Advisor, Hononga Māori
Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Te whakapakari tahi i tō tātau Taiao – Enhancing our environment together.
Our vision is a healthy environment and a resilient and prosperous community.
About The opportunity | Ko te āheinga:
We are looking for an Advisor, Hononga Māori to join our Tū Hono Rau – Community and Partnerships Group. This is a permanent, full-time opportunity based in Napier.
Tū Hono Rau – Community and Partnerships is the Council’s integrated function for communications, engagement, kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti leadership. Its purpose is to strengthen Council’s relationships with tāngata whenua and the wider community, ensuring participation and partnership are embedded in all decisions, and uphold a visible and trusted presence.
Reporting to the Manager, Māori Partnerships, the Advisor, Hononga Māori plays a key role in supporting Council to meet its formal engagement responsibilities with Māori. Working across the organisation, you will provide specialist guidance, coordination, and relationship support to help Council teams engage with iwi, hapū, Māori organisations, and Māori communities in a way that is respectful, well-planned, and aligned with Council's commitments and obligations.
A key focus of this role is strengthening Council’s approach to Māori engagement by providing advice on when, how, and with whom engagement should occur. You will support Council teams to design and deliver engagement approaches that are coordinated, proportionate, and effective. You will also contribute to the coordination and facilitation of hui, workshops, and meetings, ensuring engagement outcomes are clearly captured and communicated. Through this work, you will help promote engagement practices that are culturally appropriate, respectful, and aligned with Council’s commitments to Māori. You will also contribute to tikanga and ceremonial responsibilities, supporting formal engagements, kaupapa, and hui where appropriate, while working alongside kaumātua, mana whenua representatives, and other specialists where deeper cultural authority is required.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a meaningful role in strengthening Council’s engagement with Māori and supporting effective, consistent, and culturally informed engagement practices across the organisation.
About you | E pā ana ki a koe:
You will be a collaborative and culturally grounded professional with a strong understanding of kaupapa Māori, tikanga Māori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and effective Māori engagement. You will provide practical advice, support well-planned engagement, and build trusted relationships with iwi, hapū, Māori organisations, and staff across Council. Your sound judgement, organisation, adaptability, and strong interpersonal skills will support meaningful outcomes for Māori and the wider community.
You will also have:
- A relevant Bachelor’s degree or equivalent tertiary qualification.
- Minimum of 3 years’ demonstrated success and experience in a similar role.
- Demonstrated competency in Te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga, including experience leading practices that are appropriate, accurate, and culturally grounded and informed.
- A valid driver's license
What we offer | Nga huanga mōu:
The salary range for this role is between $88,996 to $104,700 and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.
Other benefits of working for our team include:
- Flexible working options to support work/life balance
- 5 weeks annual leave after 3 years
- 4% superannuation after 3 years
- Life insurance and income protection
- Subsidised eye tests and lenses, flu vaccinations, and other well-being initiatives
- Strong commitment to developing and upskilling people within a supportive working environment.
See a full list of our staff benefits here
As an equal opportunity employer, we are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. We recognise that collaborative and innovative organisations depend on having a workforce made up from a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. We're all about excellence, and we encourage open communication – if you need any specific support, just let us know! Our main goal is to empower each person to share their unique talents to contribute to the outcomes for our community. This commitment ensures that our workplace is a dynamic and progressive space where everyone can flourish.
HBRC is responsible for Civil Defence emergencies and as such, all staff may be called upon to support the response.
How to apply | I pēhea ki te whakauru:
Applications close Thursday, 27 August 2026, however we will be shortlisting and interviewing appropriate candidates as applications are received. If you are interested in this position, please do not wait to apply as we may close the ad earlier than advertised.
Applicants must have existing rights to work in New Zealand.
To view the job description please click here.
If you would like any further information regarding the role, please email hr@hbrc.govt.nz
About us | E pā ki a mātou:
At Hawke’s Bay Regional Council our purpose is to work with our community to protect and manage the region’s precious taonga of rivers, lakes, soils, air, coast and biodiversity for health, wellbeing and connectivity. Our organisation is diverse and our work is varied. Our structure comprises of six key business units; Corporate Services, Integrated Catchment Management, Asset Management, Māori Partnerships, Policy & Regulation, and the Executive Advisory Group which also consists of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management.
We focus on prioritising:
Te kounga o te wai, te haumarutanga me te mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi o te whakamarutanga | Water quality, safety and climate-resilient security.
Kia koi, kia toitū hoki te whakamahinga o te whenua | Climate-smart and sustainable land use.
Kia ora, kia āhei, kia mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi hoki te rerenga rauropi | Healthy, functioning and climate-resilient biodiversity.
Kia toitū, kia mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi hoki ngā ratonga me ngā hanganga ā-whare | Sustainable and climate-resilient services and infrastructure.
