Mō tēnei mahi | About this job

Are you passionate about creating impactful experiences and building strong relationships? Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is seeking a Senior Advisor – Event Management and Stakeholder Engagement to lead the design and delivery of national strategic events and engagement activities that reflect our kaupapa, values, and strategic priorities.

Reporting to the Senior Specialist – External Strategic Engagement, this role will:

• Plan, coordinate, and deliver national events that promote Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s vision and Te Pae Tawhiti 2030 (TWoA Strategic Plan 2030).
• Develop annual strategic event calendars aligned with organisational priorities.
• Ensure events are inclusive, culturally grounded, and professionally executed.
• Oversee procurement, budgeting, logistics, and communications for major events.
• Implement evaluation processes to measure outcomes and drive continuous improvement.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement strategies that enhance event impact and gather meaningful insights.
• Build and maintain relationships with key national stakeholders and partners.
• Provide strategic advice and reporting to senior leaders and governance committees.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence how Te Wānanga o Aotearoa connects with communities, iwi, and sector partners through high-profile events and engagement initiatives.

Mōu | About you

You are an experienced event and engagement professional with:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in communications, event management, public policy, or stakeholder engagement (postgraduate desirable).
• Extensive experience in event management, strategic engagement, or public relations roles.
• Proven ability to manage national events and engagement programmes within complex organisations.
• Strong logistics, planning, and risk management skills.
• Experience working in kaupapa Māori, iwi, or culturally grounded environments.
• Ability to apply tikanga and kaupapa principles to relationship and engagement strategies.
• Skilled in gathering and interpreting stakeholder feedback and translating insights into strategic advice.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to prepare high-quality briefings and collateral.
• Confidence working cross-functionally and adapting to emerging needs.

You’ll also demonstrate cultural competency, strategic thinking, and integrity in all interactions.

Ngā painga | Benefits and perks

At Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, we offer:

• Professional development opportunities to grow your career.
• Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Cultural engagement through pōwhiri, karakia, and kaupapa Māori activities.
• Wellbeing initiatives and a strong commitment to health and safety.
• A chance to work in a purpose-driven organisation making a real difference for whānau, hapū, and iwi across Aotearoa.

Kua whati te tai, tono mai! | Apply today!

Join us and lead the way in creating events and engagement experiences that strengthen relationships and uphold the mana of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. This is your chance to make a meaningful impact and contribute to our journey toward Te Pae Tawhiti 2030.

Apply now and be part of an organisation that values people, culture, and innovation.

A position description is available on our careers website.  For any other queries, please email jobs@twoa.ac.nz