Senior Lead - Engagement | Kaiarataki Matua - Tuituinga

The role | Te tūnga   

This is a permanent role reporting to the Manager – Community Engagement and Insights.

The goal of your engagement will be to ensure that community stakeholders understand and have trust in Stats NZ.

You will do this by engaging proactively with communities, establishing regular touchpoints and ongoing mechanisms in alignment with our Strategic Engagement Model, which focusses on building relationships first to deliver against our priorities. You'll support Stats NZ's participation at major events like the ASB Polyfest and Te Matatini – occasions where we build connections with local communities and across the country. You'll work with communities to make sure they have access to Stats NZ's products and services to help them meet their data goals. You'll share the insights communities provide within Stats NZ to influence decision making.

You'll have input into developing engagement approaches to ensure they are meaningful and deliberate. The insights you receive from communities will inform decision makers within Stats NZ. You'll travel around the area to meet with communities and support participation in major events for Stats NZ.

What you bring | Nōu te rourou   

• We highly value demonstrated competency in mātauranga Māori, tikanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi application in a workplace setting. To support this work, proficiency in te reo Māori, or a strong commitment to developing te reo Māori capability is welcomed
• We are seeking candidates with a demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and applying cultural capability in their practice
• Have experience in relationship management or similar means of engaging with community groups on a wide range of topics
• Have familiarity with organising events-based relationship building opportunities
• Be confident mapping, developing and maintaining strong relationships with people from diverse backgrounds
• Be comfortable learning about and explaining data concepts and providing introductions to the products and services we offer
• Be comfortable with occasional travel and weekend work, particularly during the summer events season (February to March)
• Experience working flexibly to align engagement activities with community availability would be an advantage.

We recognise that valuable skills can come from both paid and unpaid work. You might have gained experience in education, hospitality, technology, public service, the marae, or the arts. You might have experience from community involvement, volunteering, or whānau responsibilities. We welcome and value all forms of transferable skills. Please bring your full unique self to your application. 

For all our roles, we’re looking for people who: 

• Act with integrity, take responsibility, and do what’s right even when it’s hard
• Understand the ‘why’ behind their work and focus on delivering real value
• Stay curious and open to learning, seeing challenges as chances to grow
• Build respectful and inclusive relationships, grounded in care for others
• Work collaboratively across boundaries and contribute to collective outcomes

We don’t expect you to know everything. What matters is your genuine interest, commitment, and readiness to grow with us. Tell us about yourself in your cover letter, what attracted you to this role, and what you would bring to Stats NZ.  

About Us | Ko mātou   

Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa is the National Statistics Office, leading the way in data and insights. While this is our focus, it’s our people who are central to everything we do. We value diverse perspectives and experiences, recognising that our work is strengthened by the people behind it. 

The data and insights we produce help shape decisions across government, communities, and businesses, and plays an important role in telling the story of Aotearoa New Zealand. Our mahi supports informed decision making at both national and local levels, helping improve outcomes for people, the economy, and the environment. 

We’re proud of the role we play in guiding and strengthening the data system, with a goal of delivering high quality data with equitable access for all. 

Curious about what it's really like to work here?
Before applying, we encourage you to watch our Life at Stats NZ video. It offers a glimpse into who we are, what we value, and the diverse perspectives and experiences that make Stats NZ a great place to work. 

What’s in it for you? | Ngā hua ka riro ki a koe  

Take a look at our Stats NZ careers site to learn more about our organisational values: He pēwhea ā tātou tikanga mahi | The way we work. 

Some key benefits include: 

• 37.5 hours work week. 
• 15 days sick leave allowance (to be used for yourself or people under your care). 
• 3 extra days off (taken during end-of-year office closure). 
• Annual flu vaccines. 
• Funded counselling and coaching through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). 
• Visual and hearing health benefits (for permanent kaimahi). 
• Corporate rates for a variety of services and products. 
• Study assistance programmes. 
• Rōpū Waiata – weekly cross agency connection. 
• An active social club in each office. 

Starting salary for this position: $97,270.00 - $114,436.00 + kiwisaver  

How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono   

 Sound like you? Click ’Apply now’ to be redirected to the application page on our careers site. The position description is located on the right-hand side of the page. 

Our process is to screen applications as we receive them, so we move to interview stage quickly. 

Please let us know in your application if we need to make any specific accommodations during our process. 

Please reach out to recruitment@stats.govt.nz if you have any pātai / questions.  

Note to recruitment agencies: unsolicited CVs will not be accepted.