National Manager Communications and Engagement - Fixed Term - Wellington at Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Wellington - Wairarapa

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Do you have senior experience in communications and engagement?
• Fixed term ASAP – 26 February 2027, based in Wellington CBD
• Competitive salary dependent on skills and experience

Bring your seasoned expertise to this interesting and varied role across key areas within the Communications team of Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Mō tēnei tūranga - about the role

As the National Manager Communications and Engagement, you will lead communications to ensure stakeholders around New Zealand have timely and effective engagement with Fire and Emergency New Zealand.  As part of this role, you will lead a team of communications professionals who advise, plan and implement strategic and operational communications and engagement that support a strong and credible organisational reputation internally and externally.

You will also ensure the Board, Chief Executive and organisational leadership team receive strategic advice and support at the right level and the right time, including preparing briefings for senior leaders attending events and responses to media enquiries. 

This is a busy and challenging role, where agility is paramount to enable priorities and allocation of work across the team to meet key deliverables in a timely manner. 

This is a fixed term position from ASAP – 26 February 2027.

Ko tāu nā i tēnei tūranga - What you'll bring to the role:

As an experienced senior people leader, you will bring a strong track record of developing high-performing teams with good morale and culture.  You will have significant experience working with executive teams and boards, providing professional, timely and effective strategic advice. Your political astuteness along with experience working within a complex public sector environment, will enable you to deliver communication content and style to meet the needs of stakeholders and audiences at different levels.

To be successful in this role, we'd expect you will have:

• Senior communications and engagement professional (7+ years), including external communications (and media relations), internal communications, and strategy and execution; with proven experience working in complex organisations
• Significant experience in stakeholder engagement for executive teams and boards providing professional, timely, and effective strategic advice
• Significant depth of knowledge and experience providing diverse communications solutions to a large, complex public sector organisation
• Understanding of the emergency sector
• Exceptional understanding of tikanga Māori and demonstratable understanding of the Tiriti o Waitangi

Ko wai mātou - who are we? 

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is a Crown Entity responsible for reducing unwanted fires, responding to structural and vegetation fires and other emergencies including motor vehicle crashes, medical emergencies, hazardous substance related incidents, natural disasters, and supporting increased community resilience.

Our vision is to build stronger communities and protect what matters most to the people within them. We are proud to be recognised as New Zealand's most trusted public sector agency. Our values reflect what our people believe is core to who we are and the organisation we aspire to be.

• We Do the Right Thing – Kia Tika
• We Serve and Support – Manaakitanga
• We Are Better Together – Whanaungatanga
• We Strive to Improve – Auahatanga

Ko te tono mai - How to apply:

Come join us - we are excited about the future of Fire and Emergency New Zealand, and we'd love you to be part of it! We value diversity as a strength and welcome applicants that can help bring a difference to our organisation.

If this sounds like you, apply now outlining which position you are applying for. To download a copy of our position summary please visit our vacancy page on our FireJobs website. 

If you have any specific questions about this role, please email: nhqjobs@fireandemergency.nz. Please note, applications sent via email will not be accepted. 

We will be reviewing applications as they are received and may progress with suitable applicants prior to the application closing date. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible if you are interested in this position.

Applications close Friday 14 August 2026.

Please note:  Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory for this role.