Lead Advisor Communications | Wellington | Permanent
Date: 3 Nov 2025
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
- Provide strategic leadership and expert communications and engagement support to ensure successful delivery
- Ensure communication plans and initiatives are aligned with the strategic direction of Disability Support Services and MSD
- Permanent Wellington-based role
Shape the voice of our organisation and drive impactful communications.
About our team | Mō te tīma:
The Disability Support Services (DSS) Group is responsible for commissioning, funding, and stewarding high-quality services that support disabled people, their families, and whānau.
We’re building leadership and management capacity across our teams to deliver both change and business-as-usual effectively.
We work closely with providers, stakeholders, and communities to ensure services are fair, consistent, transparent and sustainable. With a strong focus on performance monitoring, data, and insights, we’re committed to continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making.
It’s an exciting time to join DSS as we strengthen our systems and expand our capabilities.
We’re looking for passionate people to help us achieve our goals and make a meaningful impact.
About the role | Mō te tūnga:
As Lead Advisor Communications, you’ll play a central role in developing and executing communication plans and campaigns.
You’ll support the Communications team to deliver strategic initiatives and ensure operational excellence across all outputs.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead the development and delivery of communication plans and campaigns
- Provide expert advice on messaging and audience engagement
- Draft and distribute tailored communications for internal and external audiences
- Manage digital content and web updates using the CMS, ensuring accessibility and best practice
- Monitor and report on audience engagement through all channels to inform improvements
- Advise senior leaders on strategic and operational communications
- Develop tools and resources to support best practice across the team
- Build capability and consistency in communication delivery
We value diversity and welcome applications from disabled people and those who have lived experience with whānau, or the disability community.
Please contact us if there is any support that we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is accessible to you.
What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga:
- Proven experience in leading communications strategy and delivery
- Strong writing and editing skills across multiple formats and audiences
- Expertise in digital content, accessibility, and CMS platforms
- Skilled in stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality outputs
- Experience advising senior leaders and managing reputational risk
- Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and collaborate across diverse teams.
- Skilled in communication change management, able to simplify complexity and bring people on the journey.
- Comfortable navigating ambiguity able to provide clarity, maintain momentum, and drive work forward even when direction or detail is still emerging.
- Experience in working in at the political interface and providing high quality communications for Ministers and senior government officials
- Experience working with or understanding disability communities and inclusive communication practices (advantageous).
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga:
A copy of the position description can be found here. Lead Advisor Communications position description.
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $122,381.00 - $152,296.00
Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: Monday 17 November 2025
About us | Mō mātou:
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.
We provide social policy and advice to government and assistance, including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.
Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.
How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono:
To apply, click the 'Apply Now' button to upload your CV, cover letter and complete the online application form.
Note: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key responsibilities listed in the position description.
All applications must be made online. If this is not possible or if you have any queries, please contact us at jobs@msd.govt.nz
Internal MSD Employees – please apply through your myHR portal at work. This will ensure that your myHR employee profile is visible as internal candidate.
Joining us | Ko te hono mai:
Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.
We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.
If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.
