Kaihautū - Māori Research Impact Leader
Strategic leadership position in a large research, science, and technology organisation.
Ko wai mātou? - Who are we?
Tēnā koutou rau rangatira mā o ngā iwi katoa, o ngā hau e whā.
Kei konei mātou o ‘Mana’ e mihi atu nei i te āhuatanga o te ao hurihuri kei te whakakapi i a tātou. E tangi atu ki ō tātou tini aituā e kore rātou e hoki mai, kei te ao wairua rātou e tatari mai rā, rātou ki a rātou, tātou ki a tātou. Kia kaha tātou, kia mārohirohi, kia manawanui. Heoi anō pānuitia ngā kupu whakatairanga nei, pēnā whakaaro ai koe ko koe te tangata tika ki te whakakī i tēnei tūranga, tukua mai tō tono me ngā kōrero hāngai.
Kāti, mā te Atua koutou e manaaki e tiaki, huri noa, huri noa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research (MWLR) is the Crown Research Institute for our land environment and biodiversity. Captured in their purpose is ‘Science for our land and our future’. MWLR want to ensure all New Zealanders have the knowledge, understanding and tools so that we can enjoy its many gifts, preserving its unique diversity, and enrich it with creativity, care, and culture.
As part of recent reforms in the science sector announced by the Government, 7 Crown Research Institutes, including Manaaki Whenua, will be merged into 4 Public Research Organisations (PROs). The PROs aim to enhance economic growth, foster innovation, and improve research capabilities through partnerships, effective management, and new policies on intellectual property, ensuring long-term benefits for New Zealand’s land, environment, and people.
MWLR embrace the importance of partnerships, the special role of Māori, and the need to ensure that all New Zealanders have the knowledge, understanding, and tools to truly live in harmony with our precious environment. MWLR are recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of their research and work with a wide range of organisations within New Zealand and globally.
Having 4 main areas of science research impact, much of the research work is focused where these research impacts overlap. This integration is important to many of their partners, who must address issues collectively and not in isolation. MWLR partners address not only the integration of land, water, and biodiversity, but also the integration of social, economic, and cultural dimensions.
Te āhua o Te Tūranga - The nature of the position.
Reporting directly to the GM Māori Partnerships, the intent of this dedicated Kaihautū position is to steer strategic oversight, leading guidance to give effect to principles of partnership and participation across one or more of 4 science impact areas: Land, soils, and water, Biodiversity & Biosecurity and Climate action. Invasive species (i.e. weeds, pests, predators, and diseases) are a key pressure on Aotearoa NZ’s unique biodiversity and ecosystems. These pressures continue to increase because of societal (i.e. human behaviour and values) and global influences (i.e. climate change). This group will underpin the identification and management of these pressures through partnerships with government (MPI, OSPRI, B3, etc) and private industry.
Leading Kaupapa Māori strategic development and implementation of research across all relevant science portfolios, this role will join an established team of 3 Kaihautū and take a strategic leader role in relevant impact areas to increase the proportion of Māori relevant research that meets the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Kaihautū work collectively as integrators from a te ao Māori perspective of the research occurring in each of the portfolios.
Supporting relevant leaders to develop strategic kaupapa maori implementation pathways of work with the most appropriate iwi, hapū or Māori organisation for a given impact areas. Furthermore, you will be co-leading other kairangahau in their career progression leveraging your own journey and experience. In these impact areas, Kaihautū sit across existing science portfolios to support MWLR to deliver on its commitment across the domains of land, biodiversity, and climate.
Leading your own programme of research in the impact area to directly enhance in-house research capability and enable Kairangahau Māori to develop their practice of working with Mātauranga Māori. This includes utilising both kaupapa Māori methodologies and western science within a te ao Māori centred approach appropriately. Overarching, you will be accountable for ensuring that MWLR delivers on te Tiriti commitments, which will see you leading strategic development of research in order to increase the proportion of mātauranga ao māori research that meets the expectations of te Tiriti and MWLR.
Additionally, you will develop, implement and deliver a strategy to increase opportunities for external revenue.
Ngā tino Pkenga/Wheako - Essential skills/experiences for the role
A postgraduate qualification, preferably PhD or MSc (or equivalent experience) in an area of research relevant to the impact area is essential for application to this position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience required will also consist of:
Based in either Palmerston North, Auckland, Lincoln, Dunedin or Hamilton, the position is remunerated at a level to encourage applications from highly qualified individuals.
An ability to travel and attend out of hours networking events is a requirement for this role.
Te tono - How to apply:
Please request a copy of the information kete. Email Heather Walker now, heather@manarecruitment.co.nz
Applications close: Monday 31 March 2025 @ 5.00pm.
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research is the Crown Research Institute for our land environment and biodiversity. Our role and responsibility to New Zealand is clear. This land, and everything that shares it with us, is our future. Hence our purpose is ‘Science for our land and our future’.
We want to ensure all New Zealanders have the knowledge, understanding and tools to live in harmony with our land by enjoying its many gifts, preserving its unique diversity, and enriching it with our creativity, care and culture.