Head of Corporate Affairs - Māori and Pacific Peoples

Job Description

Kia ora!

Join Air New Zealand in shaping how we authentically embed Māori and Pacific worldviews, values, and practices into everything we do. The Corporate Affairs Lead - Māori and Pacific Peoples (Head of) is a pivotal leadership role, driving cultural strategy and driving meaningful impact for our people, customers, and communities, enhancing our mana as Aotearoa’s national carrier.

With a strong reputation for culture, service, and innovation, Air New Zealand is consistently ranked as one of New Zealand’s most attractive employers. Behind the scenes, our corporate teams are shaping strategy, driving performance, and supporting a thriving, future-fit business. As part of our wider senior leadership team, this role will report directly to our Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer, ensuring our workplace reflects the rich heritage of Aotearoa and the Pacific, and driving stronger partnerships and deeper customer connections within these communities, enhancing both cultural and commercial outcomes.

The role you will play:

• Lead the design and execution of Air New Zealand’s Māori and Pacific Peoples Strategy, driving cultural authenticity and inclusion.
• Partner with People teams to embed Māori and Pacific perspectives in talent and leadership programmes, building pathways for growth.
• Collaborate with Brand, Marketing, and Customer Experience teams to deliver culturally authentic experiences across customer touchpoints, attracting and retaining a loyal and engaged customer base.
• Develop and maintain meaningful partnerships with iwi, hapū, and Māori and Pacific community leaders, enhancing Air New Zealand’s credibility, community presence, and business opportunities.
• Lead, coach, and inspire a high-performing Cultural Development team.
• Coach and guide various parts of the business, effectively connecting strategy with delivery.
• Serve as an inclusive leader who proactively engages with diverse areas of the business, fostering a highly collaborative environment.
• Define clear success measures, tracking workforce representation, cultural fluency, and partnership outcomes to deliver tangible impact.

What you’ll bring:

• Senior leadership experience in cultural strategy, Māori development, or diversity and inclusion.
• Established networks and credibility within Māori and Pacific communities and organisations.
• Proven ability to co-design and deliver impactful cultural and organisational strategies.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Deep expertise in tikanga Māori, te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori, and Pacific cultural values and practices.
• Strategic and commercial mindset, combined with authentic leadership and storytelling abilities.

Bring your expertise and passion to this influential role and help Air New Zealand lead the way in cultural authenticity and inclusion. Your journey to shaping our future, and yours, starts here.

Applications close 30th November 2025.

Additional Information

At Air New Zealand, we are proudly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and believe in creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. Our people are our greatest asset – because while everything else we do in our operation can be replicated by our competitors, it is our people that truly set us apart. We are firm believers in celebrating the differences and diversity of thought our people bring to their roles. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including those with a disability, additional health and mental health needs, and/or are neurodiverse to apply for our roles.

If you have encountered any accessibility barriers and require further information or reasonable accommodations to our recruitment process, please reach out to the recruiter listed on this job advert so they are able to support you to freely participate equitably in our recruitment and selection process.

Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Ko te pae tata whakamaua, kia tina.

"Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality."