across iwi contexts and reflect the importance of partnership, trust and collective responsibility.
This is a role for someone who can work both strategically and practically — someone who can see the bigger picture but also get quality content out the door.
What you’ll do
In this role, you will:
- deliver communications activity that lifts awareness of KMTT’s impact and builds trust and support for the kaupapa
- develop and deliver clear, accessible and engaging communications content across agreed KMTT channels, partner communications, and media releases
- refresh the communications strategy and help translate it into practical implementation plans, processes and priorities
- support a narrative change approach that strengthens understanding of restoration, partnership and collective responsibility for te taiao
- build strong working relationships across nine iwi, five council partners, three central government partners the KMTT team
- support trusted engagement and facilitate a communications community of practice across iwi, council and DOC communications kaimahi
- Enhance external relationships with key funders and supporters
- work alongside iwi partners to support culturally grounded communications and trusted engagement approaches
- contribute to a values-led, collaborative way of working grounded in humility, trust and shared purpose
What we’re looking for
We’d love to hear from people who bring:
- strong communications experience across content, channels, planning, media relations and stakeholder engagement, including confidence using communications tools and platforms
- the ability to deliver practical outputs at pace, while maintaining quality and judgement
- experience working in complex, multi-partner environments, including not-for-profits
- strong relationship-building and facilitation skills
- demonstrated ability to work respectfully and effectively within Te Ao Māori and partnership contexts, including an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, relationship accountability and culturally grounded engagement ability to navigate communications processes across multiple partners and governance contexts, including iwi organisations
- a collaborative, humble and values-led approach
- confidence writing for different audiences and channels
- experience with media relations, digital content and partner communications
Why this role matters
This is more than a communications role. It is an opportunity to help strengthen kotahitanga across a significant and innovative alliance working to protect and restore te taiao collectively. Strong communications are essential to helping diverse partners work together, strengthening understanding across communities, and ensuring restoration aspirations are shared, understood and supported over time.
You’ll be part of work that connects people, places, stories and strategy — and helps create the conditions for long-term restoration and shared action.
We strongly encourage applications from Iwi Māori and from people who have experience working alongside iwi, hapū, Māori organisations or kaupapa Māori environments.
If you’re excited by the kaupapa and believe you could bring value to the role, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every single requirement listed.
Role details
- 20 hours per week
- Two-year contract
- Preference to be based in Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman or Buller
- Position is work from home, although hosting within a KMTT partner organisation may be possible
Apply
Please submit a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience, qualifications and availability, along with your CV.
For applications or enquiries, contact Debs Martin at debs.martin@kmtt.org.nz.
