Chief Communications Officer

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking an experienced executive leader to join its Senior Leadership Team as Chief Communications Officer.

This is a critical enterprise leadership role, responsible for strengthening stakeholder confidence and ensuring communications and engagement perspectives are embedded in strategic decision-making across the organisation.

Reporting to the Deputy Secretary, Strategy and Assurance, you will lead communications, public affairs and stakeholder engagement functions while contributing to the broader leadership, performance and stewardship of a large and complex organisation.

As a communications leader, you will be a trusted executive responsible for supporting the organisation navigate change, manage risk, identify opportunities, and respond to emerging issues in a rapidly evolving environment.

You will bring the judgement, influence and leadership capability required to operate at the highest levels of government and the public sector.

You will provide leadership to a significant communications function, leading managers and developing organisational capability while fostering a culture of excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

About the role

As Chief Communications Officer, you will:

• Lead MBIE's enterprise-wide communications, engagement and public affairs strategy.
• Partner with the Chief Executive, Chief of Staff, Ministers and Senior Leadership Team to provide trusted advice on complex, high-profile and strategically significant matters.
• Shape MBIE's approach to reputation management, stakeholder engagement and public confidence.
• Identify and manage enterprise risks and opportunities, ensuring the organisation is well positioned to respond to change and emerging challenges.
• Lead communications responses during major organisational events, issues and periods of heightened public scrutiny.
• Drive consistency, quality and strategic alignment across the communications function and wider organisation.
• Influence outcomes across organisational boundaries, building strong partnerships and alignment around shared goals.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of leaders and communications professionals, building capability for the future.
• Maintain strong relationships with government agencies, industry leaders, iwi, media and key stakeholders.
• Shape and influence organisational direction and success through strong collective leadership, taking accountability for organisational performance, culture, strategic outcomes, governance, and risk and issue management.

About you

You will be an accomplished executive leader with significant experience leading communications, corporate affairs, public affairs or stakeholder-facing functions within a large and complex environment.

You will bring:

• Deep experience and understanding of the machinery of government (essential)
• A proven track record leading through complexity, ambiguity and organisational change.
• Strong enterprise leadership capability, including experience identifying and managing strategic and operational risks.
• Experience providing trusted advice to Chief Executives, Boards, Ministers and Senior Leadership Teams.
• Exceptional judgement and political nous, with the ability to navigate sensitive and high-profile issues.
• A demonstrated ability to lead leaders, build capability and develop high-performing teams.
• Deep expertise in reputation management, stakeholder engagement, media relations and strategic communications.
• A commitment to inclusive leadership and creating environments where people and teams can perform at their best.

Applications close on the 25th of November. Applications will be actively reviewed as they present.

For more information please contact Jing Li on 0274287725

Why join MBIE?

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.

We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable.

People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Mahi Tahi - Better Together
• Māia - Bold and brave
• Pae Kahurangi - Build our Future
• Pono Me Te Tika - Own It

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity - Hīkina Whakatutuki - which broadly means 'lifting to make successful'.

MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand.

We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities.

E mōhio ana a Hīkina Whakatutuki i puea ake te kōtuinga I waenganui i a ngāi Māori me te Karauna i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, kei te whai ia ki te whakaū ake i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mā te whai kiko o ngā kōtuinga ahunga roa o ngā iwi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, ka tutuki tēnei.

He āhuatanga nui tēnei e āhei ai ngā mahi whanaketanga ā-ohanga, ā-pāpori hoki ki a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui. E whai tonu ana mātou ki te kōtui atu ki ngā iwi mō te rapu huarahi hou ki te whakaara i ngā kaupapa kua roa nei e tāmi ana i a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui, ā, e whai ana hoki ki te tautohu i ngā āheinga kōkiritanga mā ngā iwi, me te tautoko i ngā iwi kia whai mana ake ai ēnei āheinga.

Robert Walters endeavours to review all applications in a maximum of five working days. If you have not received correspondence within this timeframe please do not hesitate to contact Jing Li on 04 471 9720.