Community Liaison Officer

Welcome to Heretaunga, the area renowned for its rich and fertile landscape that is sustained by its life-giving dews and waterways. Welcome to Heretaunga, whose beauty is observed by the sharp eye of the harrier hawk; a landscape rich in history and with an esteemed legacy of caring and providing for its inhabitants.

Taitara Mahi - Community Liaison Officer
Permanent Full-Time

Hastings District Council's Infrastructure Group and play a vital role in supporting Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Recovery and ongoing capital projects. Our Community Liaison Officer ensures strong engagement and collaboration across diverse workstreams, helping deliver outcomes that reflect our community’s social, cultural, environmental, and economic wellbeing. This role, positioned in the Programme Delivery Office, will play a critical role in supporting project managers, and programme delivery managers to deliver exceptional community outcomes through engagement.

As Community Liaison Officer, you’ll connect with internal teams, external stakeholders, mana whenua partners, and the wider community to ensure project information is clear, accessible, and timely. You’ll coordinate consultation opportunities, gather feedback, and provide insights that shape successful delivery.

Working within the Programme Delivery Office and alongside Marketing, Communications & Engagement, you’ll manage information flow, prepare updates, and support administrative needs. Your proactive approach will help build trust and transparency, enabling meaningful relationships and positive outcomes for our region.

If you’re passionate about engagement and making a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

Ōu wheako – about you
To be successful in this role you will have:

• Proven experience in community engagement, stakeholder management, or communications—ideally within infrastructure or public sector projects.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to connect meaningfully with diverse communities and mana whenua partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, accessible updates and facilitate consultation processes.
• Confidence working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and engaging with senior leaders to support programme delivery.
• Strong organisational skills for managing information, coordinating feedback, and ensuring timely reporting.
• Familiarity with digital tools for information management and engagement; experience with project management systems is an advantage.
• Bonus: Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and experience working in culturally responsive ways.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives on collaboration, values community input, and wants to make a tangible impact on Hawke’s Bay’s recovery and future infrastructure. This role is part of the Infrastructure Group - The Infrastructure Group includes 3 Waters, Transportation, a Delivery Office, Business Support and a Professional Services Panel.

Situated in the heart of Ngāti Kahungunu, the Hastings district and Hawke’s Bay offer an enjoyable environment in which to live, work and play. We are an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity. Are you keen to be a part of our journey?