Mā te mahi tahi i raro te korowai o te aroha ki te tangata me te whenua ka taea te tū kotahi ki roto i ngā nekeneketanga o te Kaunihera o Whangārei.

There's never been a better time to join us here at Whangārei District Council as our district continues to grow and we are continuously working to strengthen our strategic partnerships and enhance service provision to our community. There is also a lot of exciting change ahead as we move rapidly towards a co-governance model.

To support us as we go forward, we are looking for an experienced Kaitātari Kaupapa Here / Policy Analyst to provide specialist support and advice on central and local government policy and legislative responsibilities to Māori and the impacts of those obligations on the organisations functions. As there is little guidance in this space, we are looking for someone with demonstrated experience in policy writing and the methodologies of creating policy in a local government context.

Through strong relationships with hapū/iwi this role will adopt a kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) approach to having two way understanding and seeking resolutions of issues, working towards a shared understanding of the two world views in relation to legislative processes and policy development. It will also seek to further develop the understanding of the Māori world view within council in relation to the services council provides, working alongside staff to enhance understanding and application of legislative provisions, policy development and other strategic processes for tāngata whenua.

The candidate successful in securing this newly developed role will also provide equivalent advice and support to Mana Whenua and Hapū to build capability and capacity of their organisations to engage in Council processes and decision making.

Success in this role can make a positive impact on your community and if that sounds like something you're keen to take on and you are able to demonstrate the following attributes then we'd love to hear from you:

• 5+ years proven policy writing experience and knowledge working with these methodologies in a local or central government context
• Proficiency in Te Reo Māori and excellent understanding of Tikanga Māori (desire to learn te reo as part of the position will also be considered)
• Excellent understanding of Mātauranga Māori with the ability to communicate Māori perspectives and values to non-Māori audiences
• Experience working with iwi and hapū and Māori communities preferably within Te Tai Tokerau
• Strong working knowledge and understanding of relevant government policy at both a national and regional level
• Demonstrated experience at developing and advising on government policy or legislation
• Confidence to deliver in a variety of environments where work may be carried out including marae, Council Chambers etc
• Ability to influence others through development of strong working relationships and provision of clear well thought out advice
• Significant understanding and practical application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in a local government setting
• Hands on knowledge and experience of local government and its legislative responsibilities to Māori

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please apply today - we would love to hear from you.

At Whangārei District Council we offer a range of flexible working and life balance options for those that want to work in a professional and progressive environment while still having the time to take advantage of everything our district has to offer. In addition, our employment package includes Health Insurance, Life Insurance, payment of a professional membership, continuous development opportunities and an active social club plus much more.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the People and Capability team on (09) 430 4200 or 0800 932 463.

Please note that our offices are closed from 24^th December 2024 through to 6^th January 2025 and we will be unable to respond to queries about this vacancy during that time.