Director of Communications

• Lead and embed the University’s communications strategy, ensuring clear alignment and consistency across all channels and functions. 

• Amplify a cohesive institutional voice in partnership with our Executive and senior leaders.  

• Lead internal and external communications for New Zealand’s largest and most comprehensive research university serving 47,000 students, 10,000 staff, generating $1.5bn.  

At Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland we invite you to light a path forward and, together, illuminate possibilities for others. We are seeking an experienced, strategically minded Director of Communications to lead our enterprise-wide communications function through a period of significant organisational change and renewed institutional ambition. This is where your journey enriches our collective progress. Where the scale of our ambition matches the breadth of your potential. 

Waipapa Taumata Rau is Aotearoa New Zealand’s pre-eminent higher education institution and one of the country’s most significant and complex entities. Our work across four main campuses contributes broadly to the New Zealand and international context, positively impacting society through our commitment to the advancement and exploration of knowledge. 

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity  

More than a role, this is your chance to shape transformative work that influences futures at scale. 

Reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Engagement), the Director of Communications will be the University’s most senior leader on reputation, issues and crisis management, executive communications, and media strategy. They will illuminate our institutional voice, ensuring it is confident, coherent, proactive, and aligned with our purpose and values. The Director will build capability, consistency, and clarity across our diverse organisation, guiding a team to deliver best practice communications services and fostering an audience and partner-centric culture. 

In this role, you will: 

• Lead and embed the University’s communications strategy, ensuring a cohesive institutional voice and alignment across all channels and functions. 

• Provide authoritative, strategic counsel to the Vice-Chancellor and senior leaders on communications implications, reputational risk, and the University's external profile. 

• Chart a proactive communications approach, amplifying research impact, elevating the University’s public profile, and breaking through national and global noise. 

• Lead crisis communications with composure, clarity, and sound judgement. 

• Build trusted relationships with executive and faculty leaders, maintaining visibility and credibility across the University. 

• Champion culturally responsive, inclusive communication, ensuring alignment with Te Tiriti o Waitangi and in strong partnership with Māori and Pacific leaders. 

• Lead the implementation of outcomes from the current operating model review, supporting staff through change and establishing new systems, standards, and expectations. 

• Build and empower high-performing teams, driving clarity, excellence, resilience, and evidence informed decision making. 

• Hold overall accountability for the communications budget, governance, quality standards, and resource alignment. 

• Develop and maintain a network of productive relationships with the media and the University’s other major external stakeholders. 

You’ll find the support to grow and the freedom to lead. Chart your course with institutional backing. For more detailed information, please refer to the attached position description. 

Please note this is a full-time (37.5 hours/week) position, with a target salary range of $216,800 to $255,000 depending on skills and experience. 

He kōrero mōu | About you

You have the gravitas, maturity, and presence to advise senior executives, influence outcomes, and lead meaningfully through ambiguity, scrutiny, and change. 

You will bring: 

• 10+ years’ senior leadership experience in enterprise‑level strategic communications within large, complex, or high‑profile organisations. 

• Experience leading within complex organisations, ideally with exposure to embedding new operating models. 

• Experience advising and influencing senior executives and governance groups, with the ability to operate confidently and calmly under pressure. 

• A track record of building and sustaining high‑performing teams, setting clear expectations, building capability, and leading with empathy, transparency, and resilience through transformation. 

• Exceptional relationship and stakeholder management skills, with highly developed influencing skills, political acumen, and sound judgement in ambiguous or sensitive environments. 

• Experience in media relations, public affairs, government interface, and external engagement, particularly in public‑facing or scrutinised environments. 

• Strong financial, resource, and vendor management capability. 

• Commitment to equity, inclusion, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and culturally responsive communication. 

• Experience in research-intensive, public sector, higher education, or government related environments is advantageous but not essential. 

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply 

Applications must be submitted online by the closing date of Sunday, 12 April to be considered. Please include your cover letter and CV, highlighting how you meet the skills and experience detailed above. 

Light your path. Light our future. Light a way.