Māori Relationships Lead - Wellington

Type: Fixed term
Hours: Full time
Location: Wellington
Business Group: Survivor Experiences Services 
Branch: Partnerships and Commissions
Salary: 111,458 – 138,704

• Do you have deep relationships and networks within Māori, Iwi, Hapu and Māori survivor communities? 

• Have you experience working with and forming relationships with organisations from Māori, Pacific, Disabled and/or Deaf communities who support Survivors of abuse in faith based or state care?

• Do you have a track record of forming enduring organisational relationships that lead to better outcomes for Māori survivors?

• Are you experienced in providing strategic advice and leadership to support Māori Survivors’ participation in and engagement with services?

• Are you interested in making a difference for Survivors of abuse in care?

• Then this role may be for you.

Better New Zealand 

Working at the Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of New Zealanders. 

Survivor Experiences Service

Te Tari Taiwhenua provides continuing support to Survivors of abuse in care through the Survivor Experiences Service. 

The Survivor Experiences Service provides a safe, supportive, confidential place for Survivors to share their experiences of abuse in care, to support healing. The Service supports Survivors to locate and obtain their personal records related to their time in care. 

Māori Relationships Lead 

As the Māori Relationships Lead you will join a team of relationship leads who work, integrated with the other Survivor-facing teams, to establish working relationships with communities of Survivors.

The Māori Relationships Lead will build and maintain relationships with Māori communities, Māori organisations and advocacy groups to build awareness of and confidence in the Service. They will also form relationships with organisations trusted by Māori Survivors to achieve the goals of the Survivor Experiences Service for Disabled survivors.  The Māori Relationships Lead will also provide strategic advice to the Service about the accessibility and effectiveness of service offerings for Māori survivors. 

To be successful in this role you will have demonstratable experience that allows you to:

• Rapidly develop an overall strategy for relationship development and maintenance that can be tailored to the specific needs of survivors from Māori communities 

• Develop and maintain effective and regular engagement with communities, including Survivors, Māori with care experience, their whānau, advocates and support people 

• Work to build relationships within cross-agency Māori community working groups

• Ensure insights from Māori survivors are captured fully in an accessible way to inform practice improvement

• Develop useful communications and collateral for Māori Survivors 

• Provide expert advice to guide service provision to Māori Survivors, enhancing access and encouraging participation of Māori Survivors in the Service, and ensuring the needs of Māori Survivors are met.

You’ll have strong resilience and emotional strength, sound judgement and tact in dealing with complex and sensitive issues that can cover incarceration, faith and beliefs, and Māori mental health

You'll be joining a team passionate about supporting Survivors of abuse in care. 

At Te Tari Taiwhenua, we value facetime to build strong relationships, as well as working from home and flexing hours to fit with your real life. In joining us, you'll get interesting work that's unique within New Zealand, that brings awesome opportunities to grow your skills and develop your career. You'll see that the work you do here is meaningful and makes a real difference. 

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We recognise a diverse workforce contributes to better business outcomes. We are committed to creating a workplace where all employees have equal access. Even if you don't think you meet all the criteria, but you're excited about this opportunity, please do get in touch - we value the different skills and experience that diversity brings.

Applications close: 5pm, 29 July 2025

For more information please contact: polly.martin2@survivorexperiences.govt.nz

Job description: To review the full job description, please click here.

About Us

At the Department of Internal Affairs, the work we do makes New Zealand a better place for those born here, and those new New Zealanders who have chosen to call this country home.

About the Team

The Partnerships and Commissions branch of DIA is responsible for a diverse portfolio of national institutions, commissions, Executive and community-based services. The branch oversees and supports the National Library and Archives New Zealand, Hāpai Hapori – Community Operations, and Ministerial Services who provide a range of services to the Prime Minister and the Executive. The branch oversees various commissions including royal commissions, ministerial inquiries and those established through legislation (Local Government Commission, Gambling Commission).