Strategic Communications Specialist

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Strategic Communications Specialist will lead a focused uplift in proactive storytelling and reset content and website channels to support sustained, high-quality communications. This is a hands‑on role requiring a mix of strategic leadership, content development, and capability building.

The role will help deliver immediate, tangible stories that showcase the impact of regional development investment, while strengthening the systems and channels that support ongoing proactive work.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Excellent writing, editing, and other communication skills.
• Strong strategic and critical thinking skills, with the ability to develop effective solutions to complex issues.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills across all levels of leadership.
• In-depth knowledge of the internal and external environment, including the machinery of government and its challenges and opportunities,
• Relevant tertiary qualification, e.g. public relations, communications, journalism) and/or equivalent relevant experience).
• You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Role specific competencies

• Demonstrated ability at Principal Advisor or senior strategic communications level.
• Strong content development skills, including storytelling, case studies, and narrative framing.
• Experience leading proactive storytelling in government or complex organisations.
• High EQ, with excellent relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Political nous and comfort operating in an environment with high expectations.
• Ability to work hands‑on and independently while bringing the team on the journey.
• Experience coaching and lifting capability in comms teams.
• Understanding of digital channels and how content strategies operate across web and social.
• Strong judgement and ability to balance proactive work with sensitive operational contexts.
• Media engagement experience (supporting pitches, shaping opportunities, engaging alongside team).

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Key accountabilities

Proactive Storytelling Uplift

• Develop a short-term content strategy that articulates the story of regional investment.
• Identify proactive storytelling opportunities, including case studies and media.
• Produce 3–5 impact-focused case studies aligned with priority areas.
• Work alongside the comms team to pitch and shape media opportunities where appropriate.
• Provide hands‑on support for drafting content, gathering information, and seeking approvals.
• Provide support for broader communications work as required, in response to team priorities.

Website and Content Channel Reset

• Review the current regional development website and related content channels.
• Provide high-level recommendations for an enduring structure and content priorities.
• Draft updates or content where required to support immediate improvements.
• Integrate web and social media thinking into the broader proactive storytelling plan.

Embedding Capability and Processes

• Create tools, templates, and frameworks that support ongoing proactive storytelling.
• Work closely with the RDCS communications team to embed new ways of working.
• Build team capability in planning, sourcing, and delivering proactive content as part of BAU.

Deliverables

• Proactive storytelling content strategy (short-term plan + future recommendations).
• 3–5 completed case studies suitable for publication and media use.
• Integrated plan for ongoing proactive storytelling within BAU.
• High‑level recommendations for website structure and content priorities.
• Draft content for immediate website or social media updates as needed.
• Templates, processes, or frameworks that support future delivery.

Wellbeing, health & safety

• Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives.
• Ensures own and others safety at all times.
• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Principal Communications Advisor position reports into the Manager Communications within the Communications and Government Services branch. The branch sits within the Strategy and Assurance group.

More information about MBIE’s structure

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose – Grow New Zealand for All.

To Grow New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi (work). Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

• As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world.
• We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders.
• We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Ngā matatau – Our competencies

Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.

Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.

Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.

Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.

Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.

Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti).

Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All.

The principles of Te Tiriti – including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work.

MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission