Principal Advisor Māori Partnerships - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management

Te whakapakari tahi i tō tātau Taiao – Enhancing our environment together.

Our vision is a healthy environment and a resilient and prosperous community.

About The opportunity | Ko te āheinga:

Following Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke’s Bay has committed to fundamental change in how we prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. Communities, mana whenua, councils, and partners rightly expect a system that works when it matters most.

With our community at the heart of our civil defence system, our mission is to build strong connections, empower local voices, and enhance collaboration across the region to create a safe, informed, and resilient Hawke’s Bay that is prepared for, responds to, and recovers from emergencies and disasters well.

Hawke’s Bay Emergency Management operates as a shared regional service on behalf of the region’s councils. We take a strategic, evidence-led approach to resilience that focuses on where effort will have the greatest impact, particularly for communities, sectors, and systems that are most at risk.

We are looking for a Principal Advisor - Māori Partnerships to join the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (HBCDEM) team. Working closely with the Team Leader – Community Resilience, this role ensures that Māori perspectives are meaningfully embedded across all aspects of Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management, including planning, policy, and operational decision-making. The role provides strategic, system-level advice and cultural leadership across CDEM by ensuring engagement practices uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. reflect a strong Māori worldview, and strengthen relationships between Māori communities, local authorities, and emergency management organisations to foster mutual understanding and equitable participation.

The role supports Māori-led approaches to resilience, including enabling marae, whānau, hapū, and iwi to lead and participate in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. This includes contributing to, and where required leading, Māori Partnerships functions within emergency response structures.

This role involves:

• Travel within the region and occasional travel elsewhere in Aotearoa New Zealand.
  
• Participating in the 24/7 duty team roster and performing emergency response and recovery functions as necessary during emergencies.

   

About you | E pā ana ki a koe:

We are looking for someone who brings a deep and comprehensive understanding of tikanga Māori, te ao Māori, and Māori values, and who can confidently apply these in the context of emergency management and local government planning, policy, and decision making‑. You will have extensive experience working alongside Māori communities, iwi, and organisations, and a proven ability to build trust and engagement in both community and emergency management settings.

To be successful in the role, you will demonstrate:

• Competency in te reo Māori, including the ability to engage confidently in te reo in formal and informal settings such as mihi, karakia, and hui.
• A strong understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori cultural values, with a demonstrated ability to apply these principles in community development and emergency management contexts.
  
• The ability to remain calm under pressure, combined with strong problem-solving and decision-making skills in challenging environments.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in Māori studies, te reo Māori, social sciences, community development, or a related discipline; or equivalent experience is expected, along with a full New Zealand driver licence.

What we offer | Nga huanga mōu:

The salary range for this role is between $122,485 to $144,100 and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

Other benefits of working for our team include:

• Flexible working options to support work/life balance
• 5 weeks annual leave after 3 years
  
• 4% superannuation after 3 years
• Life insurance and income protection
• Subsidised eye tests and lenses, flu vaccinations, and other well-being initiatives
• Strong commitment to developing and upskilling people within a supportive working environment

   

As an equal opportunity employer, we are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. We recognise that collaborative and innovative organisations depend on having a workforce made up from a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. We're all about excellence, and we encourage open communication – if you need any specific support, just let us know! Our main goal is to empower each person to share their unique talents to contribute to the outcomes for our community. This commitment ensures that our workplace is a dynamic and progressive space where everyone can flourish.

HBRC is responsible for Civil Defence emergencies and as such, all staff may be called upon to support the response.

How to apply | I pēhea ki te whakauru:

Applications close Friday, 17 April 2026, however we will be shortlisting and interviewing appropriate candidates as applications are received. If you are interested in this position, please do not wait to apply as we may close the ad earlier than advertised.

Applicants must have existing rights to work in New Zealand.

To view the job description please visit our website here.

Please apply through Seek. If you would like any further information regarding the role, please email hr@hbrc.govt.nz

About us | E pā ki a mātou:

At Hawke’s Bay Regional Council our purpose is to work with our community to protect and manage the region’s precious taonga of rivers, lakes, soils, air, coast and biodiversity for health, wellbeing and connectivity. Our organisation is diverse and our work is varied. Our structure comprises of six key business units; Corporate Services, Integrated Catchment Management, Asset Management, Māori Partnerships, Policy & Regulation, and the Executive Advisory Group which also consists of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

We focus on prioritising:

Te kounga o te wai, te haumarutanga me te mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi o te whakamarutanga | Water quality, safety and climate-resilient security. 

Kia koi, kia toitū hoki te whakamahinga o te whenua | Climate-smart and sustainable land use. 

Kia ora, kia āhei, kia mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi hoki te rerenga rauropi | Healthy, functioning and climate-resilient biodiversity. 

Kia toitū, kia mārohirohi ā-āhuarangi hoki ngā ratonga me ngā hanganga ā-whare | Sustainable and climate-resilient services and infrastructure.