Manager - Communications and Engagement

Your adventure begins here in Rotorua

Imagine waking up to the serene beauty that is Rotorua – with lakes at your doorstep and embracing the thrill of mountain biking in the metropolis of trails. Join Te Kaunihera o ngā roto o Rotorua | Rotorua Lakes Council and be part of a team that brings exceptional projects to life, such as the iconic Sir Howard Morrison Centre, the current revitalisation of the Rotorua Aquatic Centre, and the stunning Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment. As a council deeply rooted in biculturalism and a strong connection with Te Arawa, our local iwi, this is your opportunity to work at the forefront of culture, people, and connections.

Kauria ngā wai o ngā roto, kauria ngā wai o ngā kaupapa nui! Swim the tranquil waters of our lakes, bathe in the opportunities working at Council provides.

Rotorua Lakes Council is looking for a passionate Manager for our Communications and Engagement Team. This role exists to make Council easy to work with on the inside, and easy to understand on the outside. You’ll bring innovation, creativity and smart processes to how we plan, deliver and measure engagement and communications. No unicorns required – just excellent judgement, tidy systems, a knack for plain language and a love for our bilingual district.

This role requires leadership across our internal communications, external media channels, community engagement projects, and long-term projects. In terms of communication, you will help guide the overall communication strategy across projects (LTP, Annual Plan, bylaws, infrastructure, place-based work). You will watch over our digital channels, internal announcements, keeping things clear especially in times of crisis. You will lead fit-for-purpose engagement under our Significance & Engagement Policy across projects (LTP, Annual Plan, bylaws, infrastructure, place-based work). This involves designing activities that are inclusive, accessible, and meaningful, with early involvement of mana whenua and stakeholders. Planning and advisory work is a large part of this role, where you will help turn ‘we need a flyer’ into ‘we have a plan’. Finally, as a manager, you will define success up front. Track engagement quality, reach, sentiment and outcomes. Produce clear dashboards and records for the Executive team and elected members - insights first, spin never.

To thrive in this role, you need solid experience in NZ local government communications/engagement (8+ years), including leading a team and complex programmes, experience with IAP2. It's vital that you have confidence working with mana whenua and Māori communities, understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and tikanga. You need deep practical knowledge of how Council processes work and an ability to articulate this to others. A good Council Communicator needs to have strong judgement in issues and crisis situations, be calm under pressure and comfortable fronting with media and advising senior leaders. Finally, you need Digital competence - CMS, social platforms, email tools, analytics, accessibility, plain language - and the curiosity to keep improving.

This is your chance to lead a capable team, modernise our practice, and deliver visible outcomes for the community. We back innovation, creativity and continuous improvement. If this sounds like you, bring your portfolio of engagement/communications work and examples of the systems you’ve built. We’re excited to see how you will help us lift our game - for our people and for Rotorua.

Click here to view position description for this role

Te Kaunihera o nga Roto o Rotorua (Rotorua Lakes Council) is committed to working in partnership with Te Arawa, our local iwi. We aspire to being a bicultural organisation and we value staff who speak te reo Māori, have an appreciation of Māori values, and a working knowledge of tikanga Māori.

Sound like you? Click the Apply button now!

Applications close at 9:59pm on Sunday, 1 March 2026.