Kai Community Developer (Fixed term 20 hours/week)
Got a knack for bringing people together around good kai?
Join the Kai West Collective and help turn community ideas into action, connecting local leaders, growing food networks, and building a more resilient, equitable food system across West Auckland. Grounded in a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Mana Motuhake o te Kai (food sovereignty), this role works alongside communities to strengthen local leadership, support grassroots action, and help create neighbourhoods where people have greater control over how kai is grown, shared, accessed, and celebrated.
In this role you will:
● Champion locally-led kai projects and help them thrive.
● Connect emerging leaders, community champions, and partners.
● Support Networks of Action that are shaping the future of food together.
● Share stories and successes that inspire more communities to get involved.
● Strengthen collaboration across communities, organisations, and local initiatives.
We are looking for someone who:
● Has experience in community development and working alongside diverse communities in strengths-based, mana-enhancing ways.
● Demonstrates a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Mana Motuhake o te Kai, valuing Māori leadership, mātauranga Māori, and community-led approaches that strengthen local food sovereignty.
● Has a strong understanding of West Auckland communities, their aspirations, challenges, and unique local contexts.
● Understands or is eager to work within systems approaches, recognising how relationships, collaboration, and collective action create lasting change.
● Has knowledge of, or a passion for, local food systems, food resilience, food security, and community-led solutions.
● Is relational, well organised, self-motivated, and enjoys bringing people together to turn ideas into action.
● Believes that real change grows from the ground up through whanaungatanga, This position is a highly community-facing role based at Community Waitākere, one of the Steering Committee members of the Kai West Collective.
To apply for this role please send your CV and a cover letter to kerry@communitywaitakere.org.nz by Monday 27th July.
To apply for this role please send your CV and a cover letter to kerry@communitywaitakere.org.nz by Monday 27th July.
Community Waitākere has a vision of a West Auckland where all communities flourish.
We focus on building flourishing environments - one person, one neighbourhood and one community at a time.
We do this through capacity and capability building, community and neighbourhood development, providing support services, sector leadership and advocating for and demonstrating the value of the community sector.
Our focus areas are social and community development, local environmental projects and climate action.