Ko wai mātou - About us:

Hato Hone St John has been serving New Zealanders since 1885. Today,  we have nearly  12,000 kaimahi working across Aotearoa to enhance the health and wellbeing of our communities. From responding to 111 calls to supporting people to stay healthy through health education, access and monitoring, we are make life-changing differences every day.

He aha te tūranga - About the role: 

Reporting to the General Manager – Strategy & Stakeholder Engagement, the National Manager – Communications & Public Affairs is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering a unified, high-impact communications and public affairs function for Hato Hone St John.

You will lead the development and execution of integrated communications, media and public affairs strategies ensuring they are directly aligned to and advance Hato Hone St John’s organisational priorities. Through this you will strengthen stakeholder engagement, and protect and enhance reputation. Acting as a central connector across the organisation, you will ensure alignment between strategy and delivery — fostering cohesion across brand, marketing, stakeholder engagement and communications into a clear, consistent and compelling narrative.

As a trusted member of the senior leadership team, you will provide expert strategic advice on reputational positioning, emerging risks and opportunities, and lead a function that enables confident, aligned and effective communication across the organisation.

Key accountabilities:

• Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary team, embedding clear ways of working, role clarity and a high-performing, collaborative and engaged culture.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior leaders on media, reputation, stakeholder engagement and public affairs matters.
• Oversee media relations, issues and crisis management, and internal communications ensuring coordinated and timely responses.
• Drive public affairs and advocacy activity to shape the external environment and support organisational positioning.
• Enable strong cross-functional alignment across brand, marketing, digital and partnerships to ensure consistency and impact.
• Ensure communications approaches reflect Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments and support meaningful engagement with Māori communities, stakeholders and partners.
• Oversee social media and channel strategies to maximise engagement while managing reputational risk.
• Embed measurement, insights and continuous improvement to enhance communications effectiveness.

The role can be based in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch with a regular presence in Auckland required.

Ko wai koe - About you:

We are looking for an experienced communications and public affairs leader, known for providing trusted strategic advice to business leaders. Skills and experience should include:

• Extensive senior leadership experience leading large, multi-functional communications teams (including public affairs) within complex, politically and reputationally sensitive environments.
• Proven success developing and delivering integrated communications and public affairs strategies aligned to organisational strategy, with clear impact and outcomes.
• Highly developed strategic thinking, with the ability to translate organisational direction into clear, aligned communications approaches.
• Strong advisory capability at ELT and CE level, with confidence to navigate ambiguity and complexity.
• An inspiring leader with demonstrated success building teams, leading through change and driving alignment across diverse stakeholders and functions.
• A visionary mindset, with the ability to see the bigger picture and position the organisation for long-term impact.
• Strong reputational judgement and risk awareness.
• Cultural capability in a communications context, including an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the ability to support culturally responsive engagement and storytelling.

Me pēhea te tuku tono - How to apply

To express your interest in this opportunity, click “I’m interested” before applications close on Sunday 5th July.

For further information please contact Lindsey Frankland via 027 309 8372 or [email protected] for a confidential discussion.

At Hato Hone St John, we embrace diversity, welcoming everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. We value unique perspectives, fostering inclusivity to better serve our communities, and we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone belongs.

E pōhiritia nei e mātou, te whānau o Hato Hone St John, ngā rereketanga o ia tāngata ki te haramai. E āwhinatia e mātou i ngā whakaaro rereke, kia mahi pai i roto i ngā hāpori katoa. Ko ta mātou nei haepapa, kia hangaia tātahi āhuru mōwai mā tātou, kia mahi haumaru ai.

If you need accommodations for accessibility, please reach out to the recruiter listed for equitable participation in our recruitment process.

Research shows that women and people from under-represented groups are less likely to apply for roles when their experience doesn’t match the job description perfectly. If you’re excited and think you have what it takes, we want to hear from you! Even if your experience doesn’t align 100%. Please apply or contact the recruitment advisor listed on the advertisement for a kōrero.