Manager Tangata Whenua Partnerships at Contact Energy

Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

13 Aug, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

15 May, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Partnership Management, Te Ao Māori, Te Reo Māori, Tikanga, Stakeholder Engagement, Commercial Judgement, Strategic Leadership, Resource Management, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Integrity, Investment Shaping, Regulatory Compliance

Industry

Utilities

Description

Company Description Te Tākinatanga - Our Story Ko tā Contact e whakapono nei, ko te taiao tonu te taonga nui katoa o te ao. Koinei mātou e whai atu nei kia mahue atu i a mātou tētahi ao hauora ake, tēnā i te ora i kuhu ai mātou. He pakihi whakarato hiko, ipurangi mātou, engari arā kē atu anō ā mātou taha. Kei te whakawhanake mātou i ā mātou mahi ake, i ngā ara hoki e whai hiko ai a Aotearoa, kei te kōkiri kia tukua te hiko tukurua, ā, kei te whakaputa i tētahi wheako matihiko mō ā mātou kiritaki kāore anō kia kitea i tēnei whenua. He tīma kotahi mano mātou nō ngā hau e whā, e ngākau nui ana ki ā mātou mahi, e aroha ana tētahi ki tētahi, e ako ngātahi ana, e whakapono tahi ana ki ā mātou tikanga ārahi: mā te manaaki kia toa, ka mana te katoa. At Contact, we believe home is the most important place in the world. That belief shapes everything we do, from how we power Aotearoa to how we show up for our people, partners, and communities. We’re a power, broadband, and mobile company, but we’re also investing boldly in renewable energy and smarter, more connected ways of working. Our ambition is simple: to leave Aotearoa better than we found it. Guided by our tikanga, we care deeply about the work we do and the impact we make. As our renewable portfolio grows, so does the importance of strong, enduring partnerships with tangata whenua. This role exists to lead that mahi at a senior level: strengthening trust and ensuring our approach to energy generation continues to reflect both commercial responsibility and cultural integrity. Job Description Te Whiwhinga mahi | The Opportunity This is a senior leadership opportunity for someone who brings mana, judgement, and deep relationship capability to their work. You’ll lead Contact’s tangata whenua partnerships, within the Sustatinability team, influencing how decisions are shaped to deliver mutual benefit for tangata whenua and Contact. The role sits at the intersection of partnerships and commercial opportunity with influence well beyond any one project or region. In this role, you will: Lead partnerships: Strengthening enduring, high‑trust relationships with iwi, hapū, and Māori entities across Aotearoa Shape decisions early: Bring tangata whenua perspectives into investment, consenting, and project conversations from the outset Provide leadership and clarity: Guide a specialist team and set the standards, systems, and ways of working that enable consistency at scale Hold complexity: Balance cultural integrity, environmental responsibility, and commercial outcomes in a highly regulated sector. Build for the future: Lift organisational confidence and capability to grow partnerships This role has evolved significantly and now carries responsibility for leading the charge to be the preferred partner of tangata whenua across Aotearoa including equity ownership as Contact leads NZ’s renewable energy future. Qualifications Ko wai koe | About You You are a senior leader who operates confidently within te ao Māori, with the presence and judgement to manage complex relationships and execute intergenerational agreements that deliver mutual benefit. You bring fluency in te reo Māori and can lead tikanga in relationship settings and day‑to‑day leadership. You understand the responsibility that comes with iwi partnerships and know how to uphold mana through how you show up and lead. You’ll thrive in this role if you bring: Deep understanding of tikanga, kaupapa Māori, and the lived realities of partnership with tangata whenua Proven experience building and sustaining high‑trust relationships within Māori and while operating in a corporatec ontext The ability to influence senior leaders and shape decisions that have long‑term impact Strong commercial judgement, particularly in environments shaped by natural resources and regulation A leadership style that enables manaakitanga, sets high standards, lifts capability, and enables others to thrive You are comfortable with complexity, listening deeply, navigating ambiguity, and moving work forward with integrity and care. A relevant tertiary qualification is required, and experience in resource management is advantageous. Additional Information Additional Information We support flexible working where it works for the individual, the team, and the business. While the location is flexible the team is located in the Central North Island, with members across Rotorua, Taupō, or Tauranga so proximity to these locations would be an advantage. Contact is not a place you’ll stagnate. We are growing and offer strong learning and development support, alongside a generous range of benefits that support your wellbeing and life beyond work. These include free health insurance cover, boosted KiwiSaver, access to Contact Shares, a Good to be Home annual payment to support your home setup and wellbeing, a trail‑blazing parental leave policy, twice‑yearly payments towards our products if you’re a Contact customer, and more. Applications close on Tuesday 2nd June, but just like peak demand, great talent often surges early. If this role sparks your interest, we encourage you to apply soon. He mea nui ngā paki kōrero ki a mātou i Contact. We value kōrero and connection. If you have a story that speaks to this mahi, we’d love to hear it. Here at Contact Energy (Te Mata Hiko), we know our strength lies in developing a sense of belonging - one that helps us attract and retain people with a broad range of perspectives and experiences. We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our customers and communities to help build a better Aotearoa New Zealand. We have a rich community of talented people that we support to thrive at Contact. Our inclusive hiring process is designed to embrace the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring a wide range of perspectives are included in our decision-making and helping reduce bias along the way. The wellbeing of our kaimahi is super important to us. We use employee insights to offer a range of initiatives and resources to support physical, mental, financial and emotional wellbeing – including flexible working arrangements, employee network groups and a market-leading parental leave policy. At Te Mata Hiko, we want everyone to thrive. We welcome applicants far and wide - of every age, stage, background, and pride. Join us and be part of a team that values your passion and attitude just as much as your experience and skills. Please note, only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role. Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria, women and those in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they tick every box. We're not about box ticking, so if you think you have what it takes but don't meet everything stated above, please still get in touch. We'd love to kōrero. Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) does not accept any CVs received from recruitment agencies where a formal engagement has not been confirmed and agreed to with our Talent team. In the event that unsolicited CVs are submitted by recruitment agencies, Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current/future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency in question. This will also apply to any CVs sent directly to line managers. Department: Corporate Affairs

Responsibilities

Lead senior-level partnerships with iwi, hapū, and Māori entities to ensure energy generation reflects cultural integrity and commercial responsibility. Influence investment and consenting decisions by integrating tangata whenua perspectives from the outset.