Communications Business Partner – Strategy & Executive Operations

About the role

Hato Hone St John is seeking two experienced Communications Business Partners to shape and deliver strategic communications that protect and enhance the organisation’s reputation, support key priorities, and engage a wide range of stakeholders across New Zealand.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with senior leaders to plan and deliver communications aligned with organisational priorities.
• Develop and implement integrated communications strategies for business plans, initiatives, and change programmes.
• Identify and maximise communications opportunities, ensuring consistency with external narratives.
• Lead internal and external communications, including media relations and public affairs.
• Produce high‑quality content such as media releases, speeches, op‑eds, Q&As, web copy, case studies and social‑media posts.
• Provide expert advice on messaging, issues management and communications risk.
• Build and maintain strong media relationships and proactively seek media opportunities.
• Support crisis‑communications readiness and contribute to response planning.
• Ensure communications are audience‑led, insight‑driven and delivered via the most effective channels.

Required profile

• Confident communicator with strong strategic thinking and senior‑level influencing skills.
• Proven experience managing integrated communications in medium to large organisations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication ability to translate complex information into compelling content.
• Demonstrated experience working closely with senior leaders and stakeholders at all levels.
• Fluency in te reo Māori and ability to provide culturally grounded advice (for the Māori Health & Equity role).

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to contribute to a historic, community‑focused organisation.
• Engagement with senior leadership across health, finance and equity portfolios.
• Professional development in strategic communications and public affairs.