Mana Mokopuna - Children’s Commissioner has reorganised to establish a new Strategic Communications and Engagement team, responsible for engaging with mokopuna and their communities to hear their experiences and aspirations and supporting the Commissioner to amplify their voices through strong, compelling advocacy that influences change for and with the mokopuna of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Re-organising our resources to prioritise our communications and mokopuna voice functions, is an exciting and important point in our evolution, platforming off the great work led by our team over many years. As a result of this re-organisation, we have several exciting roles available in this new team.
If your skills and experience align - tono mai, apply now!
Mō mātou | About us
Mana Mokopuna - Children’s Commissioner is an independent advocate for all 1.2 million mokopuna in Aotearoa, up to the age of 18, and care-experienced young people up to age 25.
Led by Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad, Mana Mokopuna advocates for the rights, interests and wellbeing of children to be upheld through the promotion of system level change, provision of guidance to government and agencies, amplification of children’s voices in decisions affecting them, and monitoring places where mokopuna are deprived of their liberty.
Our name, Mana Mokopuna, reflects both who we are and what we stand for.
The word Mana speaks to the inherent authority, dignity, and value that every person holds. Honouring that mana sits at the heart of our purpose.
The word mokopuna can be understood in two parts: moko - a tattoo or imprint of whakapapa / genealogy - and puna - a life‑giving spring of water. Together, they evoke the image of one looking into a puna and seeing not only their own reflection, but also the stories and lineage carried in their moko – recognising that every child is a living reflection of their ancestors.
We recognise the many elements that support mokopuna to thrive and acknowledge that they are unique individuals, existing within the context of their family, whānau, hapū, iwi, and wider community. We also recognise that mokopuna participation in decisions that affect them is their right and is vitally important, and we hold the highest aspirations for all mokopuna, celebrating mokopuna diversity in all its forms.
Mō te rōpū | About the team
Our newly established Strategic Communications and Engagement team will bring more integration to the way that the Children’s Commissioner communicates and engages with mokopuna and the communities around them.
Through engagement grounded in the rights and interests of mokopuna – with particular consideration of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and Te Tiriti o Waitangi – this new team will play a crucial role in ensuring that the voices of mokopuna are heard, amplified through advocacy and translated into opportunities for real, meaningful behavioural and systemic change.
Working in alignment with the other functions of Mana Mokopuna, the new Strategic Communications and Engagement team will be responsible for:
Ngā tūranga kei te rōpū | Positions within the team
We are looking for talented, passionate professionals with a range of technical skills and experience to join our new team. An outline of each available role is provided below.
To view the full position description for any listed role, click on the hyperlinked role title on our website to access it directly here.
To be successful in this role, you will be experienced in managing teams to deliver in a well organised and highly effective way. You will likely have a professional background working within community and youth sector and you will be an exceptional engager and relationship builder.
Please note: Many of the mokopuna, whānau and communities we engage with are fluent speakers of Te Reo Māori and so the ability and confidence to undertake engagements fluently in te reo Māori is a key requirement of this role.
This role requires extensive technical engagement and communications expertise, an ability to weave evidence-based best practice, mātauranga and tikanga Māori throughout your work, and the ability to guide and support others to do the same.
Please note: Many of the mokopuna, whānau and communities we engage with are fluent speakers of Te Reo Māori and so the ability and confidence to undertake engagements and support communication and content creation fluently in te reo Māori is a key requirement for this role.
To be successful in this role, you will have extensive experience in creating engaging, inclusive spaces for mokopuna and their communities to share their experiences and perspectives. You will be a confident and skilled communicator, facilitator and writer, with the ability to actively listen, quickly build trust, and adapt your engagement style to be able to connect across the broad range of people you will connect with in your role - from mokopuna and their communities, to corporate environments and the Public Sector.
To do this role well you will be an expert in digital channels, with extensive experience in the development and delivery of digital communications and engagement programmes that drive engagement and influence, ideally within an advocacy-focused organisation.
To be successful in this role, you will be a talented creative who has experience designing and creating content that is compelling, engaging and accessible - helping Mana Mokopuna to reach a broad range of mokopuna and communities and enhancing our ability to advocate for and with them.
Please note: Many of the mokopuna, whānau and communities we engage with are fluent speakers of Te Reo Māori and so the ability and confidence to create designs grounded in tikanga Māori, and content in te reo Māori that will support engagement with fluent Māori speakers is a key requirement for this role.
All listed roles are permanent, full-time and based in our main office in Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Wellington.
Appropriate salary will be determined based on the preferred candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications.
Ngā kōrero mōu | About you
Along with the specific needs of the available roles outlined above, we are looking for candidates who:
Above all else, a commitment to making a meaningful difference for mokopuna across Aotearoa New Zealand
Ngā hua ka puta i te mahi ki Mana Mokopuna | What we can offer you
For any pātai regarding the listed roles, please contact HR at hr@manamokopuna.org.nz
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply
For any pātai regarding the listed roles, please contact HR at hr@manamokopuna.org.nz
The Children and Young People's Commission is an Independent Crown Entity. We advocate for children's rights to be recognised and upheld, provide expert advice to courts and government agencies, advocate for system-level changes, ensure children's voices are heard in decisions that affect them, raise awareness about children's rights and wellbeing and monitor places where young people are detained.