Communications Advisor

• Join an award-winning, high performing and fun Communications team 
• Hone your skills in internal communications in a rewarding, large organisation 
• A rare internal comms opening in Hamilton

Ngā kōrero mō te tūranga – About the role

This is a unique opportunity for you to grow your internal comms skills while keeping your hand in as a generalist in an ever-fascinating university environment.

This position is an integral part of the University’s small but mighty internal communications team, planning, developing and sharing engaging and informative content with our 12,000 students and 2,000 staff across multiple campuses. 

Providing communications support at an operational level but with a strategic lens over everything, this role has a wide-ranging awareness of the University and the tertiary education sector. We distil a high volume of complex information into the essential things our people need to know, turning lots of detail into a manageable stream of content.

We have an existing work plan that we’re delivering on, with opportunities to take ownership of initiatives for improvement and excellence. You’ll also be able to stretch outside of internal comms and lend a hand with external and corporate comms when needed. 

For more information about the role please see the position description. Salary will be based on skills, knowledge and experience brought to the position. This is a full-time (37.5 hours a week) fixed term (12 months) parental leave cover role commencing September 2026 and based on our Hamilton campus. For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Rohani Alexander, Internal Communications Manager, at rohani.alexander@waikato.ac.nz.

Ko wai koe? Who are you?

As well as a relevant qualification or equivalent experience, you have been building your skills as a communications professional and have or are developing an interest in the value of internal stakeholders and ensuring they feel informed and involved, but not inundated.

You pay genuinely impressive attention to detail, from typos and formatting to brand integrity and managing your time, while able to turn work around quickly under pressure.

You’re developing your radar for risk, and you can connect confidently with people at all levels of an organisation. Maintaining confidentiality where necessary is one of your particular competencies.

With a solid grasp of the usual technical suspects (mainly M365 and Sharepoint in particular), you have demonstrable proficiency across a range of writing requirements that sets you apart. This is not a role where AI can write for you.

You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand in accordance with New Zealand Immigration regulations.

Ko wai mātou? Who are we?

The Communications team protects and builds the reputation of the University amongst its diverse stakeholder groups, including staff and students, and provides leadership to ensure alignment with the University’s strategic direction. This includes working closely with a number of other functions across the University, including marketing and academic divisions.

We’re proud recipients of a PRINZ Bronze Award for PR In-house Team of the Year, and we value being collaborative and supporting each other. We take our work seriously but not ourselves, so our team chat is as entertaining as it is productive.

He aha ngā take me tono mai ai koe? Why should you apply for this position?

We want you to be part of our success! Our University stands proudly on the world stage as a provider of future-focused, international education and an active player in global research. Our rankings reflect these strengths. Working with us means you’ll enjoy a satisfying work environment with many benefits.

The University of Waikato is distinctive for the diversity of its staff and students and encourages applicants with capabilities from all backgrounds to apply.

Ko te Tangata – For the People

The University of Waikato prides itself on the quality of its engagement with the communities that it serves, the provision of a world-class education and the national and international impact of its research. Our policies are guided by the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and equal opportunity for all.

E herea ana te Whare Wānanga ki te kaupapa kia whakaratohia te mea angitū ōrite ki ngā tāngata katoa.

Applications Close on Sunday August 2, 2026

Requisition Number: 1003792