Maori Relationships Lead

About the Company At the Department of Internal Affairs, also known as Te Tari Taiwhenua, we are dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of New Zealanders. Our Survivor Experiences Service provides ongoing support to individuals who have experienced abuse in care. We offer a safe and confidential environment for survivors to share their experiences and support their healing journey. About the Role We are currently seeking a Māori Relationships Lead to join our Survivor Experiences Service team. In this fixed-term full-time position based in Wellington, you will play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining relationships with Māori communities, organisations, and advocacy groups. Your efforts will help build awareness and confidence in our services among Māori survivors, particularly those with disabilities. As the Māori Relationships Lead, you will provide strategic advice to ensure our service offerings are accessible and effective for Māori survivors. You will work closely with other survivor-facing teams to integrate our efforts and enhance our support for survivors. Key Responsibilities In this role, you will: - Develop a comprehensive strategy for relationship building and maintenance tailored to the specific needs of Māori survivors. - Engage regularly with communities, including survivors, their whānau, advocates, and support personnel. - Collaborate with cross-agency Māori community working groups to foster strong relationships. - Capture insights from Māori survivors to inform service improvement in an accessible manner. - Create effective communications and materials for Māori survivors. - Provide expert guidance to enhance access and participation of Māori survivors in our services. Requirements To be successful in this position, you should possess: - Strong networks and relationships within Māori, Iwi, Hapu, and Māori survivor communities. - Experience working with organisations supporting Māori, Pacific, Disabled, and/or Deaf survivors of abuse. - A proven track record of building enduring organisational relationships that lead to improved outcomes for Māori survivors. - Experience in offering strategic advice and leadership to promote Māori survivor engagement with services. - Resilience and emotional strength, along with sound judgement when addressing complex and sensitive issues related to incarceration, faith, beliefs, and Māori mental health. Benefits Joining our team means becoming part of a passionate group dedicated to supporting survivors of abuse in care. We value face-to-face interaction for relationship building, while also offering flexible working arrangements that fit your lifestyle. In this unique role, you will engage in meaningful work that not only contributes to your professional development but also makes a real difference in the lives of others. As an equal opportunity employer, we embrace diversity and inclusion, understanding that a varied workforce enhances our business outcomes. If you are excited about this opportunity, even if you do not meet all the criteria, we encourage you to reach out to us. Applications close at 5pm on July 29, 2025. For more information, please contact Polly Martin at polly.martin2@survivorexperiences.govt.nz. To review the full job description, please visit our website.