Chair and Governance Support Officer

Job Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Whangārei

Job Category: Administration and Business Support,Governance

Northland Regional Council’s role is to care for and protect Taitokerau Northland's environment and communities. Does that resonate with you?

Ko te aha ā mātou mahi? / What work do we do?

We’re focused on creating a healthy environment, strong economy and resilient communities - matching our skills and resources with the vision and aspirations of our people. Our mahi involves working in partnership with tāngata whenua and our communities to protect and care for our waters, land, air and native life, while building our region’s resilience and adapting to a changing climate. When you join us, you’re part of something bigger- helping Taitokerau thrive for generations to come.

Toitū te whenua, toitū te moana, toitū te tangata. If the land is well, if the sea is well, the people will thrive.

Te āheinga / The opportunity

We are seeking a highly organised and trusted Chair and Governance Support Officer to provide high-level support to the Chair, Councillors, and governance functions across Northland Regional Council.

In This Rewarding Role, You Will

• Coordinate the Chair's diary, meetings, travel, correspondence, and key priorities, ensuring seamless day-to-day support and effective use of their time.
• Prepare and coordinate briefings, meeting agendas, reports, and materials.
• Provide high-quality administrative and governance support, including meeting coordination, minute-taking, action management, and follow-up of key outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, facilitating communication and ensuring timely responses to requests and enquiries.
• Support the coordination of public-facing communications, including social media activity, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring accurate, timely and appropriate information is shared with community members, stakeholders and media, while liaising with the Communications team for specialist support as required.

Working closely with elected members, senior leaders, staff, and community stakeholders, you will play an important role in supporting effective governance, civic activities, and community engagement. Success in this role will come from your ability to anticipate needs, exercise sound judgement, manage competing priorities, and build strong working relationships while maintaining the highest levels of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.

He Kōrero Mōu / About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• 5 + years’ experience in a senior support, Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, or Governance Support role.
• Experience supporting meetings through the preparation of agendas, papers, minutes, and action tracking.
• Excellent relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Cultural awareness, including an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori-Crown relationships in a local government environment.
• Understanding of relevant local government operating context, and relevant legislation would be an advantage.
• Advanced Microsoft 365 skills and the ability to produce high-quality documentation and correspondence.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in Business Administration, Communications, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience in a related field.

Ko te aha ngā painga o te mahi kei konei? / What are the benefits of working here?

Just as you care about your community and environment, NRC cares about you and your wellbeing. Our organisation celebrates collective efforts and achievements and recognises every individual for their contributions and dedication to their mahi.

We understand the importance of flexibility, so we’re committed to alternative working arrangements for our staff. We offer a range of flexible work arrangements to suit our people’s varied lifestyles, commitments and cultural needs.

Tono mai / Apply

If you have a strong background supporting senior leaders, excellent organisational and communication skills, and enjoy being the person who keeps everything running seamlessly behind the scenes, we'd love to hear from you.

Want to have a kōrero with us first, or just need more information? If so, contact our Governance and Corporate Policy Manager, Jane Hickmott (***email_hidden***). To view the job description, visit our careers site where the following link will work: JD: Chair & Governance Support Officer

Applications close on 30 September 2026

We review applications as they are received. Apply online now, as the close date may change. Please note that we do not accept email applications.

Applicants for this position should have NZ residency/citizenship, or a valid NZ work visa.